I adopted my sweet Smokey at an animal shelter when he was 2 years old. We spent 13 1/2 years todgether, it's so strange now almost a month later to walk into the house and he is no longer there. The first signs were constant need to drink water. The vet prescribed a wet and dry food specifially made for kidney disease. He did well for a few months and then drastically went down hill in a month. Was horrible to make the decision to put him to sleep and then to be there in the vets office petting him, near his face talking to him as she gave him the shot. When she listened to his heart beat and then said he is gone.. I felt numb. She carried him away in a blanket and I carried his empty carrier to the car and then broke down. I miss him so very, very much. I love you Smokey, you will always be in my heart sweet boy ❤
I am preparing for this too my friend. My beloved cat is having liver problems and is at the vet now. My apartment feels empty but I am preparing for the hole in my heart.
@@MK-ih6wp She made it! She's alive and is home. She has made a full recovery. About 4 days ago she 110% pepped back up and is having a good time. She's going to be ok! Thanks for your concern MK
The cats tail wagging side to side is actually an indication that the kitty is becoming irritated. Jackson Galaxy who is a cat behaviour expert says for most cats it's best to pay a cat around the side of the neck, under the chin, and top of the head because they have sensitive nerve endings on their back.
I had a cat with kidney disease and it is not the end of the world for sure! He lived 21 years. Take your cat to the vet frequently to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Thank you for this video, doctor!
For constipation vet suggested to feed my cat little milk everyday. But now as he has kidney disease, 45% damaged, is milk safe to drink? His vet has no idea about it.
I miss my princess so much, kidney disease is tough, the last 6 months we hand fed and watered her. We gave her subcutaneous fluids weekly and that really seemed to help. She still never had an accident and always was the perfect kitty. She passed in December at 19 years old. I miss you Nibbles.
I rescued my cat from a horrible home where they had just left her to rot and die. A family members house actually (i dont speak to that family member anymore). The cat was most likely born with congenital defects. She needed special care so i took her and with vets cared for her as best i could. I knew she was chronically ill and that i wouldn't have her forever but i wasnt aware that she had chronic kidney disease. During her year with me, i got her coat looking shiney+regrow in areas where it'd fallen out, got her eating a great diet, played with her, took her out to play and experience the trees, and cuddled her all the time. She really did seem at one point like she might survive, she looked great and had energy, she was loved and well fed. Today after her rapidly going downhill, i had to have her put to sleep. The vet explained that there was nothing i could have done and that she improved for that short time because of my care, but that there was nothing we could do. My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Ive never had a cat whos so loving, talkative, caring, and cuddly. She was so special. Im happy that shes not suffering anymore, but i am going to miss her forever.
I don't even have a cat, but I'll be watching. A friend lost her cat to kidney disease, and now, 10 years later, she's dealing with this for her current cat. It's a terrible disease!😿
I know...Dry foods cause lower urinary tract disease and kidney failures. It happened to my cats .It is very very hard to go through with .Please tell your friend that I am very sorry for your friend's loss & her/ his cat ! You are such a good friend & sweetheart ! 💔💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@PatriciaCV9 Raw, cooked meats and wet cat can foods (just not the cheapest brands) plus one can also mix kibble foods with some water, cats tend to get most of their water from the foods they eat. running water like a pet fountain can also encourage a cat to drink water.
17:00 "Treating an animal that wants to murder you is just a special kind of awesome" The best line to represent cat people ever. Love your content Dr. Uri.
It's a horrible disease but the subcutaneous saline treatments work very well when given as prescribed. Our cat was diagnosed Stage 2-3 when he was 18, gave him the saline treatments every day for 3 years, and it made him so much more comfortable. Passed away at the ripe old age of 21, not even from the kidney disease. It was a labor of love but totally worth it if you have a cat in the early stages!
Wow. You got 3 more wonderful years! A 21 year old cat is amazing! We are doing the subQ fluids for about 4 months now & it does make quite a difference. It's well worth it .
@@juliatravisfemme I just brought my cat home from 3 nights in hospital. While she was there, they fed her a couple of times with a syringe (of course with no needle). Now that she's home, her appetite is good. Sadly, she is at end stage and the IV fluids did not improve her blood work. So, one day at a time.
When my soulmate, Oslo, got kidney disease, I gave him lactated ringers 2x a day, trying everything to help him. When he was gone, his absence was everywhere. Been 20 years - miss him everyday❤️
Lost my cat to kidney disease in December, it was truly a horrible end and took such a heavy toll on all of us. Good spreading awareness, if you don't manage it early enough it's a bad time!
