Kidney disease, also known as renal failure, can develop in both cats and dogs of any breed or age. Kidneys are responsible for filtering waste products in the body. When they fail to work properly, waste products begin to accumulate in the blood stream. This condition can become quite serious requiring extensive pet medical treatment.
How Kidney Disease Affects Your Pet
As stated above, when the kidneys fail to function properly, waste products will accumulate in the blood stream. After some time, other organs in the body can become adversely affected. Some of the things that pets may develop include visual abnormalities, bleeding disorders, seizures, pulmonary edema and heart abnormalities. When untreated, kidney disease can be fatal.
Common Symptoms of Kidney Disease
If your pet has kidney disease, it can display a variety of symptoms. The exact symptoms that your dog or cat may show depend on how severe its condition is. It is essential to note that some of the signs of kidney disease are similar to other pet health conditions such as liver disease, pancreatic disease and urinary tract disorders. Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Dogs and Cats: Increased Thirst and Dehydration, Frequent Urination or Difficulty Urinating, Blood in Urine Incontinence, Loss of Appetite/Weight Loss, Vomiting and/or Diarrhea, Lethargy Lack-Luster Coat, Abdominal Pain, Anemia, Ulcers in the Mouth, Bad Breath Swelling of the Limbs and/Abdomen.
Treatments for Kidney Disease
Affected pets need to undergo extensive treatment once diagnosed with kidney disease. First of all, your veterinarian will perform a diuresis to help clean out the kidneys and replace any lost electrolytes. Medication to control vomiting and diarrhea may be necessary as well. Next, it is essential to keep the kidneys working properly as long as possible. This can be accomplished with such treatments as a special diet that is low in protein, phosphate binders, Calcitriol, potassium supplements, antibiotics and/or Procrit. Finally, it is very important that your pet drinks a lot of fresh, clean water to help keep the kidneys flushed out. In severe cases, a kidney transplant may be required.
Breeds Affected
There are many things that can cause kidney disease in dogs and cats. As such, most any breed can develop the condition. However, there are some breeds that are more prone to kidney disease and some conditions that encourage its development. Pets most vulnerable to Kidney Disease: Samoyed, English Cocker Spaniel, Bull Terrier, German Shepherd and Cairn Terrier.
Pet Insurance
When adding a dog or cat to your family you want to make sure your pet is happy, healthy and protected. During its lifetime your pet is exposed to many illnesses and diseases and some breeds are affected by a congenital disease which is a condition existing at birth. At these moments when your pet is ill or maybe needs surgery, you want to be protected for the unexpected and high veterinarian costs.
