Regrettably, our pets are ill. Any veterinarian has repeatedly encountered in his practice with enlarged kidneys in a cat. And this happens not only with age cats, but can happen with very young cats. In the article, we will talk about the causes and treatment of enlarged kidneys in a cat, how to determine that your fluff has this problem. And also about how to prevent diseases and how to feed a pet in this case.
Kidneys - Weak Link
According to statistics, cats are three times more likely than dogs to undergo various pathologies of the urinary system. This is most likely due to their phylogenetic origin.
Our pets are born from a wild steppe cat, which lived on the territory of the Fertile Crescent (the territory of modern Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Israel and Lebanon). It was here that 10 thousand years ago, wild cats were tamed by humans. And although today in the world there are about 600 million domestic cats of 200 breeds, they remained genetically close to their wild ancestor.
The peculiarity of wild cats is that they practically do not drink water. They get it with food. But for domestic cats, this way of restoring water balance is difficult.
In addition, the structural features of the urinary system of cats have a peculiarity - their urethra is long and narrow with three constrictions. In the wild, just such a structure allows you to save and use all the water that enters the body. But in domesticated animals, this causes blockages, which often lead to a strong increase in the kidneys of a cat.
general information
In cats, as in all mammals, a pair of kidneys is located in the abdominal cavity in the region of the lumbar spine. These bean-shaped organs have a complex structure, the structural unit of which is the nephron. It is in these glomeruli, entangled in blood vessels, that the main function of the kidneys is carried out - filtering metabolic products.
Home, but not the only one. In addition, the kidneys play an important role in the hormonal regulation of the body, regulate the acid and electrolyte composition of blood plasma, and are involved in maintaining blood pressure. Urine is collected in the kidney cups, which enters the paired ureters into the bladder. And already from it it is removed from the body.
Insidious organ
Any violation in ensuring normal metabolism and removing excess from the body leads to systemic pathologies. And here it is important to know that the kidneys, like no other organ, are a disposable item. The number of nephrons in the kitten’s kidney is laid from birth, and they can only die, but cannot regenerate.
Another feature of the structure of the kidneys - they do not have nerve pain endings. That is why, when they begin to make themselves felt, this indicates an already matured pathology.
That killed 10% of the nephrons - the cat is healthy, 20% - unchanged. And 50% of the nephrons died, and the animal fell ill. And with the death of more than 70% of kidney nephrons, the prognosis of the disease is very disappointing.
Etiology of kidney disease
Enlarged kidneys in cats can be for a variety of reasons.
- Hereditary kidney disease. Most often found in cats of certain breeds. For example, the Abyssinian and Somali breeds are characterized by an increase in kidneys in cats due to deposits of protein-polysaccharide amyloids in the tissue (renal amyloidosis). But in Persian, Himalayan and exotic breeds, the cause of kidney enlargement is polycystic (the formation of cysts in the tissue). Congenital malformations can be renal aplasia (absence of a kidney) and dysplasia (improper development).
- Acute kidney disease. Their etiology is different - trauma, infection, poisoning. All of them arise suddenly, but with timely treatment, the prognosis is usually favorable.
- Chronic kidney disease. It is in this form that untreated acute diseases pass, and it is they that can lead to an increase in the kidneys in cats. Chronic kidney damage is also caused by systemic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, as well as cancer.
Between the acute course of the disease and the chronic form, the line is very thin. After all, kidney diseases are insidious. It often happens that until 50% of the nephrons die, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, and when obvious symptoms appear - everything is already quite serious.
Cat Kidney Disease: Symptoms
Remember, in 90% of cases, kidney pathologies are detected either by chance, or when nothing can be done and the animal is in a half-dead state. Watch your pet and do not miss the onset of the disease. Symptoms may be severe and blurry. Common signs that a cat has problems are the following:
- In violation of the excretory function of nephrons, the cat’s urine becomes almost colorless, almost does not smell, but there is a lot of it. The body is dehydrated, which is easy to determine by pulling the cat on the nape of the neck - it does not return to its original position immediately, but only after a while. The cat drinks a lot and often goes to the toilet. Diarrhea is possible.
