Feline Kidney Disease Symptoms

When a cat is diagnosed with kidney disease the owner often blames himself for not taking action sooner. Hindsight is something we have all come to learn about the hard way it seems. Since kidney disease is a common problem in cats it is important to understand the symptoms of it. That way you can get your own pet to the vet right away if those symptoms start to appear.

It is important to note that the severity of the symptoms as well as the number of them that are present can vary by case. Unfortunately many cats are in a very serious stage of kidney disease by the time they exhibit them. Here are some of the most common feline kidney disease symptoms that have been recognized.

The Benefits in Fighting Kidney

Disease

Pay attention to the amount of water that your cat drinks each day. That way you will easily be able to identify when they are drinking much more. Excessive thirst is the most common and easiest to notice of all feline kidney disease symptoms. However, if your cat shares water with other pets it can be hard to notice that they are drinking so much of it.

When a cat is eating less but drinking more, many owners simply assume that their cat is getting full on the water. Yet not eating very much is an indicator of a kidney problem. Many cats feel nauseated or they vomit due to this problem and those effects significantly affect their appetite.
Of course the need to drink more often is going to cause your cat to need to urinate more as well.

Testing Your Kidney Function

Some of them will have a hard time doing so. Others will just need to do it more often. While this extra urination will help to flush out toxins it will also result in the removal of elements your cat needs. As a result your cat may be lacking high enough amounts of protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, and the Vitamins B and C.

Sometimes the abdominal region of a cat will start to swell up due to the kidneys being infected and swollen. If you regularly feel your cat around this area of the body then you will be able to pick up on it when the size and feel of it changes. Rapid weight loss is one of the feline kidney disease symptoms that can be picked up on quickly due to the visual appearance of it.

A Diabetic Looks at Kidney Disease

Pay attention to the way the coat of your cat feels as well. If it is usually thick and soft then it should stay that way. In those with kidney disease it can dry out, become brittle, and even start to fall out due to the body not getting the right nutrients it needs.

Any time you notice any of these feline kidney disease symptoms you want to schedule an appointment with your vet. What you are witnessing may not be this severe but it can be an indication of some type of health problem. With so many cats suffering from kidney disease though it is important for a professional to run tests to find out.

Kidney Disease - Risk Factors and Prevention

Kidney disease is one of the biggest health problems that man faces today. It is caused by different factors and many people are at risk of developing the illness. Some of the common signs or symptoms of the condition include blood in urine which is called haematuria.

Foaming of urine, oedema, pain in the back and when passing urine are also among the signs that you can look out for. The mountain of risk factors should be known to all people and this article shows you who is most likely to fall prey to the disease and how to prevent it.

The first risk factor is chronic illness like diabetes. In other words, people with diabetes will be more likely to go down with kidney disease. The best remedy for this is to have the diabetes under control. This way, your blood sugar level will be controlled avoiding harm to the body organs.

Diabetes will also be a risk factor for other medical conditions like erectile dysfunction. For this reason, this chronic illness has to be treated and managed to avert further crisis.
Another risk factor for kidney disease is high blood pressure. Hypertension can also be treated and managed and this is what people need to do.

Keep in mind that hypertension is responsible for many other conditions that may compromise your health further. If you are obese or overweight, you need to look for ways in which you can loose the extra weight. Kidney disease has been observed to affect such people more often.

If you are over 50 years of age, you are more prone to developing kidney disease. For this reason, you need to invest in medical check ups to make sure that you are not heading this direction.

If there is family history of kidney problems, then, there are high chances that you might suffer the same fate. Those who have had people in their families suffer should inform their health care providers for the best way forward.

Those who smoke are also at risk of kidney disease. The best thing is to quit by all means possible. There are certain things that you can do to prevent the illness and change in lifestyle is what you should start with.

To keep your kidneys fiddle fit, the following lifestyle changes must be effected in your life. First, you need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains. Eat only lean meat like fish and chicken.

Your salty and fatty foods intake should be reduced. Instead of taking drinks like sodas, drink plenty of water to clean your system. You need to stay fit and this will come about by taking at least 30 minutes daily for exercises. This will increase your heart rate as needed for better health. Avoid smoking and limit consumption of alcohol.

Make sure to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Finally, look for ways to reduce your stress levels and you will keep away this disease. If this disease becomes reality in your life, it is not just kidney failure you will be worried about; your very life will hang in the balance. Take these prevention tips and avoid this..