C O L D  R I V E R  V E T E R I N A R Y  C E N T E R

Feline chronic renal failure

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• Lymphoma

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Sassy is a 19 year-old spayed domestic short hair cat with a 2-1/2 year history of chronic renal failure. Her primary veterinarian had diagnosed her with kidney failure in October 1999 and prescribed a prescription kidney diet (Hills k/d), Pepcid AC (to inhibit stomach acid), oral Amphogel (to bind dietary phosphate), a potassium supplement (to prevent deficiency) and 100 ml of Lactated Ringers solution daily by subcutaneous injection. Despite these therapies she continued to have a poor appetite and was losing weight. Her owner brought Sassy to Cold River Veterinary Center in December 1999 to try a different approach. This is the story of her steady improvement with nutritional therapy.

Signs of kidney failure

On physical exam Sassy was 5.6 pounds, had an elevated heart rate of 240 beats per minute, a small thyroid gland, uremic odor (bad breath and body odor due to kidney failure), fair skin turgor (skin stretch, a measure of hydration status), muscle twitching, and shivering. Cats with kidney failure typically have poor appetite, nausea, dehydration, pain and twitching in the muscles, anemia, hypertension, itchy skin (pruritis), irregular bowel movements, and weight loss. Needless to say, these patients really don't feel well.

New treatment plan

We recommended a diet of fresh, whole foods to replace the prescription food that Sassy would not eat. Sassy's bag of sterile fluids was amended with vitamins C, B12, B-complex, K, potassium and calcium. She did so well with vitamin-amended fluids that her caregiver continued to add injectable vitamins, antioxidants and minerals to her cat subcutaneous fluids at home, every other day. Sassy's kidney function was maintained and even improved with the right nutritional support and subcutaneous fluids.

Cats with picky appetites

People condition kittens and puppies to eat pet food whether it is good for them or not. For most pets their first bowls of commercial kibble or canned food is their only choice between eating and starving. Once hooked on food that is high in salt, saturated fat, and carbohydrates, many cats will not accept any other kind of food. They will eat pure meat such as chicken because it has a familiar flavor but are skeptical of any new tastes. What is missing from our cat's diets are fresh plant foods that are an essential component of the wild cat's diet. Teaching mature cats to accept novel foods (like broccoli) requires patience, but we have only ourselves to blame for their likes and dislikes!

Sassy would eat cat food, but not the prescription kidney diet from her veterinarian. She was also picky about having nutritional supplements added to her food. We recommended a good quality commercial cat food (free of cornmeal and soy), and a few supplements that are well tolerated by cats. An herbal tincture for stomach ulcers was prescribed as a replacement for the Pepcid AC. Sassy accepted this compromise very well, began to eat again, and has repaired some of the extensive damage to her kidneys.

It's a wonderful life

Sassy's example is typical of our client-centered approach to chronic disease. We worked out a realistic treatment plan for home care that would taste good and promote healing. While Sassy still has renal failure, she has a high quality of life, eats foods she likes, requires no medications, and can look forward to her 20th birthday!

'Sassy' still looks great! April 2003

'Sassy' and her Mom, May 2002

Sassy's progress charts 

Blood cell counts (CBC)                

    *These values are at one end or outside of the reference range for cats.

Serum chemistry profiles

*These values are at one end or outside of the reference range for dogs.

William Konrad Kruesi, D.V.M.  / 2001