Elderly pets with kidney disease often exhibit warning signs to indicate a problem may be brewing. Common warning signs of kidney disease includes:
- Decreased appetite
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Decreased or no urination
- Poor hair coat
- Vomiting
- Sore mouth
It’s important to have your elderly pet checked by your vet to rule out other illnesses but if kidney disease is determined to be the cause of your pet’s symptoms, then there are many treatments you can incorporate. Kidney disease is not curable, but can be managed. Most vets typically recommend a kidney diet which has less protein compared with other diets, and higher quality protein. By feeding a low quantity, but high quality protein diet that contains an appropriate amount of fats and carbohydrates, the pet can use the protein for replacing cells and tissues and use the fat and carbs for energy.
Water is always the most important nutrient, especially for animals with renal disease that are at risk for becoming dehydrated and are unable to compensate for lack of water in a state of renal insufficiency, with dehydration leading to uremia and renal failure. Maintenance of hydration and adequate renal perfusion is paramount in animals with renal disease.
If your pet exhibits any of the symptoms of kidney disease, it is important that you take your elderly pet to the vet for a checkup. If you do not have pet insurance for your pet, you may want to consider looking into it because caring for an unwell elderly pet can be expensive and pet insurance can help offset those costs.
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