Acute Renal Failure in Cats
What
is acute renal failure?
Each kidney has tiny filtering units called nephrons. Blood
passes through the kidney & is filtered by the nephrons. They
reabsorb what is needed & the waste is excreted in the urine.
The wastes come from the normal breakdown of active muscle from
the food the cat eats. The body uses the food for energy & self
repair. After the body has taken what it needs from the food,
waste is sent to the blood & transported to the kidneys. The kidneys are an amazing organ & even with the loss of some
nephrons, the remaining ones can compensate. Kidney disease
becomes apparent when 70% of the kidney function has been lost.
Once this happens, the kidneys are unable to remove the waste
from the body & therefore these wastes build up in the cat
causing poisoning.
Acute renal failure is the rapid loss of kidney function
resulting in the retention of waste products which would usually
be filtered by the kidneys & excreted in the urine. They also
lose their ability to concentrate urine & cause electrolyte
imbalances.
Acute renal failure is a life threatening condition & a medical
emergency. Veterinary attention must be sought immediately.
Alternative Names
Renal failure -
acute; Kidney failure; Kidney failure - acute; Renal failure;
ARF
What do kidneys do?
Kidneys
help control blood pressure by releasing
an enzyme called renin. When blood pressure
drops and kidneys don’t receive enough blood,
renin is released; causing blood vessels
to contract (tighten). When blood vessels
contract, blood pressure goes up. Acute
kidney disease is a sudden decline in kidney
function.
Kidneys filter waste products & excess
water from the blood. The cleaned blood
stays in the body & the waste products
leave the body in urine.
Stimulation of red blood cell production.
They help maintain the proper balance of
acid and minerals, including sodium, calcium,
potassium and magnesium, in the blood.
What
causes acute renal failure in cats?
There are numerous
possible causes of acute renal failure in cats, some of which
are:
-
Poisoning
(ingestion of a toxic substance such as
anti-freeze
or
poisonous plants)
-
Heatstroke
-
Trauma (accident
or injury)
-
Blockage;
arterial thromboembolism (blood clot blocking the artery),
urinary blockage
(FLUTD
etc.)
-
Infection
-
Some medications
-
Dehydration
-
Shock
-
Blood loss
What
are the symptoms of acute renal failure in cats?
How
is acute renal failure in cats diagnosed?
Your veterinarian
will require information on your cat's history, including any
possible exposure to poisons & medications it may have ingested
(either accidental or as a result of medical treatment for a
pre-existing condition), and information on previous illnesses.
He will perform a complete physical examination of your cat.
Biochemical
profile: Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine are both indicative of renal failure.
A
complete blood
count will be able to provide information on any inflammation or
infections your cat may have.
Urinalysis will be
able to provide additional information on the extent of kidney
damage, urine-concentrating ability & if an infection is present
in the urinary tract. [1]
Urine specific
gravity: This test is to check to see how concentrated the urine
is.
Kidney ultrasound
or x-ray.
A kidney biopsy
can help determine a definitive underlying cause.
How is acute
renal failure in cats treated?
Prognosis depends
on the cause of acute kidney failure & the speed in which it is
diagnosed & treated.
-
Correct or treat
the underlying cause of acute kidney failure.
-
Discontinue any
medications which may have causes the problem.
-
Remove blockage
in the urinary tract.
-
Correct
contributing factors such as hypertension.
-
Administration
of fluids to treat dehydration & electrolyte
imbalances.
-
Anti nausea
medication if necessary.
-
Phosphorus
binders may be given. These come in tablet or capsule form.
-
High blood
pressure (hypertension): Medication may be prescribed if your
cat's blood pressure is too high.
Please read our
article on
lily poisoning in cats,
which is a common cause of acute
renal failure.
References:
[1] The Cornell Book of Cats.
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice.
