Kidney Disease

[Amy and Socks]

Hi all,

I was wondering if there are any things I can do to help "prevent" kidney disease. I have two cats that had borderline kidney levels on their senior bloodwork panels. They do not have kidney disease, but the vet said their levels are right on the threshold, so they're getting blookwork every few months to monitor. They said they don't implement diet changes or medication until stage 2, so they didn't recommend anything right now, but I'm wondering if there's anything I can start now to help them out.

I used to do a lot of reading on here when I was taking care of Socks and remember seeing several people with CKD kitties, but I didn't retain any of that info since it wasn't pertinent to me at the time.

If anyone has suggestions or resources I can look at, please let me know! I did try searching some first, but there's a lot to sift through.

Thanks so much!

 

[FrostD]

Tagging @Suzanne & Darcy

Honestly, a proactive switch to a (wet) low phosphorus food isn't a bad idea. I'm sure Suzanne will have other suggestions.

Are you aware of this site? https://felinecrf.org/

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Here is a list for diabetic kitties and kidney disease
I know your 2 kitties don't have diabetes or kidney disease but you might want to check out these low prosphorus foods
Kitties with diabetes and kidney disease
Weruva foods
With weruva foods
You want the metabolizable energy profile percentage of carbs to be less than 10%, and the phosphorus which Weruva lists in Minerals to be less than 250 mg per 100 cals. So you have to look at two different places in the Weruva charts.
https://weruva.com

When you go to the weruva site and click on one of the pic of the food , click in Detailed Nutrition information

Also here is a list of foods for diabetics/kidney disease that was posted by one of our members
Here is a list of some of the food
As far as the food goes
For kitties with kidney disease and diabetes



. First number is carb percentage, second is mgs of phosphorus/100 cals, all less than 10% carb and less than 250 mg phos:

Weruva Truluxe Steak Frites can 6% 118
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen La Isla Bonita can 3% 166
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Pates Meowiss Bueller pouch 7% 174
Weruva Truluxe Glam 'N Punk can 0.6% 180
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Fowl Ball can 4% 180
Weruva Classic Pates Jeopurrdy Licious pouch 4% 187
Weruva Classic Pates Family Food pouch 0% 191
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Pates Cattyshack pouch 9% 211
BFF PLAY Tuna & Salmon Shhh... pouch 3% 223
BFF PLAY Tuna & Turkey Totes! pouch 2% 226
BFF PLAY Tuna & Chicken Chill Out pouch 2% 226
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Pates Cat to the Future pouch 8% 235
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Pates The Breakfast Cat pouch 9.7% 235
Weruva Classic Pates Meal of Fortune pouch 8% 236
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Lamburgini can 8% 236
Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Double Dip can 8% 248

YOU WANT CARBS UNDER 10% AND PHOSPHORUS IDEALLY LOW 200's OR LESS



Here is another list posted by one of our members
Weruva slide and serve pate foods Family Food (.97 phosphorus and 0 carb).

Jeopurrdy Chicken (0.97 P 6.1 carb)

What a Crock 0.71 phosphorus and 8 carb lots of gravy so she loved it.

Goody stew shoes 0.71 phosphorus, 8.5 carb. This one was a big hit

Weruva Steak Frites (0.57 phosphorus 5.5 carb although I take out any big pieces of potatoes to try to limit the carbs just a bit)

Weruva LA isla Bonita - phosphorus 0.77 carb 4.5 (used to like, not a favorite anymore)

Glam and punk 1% carb, 0.93 phosphorous.

Weruva paw lickin chicken 3.3 carb 0.82 p

Press your lunch 5.9 carb. 0.82 phosphorous

Bff play Laugh Out Loud chicken and lamb 7.7 carb, 0.82 phosphorous

BFF play destiny (chicken and duck) 0.87 phosphorus 7.7 carb

Bff play chicken cherish 0.71 phosphorus 7.6 carb

Bff play best buds chicken and beef 7.9 carb 0.9 phosphorus

Bff play chicken Checkmate. 7.7 carb 0.7 phos

On the Cat Wok 3.8 carb 0.74 phos

 

[Tina Marie (GA) and Jan]

Great to be proactive! Only the very young need higher phosphorus in their diets. After Tina started eating lower phosphorus because she needed to, I lowered the phos in all my cat’s food, and over two years later, none of my five fourteen year old cats have kidney disease. And no hard food!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Hi all,

I was wondering if there are any things I can do to help "prevent" kidney disease. I have two cats that had borderline kidney levels on their senior bloodwork panels. They do not have kidney disease, but the vet said their levels are right on the threshold, so they're getting blookwork every few months to monitor. They said they don't implement diet changes or medication until stage 2, so they didn't recommend anything right now, but I'm wondering if there's anything I can start now to help them out.

