The excretory system is one of the most important in the human and animal body. It is due to the kidneys that excess fluid and many toxic products are eliminated from the body. Any diseases of the excretory system are extremely dangerous for their complications, and therefore require immediate medical correction.
Cystitis, urethritis - these diagnoses are often found in veterinary practice. However, today we will pay attention to a more rare and formidable disease, namely polycystic kidney disease in cats. The sooner the disease is detected, the more effective the therapy will be, therefore each owner is required to be attentive to his pet and to consult a veterinarian in a timely manner as necessary.
Ailment Basics
First, you should consider what this disease is. Polycystic kidney disease in cats is a very unpleasant phenomenon in which a certain part of the renal paranchyma is replaced by multiple cysts.
If we talk about statistics from veterinary practice, then usually the area of damage is very large. At the first stage of development, your pet’s ailment is not disturbed by any symptoms, it continues to live as usual. However, cysts increase in size and exert serious pressure on other organ tissues. As a result, its functionality gradually deteriorates, mediated nephrosis and nephritis develop, and other complications appear.
Unilateral and bilateral cysts
It should be noted that the disease progresses very quickly. Polycystic kidney disease in cats can lead to nephrosclerosis, which is accompanied by a gradual death of the functional cells of this organ. They are replaced by connective tissue, which is not able to filter the liquid. Such a change in the structure of the organ is irreversible.
The cyst at the initial stage is a small ball or bubble, the contents of which are liquid, less often - a dense substance. Cysts are also dangerous because they can develop on the renal tubules. Veterinarians from their practice are well aware that in the vast majority of cases both organs are affected. Even if at the time of examination the cyst was diagnosed on only one side (left- or right-sided polycystosis), the appearance of such formations in the tissues on the other hand is only a matter of time.
What threatens the disease?
Polycystic kidney disease in cats develops rapidly, but does not lead to immediate death of the animal. Usually the owner has enough time to take action. The sooner you start therapy, the more likely you are to avoid multiple complications. The fact is that in themselves these neoplasms do not carry mortal danger.
It is much more dangerous that this disease can lead to sepsis, which often develops when a cyst ruptures. Secondary infection greatly undermines the immune system. Long-term and unsuccessful antibiotic treatment in this case will lead to the fact that the load on the kidneys will become even higher, and the missed time to catch up will not work. Another important point is the risk of intoxication of the body due to a decrease in kidney function. This results in a deterioration in appetite, and weight loss, as well as a poor coat, nausea, general weakness and drowsiness.
Problems of heredity or breed?
This question often arises in the owner when his pet is diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. In cats, treatment can be successful, but it still leaves its mark on the future life of the pet. Diet and drinking regimen, the level of activity of the animal, the frequency of visits to the veterinary clinic - everything changes dramatically. What is the development of the disease connected with?
According to statistics, all representatives of cats are sick, that is, it cannot be said unequivocally that a particular age or gender is more prone to polycystic disease. However, there are breeds that get to the clinic with this diagnosis much more often than others. These are Persians, Himalayan and Scottish fold cats. A little less often this ailment is found in British cats.
If you take yourself a luxurious Persian cat, you should know that it is highly likely that he will develop polycystosis by 3-5 years. There are frequent cases when by this age the animal simply does not have kidneys in the normal sense of the word. Moreover, if your pet is a thoroughbred, the likelihood of developing a dangerous disease for him is much higher.
What contributes to the development of cysts? Key risk factors
Veterinarians and scientists have been racking their brains over this issue for many years. In the process of research, a hereditary pattern was revealed. However, the rest of the cats are not at all protected from such an ailment, even if they had no sick individuals in their family.
So, there are some other factors that play a significant role, but so far they have not been officially fixed. Doctors can only assume that heredity and endocrine diseases lead to the formation of cysts in the tissues of the kidney. Feeding and feeding may indirectly affect the development of the disease, although it has not yet been proven. There is no diet that could be considered 100% protection against polycystic.
