Chronic renal failure, or CRF, occurs frequently in cats, especially in older individuals. Usually this disease develops for a rather long time until it acquires clear signs. If the treatment is started on time, then it is possible to calm the painful manifestations and prolong the life of the pet.
Symptoms of CRF in cats
As already mentioned above, this disease is a constantly growing disease, the beginning of which goes unnoticed. However, there are cases when CRF initially manifests itself in the form of sharp and peculiar symptoms. The signs of chronic renal failure in cats include:
- lack of appetite;
- vomiting and nausea;
- decrease in initial body weight;
- dehydration;
- depression and lethargy;
- constant thirst;
- loss of attractive appearance;
- bad smell from the mouth ;
- weakness;
- sores on the oral mucosa.
It is these signs that are characteristic for the 1st and 2nd stages of CRF in cats. The third stage of the development of events, which is called terminal in veterinary medicine, is accompanied by pulmonary edema, convulsions, anemia and renal failure.
All these symptoms are the result of poisoning the body with toxins that must be excreted in the urine. And since the kidneys can not fully perform their duties, the blood accumulates waste materials.
What can cause this disease?
There are several aspects that provoke CRF:
- kidney tumors;
- hereditary polycystosis;
- bacterial infections;
- congenital defects of the kidneys, and other health problems due to weak immunity.
How many live cats with CRF?
Regrettably, this disease always ends with the death of the animal. But if the owners provide the pet with appropriate medication support, this will significantly help to "freeze" the development of symptoms, and make the cat's quality of life better. This, in turn, will increase the number of years that a pet can survive.
In some cases, quite substantial assistance is provided by the regular use of antibiotics, restoration of the liquid level in the body, dialysis and purification of the blood from toxins. All this will require the owners a fairly large loss of time and money. It is also possible that the only option to save the life of the pet will be a kidney transplant. During the treatment, which will last a lifetime for cats with CRF, it will be necessary to take care of the constant monitoring of the amount of liquid consumed by it, and provide it with the appropriate industrial feeds.