Yes, it can be very bad. I truly appreciate Dr Yuri's advice in the early stages, and we need advice in case the disease gets bad and it becomes end-stage. It's a very delicate and sad topic, but we really need help with this this.
@@hherroyal05 I am very sorry for your loss ! I still strongly believe in ultra sound testing as it shows the shape & size & texture of organs in this case kidneys !!! So, vets & you can see how much damages done ! Also it's non aggressive method & not only that gives us more visions& ideas as well as it decreases stress on cats as we don't have to go back & force between vet's clinic & home !! Dry foods cause kidney failures & lower urinary tract disease which happened to my cats ! Again sorry for your loss & your cat ! Lots of hugs are being sent to you from L.A. ! 💔💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
Same. If I talk or think about it too much, I cry. This video makes me think I and my vet could have done more but I had no knowledge at all about this topic.😭
I'd also like to point out the importance of manually cleaning (or at least checking) the litter box frequently as a way of assessing cat health. I scooped our cat's litter box every day, and noticed that our then 13 year old cat was producing urine clumps that were about 50% larger. This continued for a week, so we brought her to our vet. I feared diabetes or kidney disease. Her urine and blood values were all OK except for her blood urea nitrogen, which was borderline high. The vet put her on a kd diet and fish oil. At her next checkup, her values were all normal range. She lived for another five years on the kd diet and fish oil and never developed full blown kidney disease. This is why I'd be reluctant to buy an automatic self cleaning litter box - especially for an older cat. I would have missed the change in urine output and she may not have lived to the age of 18 had I not scooped her litter box myself every day.
@@post121 Congestive heart failure. Our vet told us that it sneaks up on them and can only be diagnosed with an internal ultrasound. She was being treated for a possible tooth infection and had seen the vet three times in her final two months, and nobody suspected anything wrong with her heart.
What did the larger urine clumps indicate? I know you said test said high nitrogen but I'm wondering in general if cat urine balls get bigger why would that happen?
@@nonone2010 Larger urine clumps just indicate increased urine volume. Our vet said that it's a common symptom in cats with kidney issues. After being on a prescription diet and fish oil, her blood nitrogen and creatinine returned to normal, but she continued to drink more water and produce large amounts of urine. And, yes, she was frequently tested for diabetes, but that always came up normal.
Any Vet that says “…because treating a cat who wants to murder you is a special kind of Awesome” And Means It gets my Subscribe. It’s like he knows my cats…
@@VictoriaWinterfall It's like he met my old cat, who earned himself the nickname of The Bastard, and was both loved and feared as a murderous little house panther, and excellent exterminator...
@@neuralmute I can relate to the feared and loved part a lot! And unfortunately my cat was sick, so giving him ton of medicine was a pain but also quite the achievement haha.
I have 2 older cats, both have underperforming kidneys… this video is actually really useful. I wish MY cat’s vet explained even just half of all this. instead, I’ve been mostly clueless.
I am so sorry to read this ! I am sending you my prayers & love & hugs from L.A. !!! Please do not feed dry foods as that causes lower urinary tract disease & leads to kidney failures ! 💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
I live in Reno, in a rural area. Horrible choices of nearby vets. Any diagnostic work, 1 vet sent me to 187+miles to UCDavis! Ridiculous. It's so important we have the vital information feline guardians need and it is just like medical care for humans...a lacking patchwork of expertise. That's what makes this Doc so valuable for me. I hope for you. We all need all the help.
my cats get renal wet food served in every room, renal dry food served in one room, have 2 fountains, at least 1 bowl of milk formulated specifically for cats and 2 bowls of still water. It’s not really the dry food that causes trouble so much as the dehydration that CAN happen if they eat only dry food and don’t drink enough. my little ones are heavily encouraged to eat wet food (it’s everywhere) and drink water (also everywhere). I’d rather dry food be available if they insist on it. my cats just have to want it enough to jump and climb a little out of the way.
@@claireconover No. Dry food is the cause of many things including lower urinary tract disease & kidney failure !! It happened to my cats ! One died from a distended bladder issue & severe dehydration caused by the lower urinary tract disease & he had both acute & chronic kidney failures ! Dry foods are highly processed foods & only 10 % moisture that dry their bodies out !! Giving water never catches up for the loss of hydration !! Unless the cat drinks like 4 to 6 cups of water & as you know there's no cat does that !!! If a cat gallops water ,that means the cat has some medical issues !! 💜🥁🐉🎤🐈🐈⬛💞
@@claireconover See *TANYA'S Guide to CKD cats* You need it. It's everything you need, save it to bookmarks. My vets are ignorant. Luckily they are ok with giving me the meds I request, but failed on everything else. I got a vet now who told me to call him with updates, since he never used this blood pressure medication, commonly given to CKD cats with high BP, before. Isn't neat?