How does the disease manifest itself?
This is another extremely important question, because the effect of treatment depends on how quickly the owner understands that not everything is in order with his pet. How to suspect polycystic kidney disease in cats?
Symptoms in the initial stages are almost impossible to notice. The animal does not show any concern. The period of relative well-being lasts until the formations become too large and begin to squeeze the tissues of the organ, causing pain.
Against the background of the development of the disease, a gradual, but noticeable increase in the abdominal cavity is also observed. Unfortunately, if the disease has gone so far that cysts can be detected with simple palpation of the abdomen, it is almost impossible to save the animal, by this time almost nothing remains of the functional tissues of the kidneys.
It is because of the absence of symptoms that polycystic kidney disease in cats is detected so late. How long will the animal live? It depends on the stage at which you turned for help.
What else can tell the owner that an urgent examination is needed? This is the appearance of blood in the urine. Of course, this symptom may indicate a number of problems, however, in any case, the animal requires consultation with specialists. In addition, veterinarians may suspect a similar ailment based on a urinalysis. A biopsy and an ultrasound scan are required to confirm the diagnosis. It is an ultrasound scan that allows you to see the neoplasms, determine their number and size.
Why then do you need a biopsy if, based on ultrasound, you can determine polycystic kidney disease in cats? The prognosis in this case is very important for the owner, which means that a full examination is necessary. Cysts can cause malignant tissue degeneration, so a biopsy is necessary. In addition, samples taken during the procedure are used for culture on culture media. This allows you to determine the presence of a secondary bacterial infection and prescribe an effective antibiotic.
Therapy
This is the most painful question, since there is simply no specific methodology for getting rid of this ailment. Since treating polycystic kidney disease in cats most often occurs in the late stages, the only way out is medication, which can support the life of your pet. The life span in this case depends on what complications the animal has. Some pets may well live a few more years.
If the call to the veterinarian occurred in the early stages, it makes sense to carry out the operation and remove the cysts along with the affected area.
Supervised Life
Get ready for the fact that at least once a month you will have to undergo examinations in a veterinary clinic. This is how you can keep the condition of the pet under control and notice any deterioration in time. Even in the absence of sepsis and a small cyst size, the prognosis is favorable only in the short term. Veterinarians speak with caution about the fate of the animal.
If the cysts are large and inoperable, they will exert strong pressure on the organ. To reduce it, carry out pumping liquid with a needle. Additionally, antibiotics are prescribed. In fact, this is all that a veterinarian can do when a cat has polycystic kidney disease.
Stopped eating, refuses water, doesn't go to the tray? All these are symptoms of a serious deterioration, so you need to urgently notify a specialist. Perhaps he will be able to extend the life of his native pussies a little more.
Proper diet
Unfortunately, they only remember this when the diagnosis has already been made. Each owner considers it his duty to ask the veterinarian what to feed the cat with polycystic kidney disease. Of course, for a sick animal this is very important. If you remember a healthy diet from the first day, when the kitten crossed the threshold of your home, many kidney problems can be avoided. This applies primarily to the use of cheap and low-quality feeds such as Kitekat.
Experts recommend the use of only super-premium food, and during treatment - treatment mixtures (for example, "Hills"). If you adhere to a natural diet, then the pet is shown only light food, in particular, boiled beef and chicken, broths. Completely exclude fish and fatty foods from the animal’s diet. Clean water should be in the pet's bowl all the time. If the cat drinks little, then transfer it to canned, medicinal feed.
Prevention
Unfortunately, there are no specific measures that could interfere with the development of the disease. For a long time they tried to solve this problem through genetic selection for breeding animals, but it only got worse.
Therefore, if you decide to buy a Persian, British or Scotsman, then be prepared for the fact that you will have to regularly visit a veterinarian, undergo an ultrasound scan, take a urine test and carefully monitor any changes in the condition and behavior of the animal. If you have a cat of a different breed, it is equally important to regularly monitor the condition of your pet and undergo preventive examinations.