BUN level is 42 (normal is 36)

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JackieVendetti

Member Since 2013
HI All,

Just got Petie's blood results. His BUN level is 42 (normal is 36), his creatine is 2 (high is 2.6), his phosphorous is normal, is hemotasos is normal and his white cell count is high (which i am thinking because of the injured leg?).

What do you guys think about his BUN level being 42? And what can I do?
 
Did they take blood pressure?
Was the cat dehydrated? That'll make a difference, as values may be more concentrated in a dehydrated state.

You want to go for the low phosphorus foods to preserve renal function.

It is a delicate balancing act between the right amount of quality protein and muscle wasting in a cat with renal disease.

Some reading from the Merck Veterinary Manual
Chronic Kidney Disease
 
I don't think they took blood pressure.

When you say preserve renal function, are you saying that this is bad news?

I see that Wellness Turkey, Merrick Cowboy Cookout and Evo chicken and turkey seem like the best?
 
Elevated BUN - blood urea nitrogen - may (does not always) signal the beginnings of renal impairment. If the cat was dehydrated, that may explain it. It is something to keep an eye on.

For a comprehensive, understandable source of information on feline renal disease (NO, not saying that is what it is, yet) go to Tanya's Feline CRF site.
 
Thank you, BJM. I went to her site but I am so confused as to what to feed Petie. I did ask to sign up for her support group so hopefully I can ask questions there.

I really hope Petie is ok.

I don't think he was dehydrated when the doctor took the blood.
 
One factor that can raise the BUN level is high protein food. Not that a high BUN can't mean an issue but my vet looks more at the cat's specific gravity in its urine. This shows how well (or not) the cat is concentrating his/her urine.
 
I did hear that about the specific gravity. It was fine a month ago (it was 1049) - but the vet didn't get it this time. I need to get a urine sample and get it tested again. Sigh, not quite sure how to do that!
 
Given the specific gravity was 1049 a month ago, and that is a nice number, I'm not sure there is cause to be concerned, given the creatine is within normal range.

One method I use to collect a urine sample is to follow my cat into the litter box and use an old soup ladle to catch it. It is trial and error but works sometimes.

What are you currently feeding Petie? Also, is he drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot (is the litte pan soaked)?
 
Does anyone know what the specific gravity should be? I seem to find several different answers when googling it.
 
It can vary throughout the day for a cat. However, based on various sources, I and my vet believe that the normal range for specific gravity is between 1.015 and 1.060 but only concentrations higher than about 1.030 can be considered solid evidence of normal kidney function.

Older cat's typically will eventually start losing kidney function at some point.

My 15 yo tabby recently was 1.032, which is great for his age. His BUN was 42 but he is on a high protein/low carb diet, which can raise the BUN and his creatine was 1.7.

I plan on having his urine tested every 4-6 months or so. We also have bloodwork dome yearly, or if there appears to be an issue. I feed him a homemade diet (with a supplement slurry added) that is low in phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. I also provide some Young Again Mature as well when 2x/day feeding is undoable due to work.
 
dsmithkma said:
It can vary throughout the day for a cat. However, based on various sources, I and my vet believe that the normal range for specific gravity is between 1.015 and 1.060 but only concentrations higher than about 1.030 can be considered solid evidence of normal kidney function.

Older cat's typically will eventually start losing kidney function at some point.

My 15 yo tabby recently was 1.032, which is great for his age. His BUN was 42 but he is on a high protein/low carb diet, which can raise the BUN and his creatine was 1.7.

I plan on having his urine tested every 4-6 months or so. We also have bloodwork dome yearly, or if there appears to be an issue. I feed him a homemade diet (with a supplement slurry added) that is low in phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. I also provide some Young Again Mature as well when 2x/day feeding is undoable due to work.
Click to expand...

Can you tell me what your homemade diet is? I am really looking for a good one to help ease his kidneys.

Thanks so much!
 
Oh - I also feed Petie (who is currently switching from dry to wet) - Young Again zero carbs and Taste of the Wild dry along with Wellness grain free, and the occassional lick of EVO chicken and turkey.
 
dsmithkma said:
Also, is he drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot (is the litte pan soaked)?
Click to expand...

Petie isn't drinking as much water as he used to which I attribute to him eating more wet food. His litter pan isn't completely soaked, maybe half soaked. He is not peeing as much as he did when his BG was really high, but he's still peeing a good amount.
 
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