The vet teaches you to recognize the symptoms and lists the breeds most affected by this problem
During this month the “Yellow March” campaign takes place, which sensitizes the population to the symptoms of endometriosis. But did you know that there is also a version of this campaign in the world of pets? So it is! It serves to inform tutors about kidney disease in dogs and cats, being called “March Yellow Pet”.
Kidney disease is very common in pets and is among the leading causes of death in dogs and cats over the age of 7. It also exists in varying degrees and affects up to 60% of the elderly companion animal population.
This is a chronic problem without reversal, however, the early diagnosis helps provide quality of life for pets suffering from kidney disease. So it’s important to understand the subject and be aware of the signs, not just in the Yellow March as always, you see?
Veterinarian Fernanda Loss, head of the TioChico platform, explains that kidney disease prevents the kidneys from performing their intended physiological functions. “A biologically healthy kidney manages to avoid excessive water loss, maintain electrolyte balance and excrete nitrogenous compounds that derive from metabolism. The one that is compromised, on the other hand, begins to show failures in these processes”, she explains.
And the causes are diverse: infections, inflammation, the presence of parasites, trauma, poisoning, autoimmune, congenital or hereditary diseases, among others. But the symptoms tend to be similar. Find out what they are!
Common symptoms of kidney disease
- increased water intake;
- change in the daily volume of urine (for more or less);
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- decreased appetite and subsequent weight loss;
- tiredness; AND
- weakness.
Breeds most affected
Certain breeds of dogs and cats are prone to developing kidney disease. “Dogs of the breeds Beagle, Bull Terrier, Chow Chow, Cocker, Dachshund, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, German Shepherd, Pinscher, Poodle, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu and Schnauzer, and Abyssinian, Russian Blue, Maine Coon, Persian and Siamese they are more susceptible to these problems, but that doesn’t mean other breeds don’t need preventative care too,” comments the vet. Therefore, it is worth paying even more attention if your dog or cat belongs to one of these breeds.
Prevention is still the best solution
Prevention is still the best way to avoid kidney problems. For this some recommendations are: always leave clean and fresh water available, encourage physical exercise and play with it when possible, check for fleas and ticks, keep the vaccination booklet up to date and arrange for periodic veterinary checks, which are checkups.
“It is worth remembering that in cats, since they naturally ingest little water, constant care and evaluation are even more important,” emphasizes the specialist. Fernanda recommends increasing the intake of liquids for cats, offering wet food (sachet), meat cooking broth or through natural food and offering several pots of water around the house, or even using fountains.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