Diet. Diet Diet Diet Diet. This cannot be stressed enough. Turns out, feeding your cat bad food leads to a low quality life. Makes me sad seeing all the crap cat food in stores. I learned this from first hand experience. My cat was actually eating Blue cat food(higher end would you believe) and got completely blocked up somehow. I could hear him scratching at the litter box and not having anything come out, it broke my heart. I took him to the vet and they did the tests, he checked out after having finally peed that weekend. I was completely lost and on my way out of the vet and would you believe one of the assistants recommended science diet for him and it legitimately saved his life. I will buy science diet cat food for the rest of his happy life. Was a night and day difference for my cat. Instant relief!
I lost my cat to kidney disease two months ago, two years after her diagnosis. I administered sub-q fluids at home, gave her vitamins, probiotic, and blood pressure medicine everyday. It kept her symptoms at bay and gave her a pretty good quality of life considering everything. Eventually the treatments weren't enough and I could tell that it was time. I didn't let her suffer. I arranged for a vet to come to my home so she could pass in her sleep.
So I don't know if this helped, but our 16 year old was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease almost two years ago. His stools were hard and dry and his fur thinning. We switched him over to a quality low phosphate dry food and a different high quality low phosphate wet food. He mostly licked up the liquid from wet food and wasn't eating a lot. As a last ditch effort I decided to add small amounts of Resveratrol to his wet food. It took some time, but he really has made huge improvements. He is eating a TON now, has good stools, and a lot more energy. background - there are studies for humans showing Resveratrol with DHEA and another small dose of a prescription drug actually reversed aging and repaired cellular damage. I figured there was a *chance* it might help my kitty. I do not know for certainty if it is what has made a difference and do not want to give false hopes, but I would love for others to give it a try and maybe we might accidentally discover something that could actually help repair damage we thought was unrepairable. Again, I do not want to give false hope but just maybe this might save other cats.
My cat has kidney disease she's in stage 1. And she's 7 years old and she's doing well the vet said if she continues to do well she might make it up to 12 or 13 years old. So she has 6 or 7 years left with me. I wish she had longer. She's my best friend my baby I've been through so much of my life with this cat. I don't think I'll ever be ready to say goodbye to her when the time comes. She's the best cat I've ever had.
I adopted a senior cat of 15 in May of this year and he has quite a few health issues including kidney insufficiency. I have to give him half a pill of Benezcare every morning for life and special food for kidney care, no cheap supermarket stuff for my old buddy. Didn't appreciate at first my gently prising open his little gob to give him the pill but now I suppose he's understood it's just an unpleasant moment to bear for he's less reluctant, could be due to the fact that I give him a little treat straight after the ordeal; after the storm there is a silver lining. He has put on weight since I adopted him for he eats well, always a good sign. Did I mention that he is an utter joy and I've already fallen madly in love. I would highly recommend if you wish to adopt a cat not to overlook senior cats even if they do have health issues, they deserve as much love as younger cats just a bit more care.
I lost my sweet Danu to kidney disease and cancer earlier this month. Subcutaneous fluids every day for a year when it got bad, bloodwork, and a constant eye. He was my best friend for 18 years. I wish I knew more earlier but I learned as fast as I could and did my best. The sooner people know about how to help maintain this disease the better. Hug your furry friends close
Kidney disease is so common but so hard. I lost my girl Lily last year to Kidney Failure. When she entered into stage 3, they don't lie when they say you have only up to 30 days left. Kidney failure is hard to watch. She battled it for 4 years before developing a Kidney infection and she got 6 months going from stage 2 to 4.
They told you onlyb30 days left at 3rd stage !!? I think you meant stage 4 ?? I am very sorry for your beloved Lily ! Yes,very sadly kidney failure is almost inevitable for cats as they're sheer carnivores ! 💔💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
I know exactly how you feel. Loss to kidney failure is so devastating. I lost a cherished kitty to kidney failure amost 30 years ago. And I am not convinced that I have really gotten over his loss. I had to have him euthanized at the end, and it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. I have had several cats sinc then and I have loved them all unconditionally, but my pain still lingers once in a while, especially when I see a picture of him. So my heart goes out to you in your loss. It's been said we never get over the loss, we just learn to live with it. I wish you happiness and joy. Thank you for sharing your story.