- Due to the violation of the excretion of harmful substances and nitrogenous bases (creatinine and urea) from the body, they accumulate and cause general intoxication of the body (uremia). As a result, the cat loses its appetite, vomiting and diarrhea are observed. A specific nitrogen smell appears from the mouth.
- An increased level of urea in the blood leads to an increase in its content in saliva. As a result, ulcers, gingivitis, stomatitis appear on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity.
- Abnormalities in the functioning of the kidneys lead to hormonal imbalances - the hormone chymosin, which controls blood pressure, and erythropoietin, which regulates the production of red blood cells, are produced in insufficient quantities. The hemoglobin level in the blood decreases, which leads to anemia. Outwardly, this is manifested in the clarification of the nose and gums. Oxygen starvation of tissues causes muscle weakness and apathy.
- For deep kidney damage, intraocular hemorrhage is characteristic. On one or two eyes, blood spills into the retina, which can lead to detachment and blindness.
Most common pathologies
In most cases, the cause of kidney pathologies is difficult to establish. The most common causes are infections, systemic diseases, injuries, poisoning, unbalanced nutrition. At risk are all cats older than 7 years.
The most common kidney diseases are nephritis - pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, hydronephritis. These are inflammatory processes of different localization and different bacterial nature.
In the renal ducts, stones (stones) can form and clog the ducts, which leads to urolithiasis and an enlarged kidney in the cat. This disease is most characteristic of age-age castrated cats that have been “dry-fed” and fish for life. Shifts of stones are painful and pass in the form of attacks, in the urine there are often traces of blood.
The most severe pathology is a syndrome of impaired renal function. Often, it leads to chronic renal failure (CRF), which has an unfavorable prognosis. With this pathology, the nephrons are replaced by connective tissue, and the kidneys in the cat are enlarged. It is possible to cure, albeit very difficult. More often it is only possible to stabilize the animal, carry out maintenance therapy and prolong life.
Diagnosis of the disease
So, you noticed a change in the behavior of your pet or that the cat has an enlarged kidney. What to do? Do not self-medicate. The kidneys are a very serious problem. Diagnose, only a doctor can conduct an examination. It is in the veterinary clinic that your pet will be examined and determined by palpation whether the organ is in place and whether there is pain.
In the clinic, the cat will measure the pressure with a special device, which is put on the tail of the animal, the body temperature will be measured. For information, at home, you can determine the body temperature of the cat by the ears. With kidney problems, it is lowered, and the cat's ears are cold.
If necessary, the following examinations will be scheduled:
- General urine test (not always possible).
- Blood chemistry.
- Ultrasound examination or X-ray. An ultrasound will reveal stones and tumors, which may be the reason for the cat’s kidney enlargement.
Complex treatment
Therapy will depend on the causes that led to the pathology.
With congenital pathologies, symptomatic therapy is used, with tumors - surgical intervention.
Pathologies of inflammatory etiology caused by bacteria will require antibiotic treatment.
To eliminate dehydration, drip infusion of saline is used. Supportive therapy is also needed to relieve concomitant symptoms - anemia, blood pressure, and liver and gastrointestinal tract disorders.
But the main thing is a special diet and drinking regimen, which the veterinarian adjusts. It is the diet that will reduce the burden on the nephrons remaining by the workers and save them.
General diet for a cat with kidney disease
The diet is selected by the doctor individually based on the specific etiology of the disease, but there are rules that all cat owners should adhere to:
- The cat should be watered with bottled or filtered water.
- The cat should have constant free access to drink.
- Reduce the amount of protein and phosphorus in your pet’s diet.
- The diet should not be monotonous.
Prevention is easier than cure
Regardless of how old your cat is, the following recommendations will help your pet maintain its health and extend its full life:
- Watch for proper diet and drinking. Pure water in the public domain, healthy and balanced food, vitamins will prolong the joy of your communication. Feed your pet with proven food and avoid mono-diets.
- Ensure drug restriction. Remember, a lot is not good. If medication is prescribed for the cat, follow the indicated dosages.
- Control the weight of the cat. Obesity is dangerous for various pathologies, not only for humans, but also for cats.
- Watch for thermal conditions - overheating is as harmful as overcooling an animal.
- Visit your veterinarian regularly and follow your vaccination schedule.