I used to do a lot of reading on here when I was taking care of Socks and remember seeing several people with CKD kitties, but I didn't retain any of that info since it wasn't pertinent to me at the time.

If anyone has suggestions or resources I can look at, please let me know! I did try searching some first, but there's a lot to sift through.

Thanks so much!

Felinecrf.org is the most amazing and well-researched resource. About the only thing I can think of is to switch them to a lower phosphorus food. It reduces the work on their kidneys. Other than that, I would just monitor them with bloodwork- as you plan to do. Do you have their labs that you can share? Or can you tell me what their SDMA, BUN, Creatinine and Urine Specific Gravity on the recent labs?

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

The only other thing I would consider is making sure that they are getting enough moisture with their food (wet food) and maybe getting a water fountain for them.

 

[Amy and Socks]

Tagging @Suzanne & Darcy

Honestly, a proactive switch to a (wet) low phosphorus food isn't a bad idea. I'm sure Suzanne will have other suggestions.

Are you aware of this site? https://felinecrf.org/

Thanks for the link- I didn't know about that, and it looks like a great resource!

 

[Amy and Socks]

Felinecrf.org is the most amazing and well-researched resource. About the only thing I can think of is to switch them to a lower phosphorus food. It reduces the work on their kidneys. Other than that, I would just monitor them with bloodwork- as you plan to do. Do you have their labs that you can share? Or can you tell me what their SDMA, BUN, Creatinine and Urine Specific Gravity on the recent labs?

No, they didn't give me the labs or numbers for Stella. He just said that two of her kidney values are slightly above the normal reference range and one is still normal (the one he said is the main enzyme). And then he said she's 1/10th of a point from being in stage 1. Stella hasn't gotten a specific gravity yet- they didn't get any urine, so I'm supposed to collect some to bring in, but I haven't been successful with that yet.

They did e-mail Fig's results once-

This was back in September, and he had one more check 4 months later. He's due for his annual check up again in a couple months, so he'll get another senior panel then.

 

[Amy and Socks]

The only other thing I would consider is making sure that they are getting enough moisture with their food (wet food) and maybe getting a water fountain for them.

They all only get wet food, and they have two water fountains, so I just need to check on the food. I looked briefly at their current food, and it said 2% phosphorous, so I'll be looking for something better. Thanks so much!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

They all only get wet food, and they have two water fountains, so I just need to check on the food. I looked briefly at their current food, and it said 2% phosphorous, so I'll be looking for something better. Thanks so much!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

See, you are already doing so many things right! I wouldn’t worry too much about those labs you shared. In fact, the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) has improved over where it was in July 2021. What was going on in 2021? A urinary tract infection? That can adversely affect these numbers. A small amount of dehydration can affect them also (vomiting, diarrhea, for example). I would like to see the phosphorus around 4, but it’s not bad right now.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Thanks for the link- I didn't know about that, and it looks like a great resource!

It is a fantastic resource. They have a food list there which is more up to date than Dr. Lisa Pierson’s list that hasn’t been updated since 2014, as I recall. There’s also a support group that is extremely helpful. The moderators are very experienced with managing kidney disease and can be of great help. You don’t need it now, of course!

 

[Amy and Socks]

See, you are already doing so many things right! I wouldn’t worry too much about those labs you shared. In fact, the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) has improved over where it was in July 2021. What was going on in 2021? A urinary tract infection? That can adversely affect these numbers. A small amount of dehydration can affect them also (vomiting, diarrhea, for example). I would like to see the phosphorus around 4, but it’s not bad right now.

