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Cats/my 5month old cat has just been diagnosed with kidney failure

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Expert: - 2/25/2011


Question
my kitten went to the vets to be spayed and has drastically gone down hill since.4 days after the operation the vet took bloods to see if we could get to the bottom of it.today the results came back and she's got kidney failure. my vet instructed me to take her 39 miles from my house to another vet surgery so they can pump fluids into her to flush her system and more blood tests,couldn't they have done that at my vets surgery? could the kidney failure be down to,to much anisetic from my vets when they operated on her? i would pay anything to get her sorted and back to her normal self,but is £300 normal for what they are doing? and if the treatment works what sort of life span is she looking at.thank you so much for reading this and really hope you'll get back to me.

Answer
Rebecca,

This is a really odd occurence in such a young kitten. I really think that you need to get a second opinion from another veterinarian not associated with your family vet....The treatment for acute kidney failure is hospitalization and IV fluids typically but I think the underlying cause needs to be found whether that is polycystic kidney disease (common in certain purebreds and usually covered in a reputable breeders sales contract), an overdose of anesthesia, some sort of congenital anomaly of the kidneys or a kidney infection. The kitten does need further testing - a urine test sent off for lab cultures would be a smart plan as this will determine if she's got a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) - I would assume that a veterinarian would want to start her on an antibiotic like Baytril just in case she does have a kidney infection. I can't speak to veterinary prices in the UK, but I can say that in Canada such treatment can cost into the thousands of dollars depending on the veterinary clinic, the length of treatment and the number of medications involved. It wouldn't be a bad idea to consider asking your vet whether a probiotic supplement would be helpful as recent studies have proven this to be helpful in kidney disease in people and pets. I really wish that I had good answers for you but I'm not a veterinarian - my experience with kidney disease is limited to my personal cats and they've been treated holistically which is a bit different from the conventional treatments. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again - I'm more than happy to help in any way that I can.

Kind regards,

Ali

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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