There was nothing medical going on in 2021, at least not that I'm aware of- unless it was something that cleared up on its own. I don't know if stress/change can have an affect? Socks died in March, and Petri went to the hospital in June and came home with a feeding tube for a few weeks. So it was a pretty stressful, crazy time, at least for me!

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

There was nothing medical going on in 2021, at least not that I'm aware of- unless it was something that cleared up on its own. I don't know if stress/change can have an affect? Socks died in March, and Petri went to the hospital in June and came home with a feeding tube for a few weeks. So it was a pretty stressful, crazy time, at least for me!

I didn’t know about Socks dying. I am so sorry! That’s so sad. Was it March 2021 or March of this year. I lost my boy Darcy in June 2021. I have other cats but I still miss him like crazy.

Now you have two other cats still?

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

OBTW, I live in Georgia too.

 

[Amy and Socks]

I didn’t know about Socks dying. I am so sorry! That’s so sad. Was it March 2021 or March of this year. I lost my boy Darcy in June 2021. I have other cats but I still miss him like crazy.

Now you have two other cats still?

Socks died March 2021, and it was pretty awful. We got him as a tiny kitten a few months after we got married back in 2004, so we had him for almost 17 years. He was my cuddle buddy and followed me everywhere, always wanting attention and most importantly- FOOD!! He would eat anything. Then a couple months later we had to take Petri to the hospital at Auburn and she had to stay there about two weeks. So 2021 was not my favorite.... I still have 3 other cats- Fig (his littermate), Stella and Petri. Petri is the youngest at 15, and Fig will be 18 the end of next month, so I'm living with a bunch of geriatrics!

I'm so sorry to hear about Darcy- sounds like we were having a bad year at the same time! Which part of Georgia are you in? I'm a little south of Atlanta.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

I am just a little south of Macon. What did you think of Auburn? I’ve never taken a cat there. I have taken one to UGA, but she didn’t make it. I didn’t like the way they treated us (the humans). They may have been good to my cat. I imagine with COVID that they treat people even worse these days.

 

[Amy and Socks]

I am just a little south of Macon. What did you think of Auburn? I’ve never taken a cat there. I have taken one to UGA, but she didn’t make it. I didn’t like the way they treated us (the humans). They may have been good to my cat. I imagine with COVID that they treat people even worse these days.

Auburn was ok, but it was an odd experience. They didn't allow you inside, so you had to sit in your car and wait, and then they would call with updates. I think I was there about 6 hours, and then they wanted to keep her overnight, so it ended up I didn't need to wait around. She needed an ultrasound, and they were the only place that could take her on a Friday afternoon. It worked out though, because driving to Athens or Sandy Springs on a Friday (going through Atlanta traffic!!) would have been a nightmare, and taken forever!

The ER doctor was nice but a bit hard to understand on the phone, but once her tests were done, she was transferred to internal medicine, and they were really nice. They called at least once a day to update, even if it was just to say nothing had changed.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience at UGA. Hopefully you just had an unlucky experience, and they've improved. That's definitely a situation where you want kind, compassionate, helpful people to deal with.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Auburn was ok, but it was an odd experience. They didn't allow you inside, so you had to sit in your car and wait, and then they would call with updates. I think I was there about 6 hours, and then they wanted to keep her overnight, so it ended up I didn't need to wait around. She needed an ultrasound, and they were the only place that could take her on a Friday afternoon. It worked out though, because driving to Athens or Sandy Springs on a Friday (going through Atlanta traffic!!) would have been a nightmare, and taken forever!

The ER doctor was nice but a bit hard to understand on the phone, but once her tests were done, she was transferred to internal medicine, and they were really nice. They called at least once a day to update, even if it was just to say nothing had changed.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience at UGA. Hopefully you just had an unlucky experience, and they've improved. That's definitely a situation where you want kind, compassionate, helpful people to deal with.

So they saved Petri’s life at Auburn. What was the matter with her?

 

[Amy and Socks]

So they saved Petri’s life at Auburn. What was the matter with her?

They never figured it out. In the end, they went with IBD since all the other tests were negative, so we switched to a novel protein diet, but we've since switched back, and she's been fine. I still suspect it may have been that or some other infection that cleared up before they did the tests, since some of those weren't done until after she came home. And switching her food back hasn't caused any issues.