@@nelsrinden510 I totally relate to your experience, I've got too many !!! I never forget each one of mine ,like you said I've loved all of mine equally, unconditionally ,too !!! And people say time heals everything ! They don't know what they're talking about when it comes to this !! I still sleep with my cat's ashes( boxes ) in my bed ,though it's been 4 years now !! They didn't have to die like that ! I didn't get the chance to euthanize .I didn't get much of help from vets at all & lots of neglects !! I talk to all of my loved ones who aren't here physically anymore ! I recommend you to do so ,too ! I know it sounds crazy ! But ,it helps !! And they say the deads love us remembering 'em & love hearing us talking about them ! I believe that myself !! And I found out recently ,lots of my Y.T.friends do that as well !! Lol.💜💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@spark_6710 what do you mean you didn't get a chance to euthanize? I'm asking because I may be at that stage and I don't want to believe that's the best thing for my cat but you're saying you didn't get a chance to? Did your cat suffer, is that what you mean?
@@RONNIELA400 My cases were different . As previously mentioned ,I didn't get a full support ,or help from the vets . I decided to let them go naturally as I wasn't getting real supports ,or help !! Vets had misdiagnosed my dogs in the past & ever since I disagreed ( I was right !!! ) with them & complained ,I got mistreated very badly, didn't ever get full support or help ,even harrased by their staff !!! Even worse !! So ,when I decided to get a help ,it was too late . If your cat becomes very lethargic ,stops eating or peeing ( then you have to take your cat to vet asap !! As she/ he can get a kidney failure & die ! ) ,or pooping ,or can't hold & defecates everywhere ,so on ,clearly losing the quality of life & will to live ,then it's the time .Natural deaths aren't always painless ,my cats suffered & I don't want your cat to suffer ! So,you should start talking about that with your vet ! How old is your cat ? Is your cat eating well ? Don't rush it ,but don't wait too long either when your cat's health keeps declining !! But,as long as your cat shows her/ his will to live ( eats ,drinks ,using cat litters & peeing/ pooping fine ) & you see life ( lights,sparks ,brightness ) in your cat's eyes ,then it's not the time to go ,yet ! Euthanasia is tough mentally / emotionally ,but physically ,it's easier & it's painless .It used to be horrible !!( in the '70's to '90's !! ) Vets will make your cat sleep 1st then inject a chemical to slow her/ his heart down to stop ,so literally die in her/ his sleep .I had done that with my dad ,too ! It is far better than suffer their deaths ( my cat suffocated to die with his tail furs ,the vet denieded it !!! the other one had a heartattack in my arms from severe dehydration caused by distended bladder & kidney failure !!! )Wishing you & your cat the best luck !!! Sending you lots of hugs from L.A. !!! 💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
I don’t know what it about having someone petting a cat while talking about what many would consider a kinda dry topic, but I think it boosts viewer retention.
My daughter’s cat was in crisis. He had to go for check ups every two weeks. She was trained on administering subcutaneous fluids every 12 hours. She had to give meds and special foods. For a year her life revolved around the cat. She was glad to do it because that cat was her baby. The cat, I don’t think, knew it was sick. He acted normal. Playing and having fun. He did sleep a little more and his fur did not look great. But that could have been due to the fluids. Unfortunately, at his last check up he was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes. The little sweet boy only lasted three weeks after that. But for the last year he had a wonderful life.
MAKING WATER MORE INTERESTING FOR YOUR CAT. Dr. Uri's tip of adding Glycerine syrup to bad-tasting meds also works well in getting my cat to drink medicated water. It turns plain water into a cat treat that my cat now craves. So, Dr. Uri, you might want to mention your brilliant Glycerine trick when getting cats to drink more H2O. Thanks, Rick
I add hot (not boiling) water to the raw food my cat eats. She laps it up like it is the best thing in the world. It also takes the chill off of refrigerated raw food.
@@vo1d470 The product is Vegetable Glycerin, and the brand I usually use is Now. Here in the US, it is hard to find it as a sweetener because the substance is also used in the "beauty industry:" with use in the beauty industry the substance gets taxed, where as if it were considered food it would not be. I know all this because the product used to be sold in the sweetener section in health food stores; now you can only find it in the beauty section.
Thank you for making this video! My cat was diagnosed with kidney disease aged just 5 (she's a rescue, so we don't know what might have caused it). It was a very steep learning curve, but three years later she's still happy and stable. Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic kidney Disease has been an invaluable resource for us. I wish more people were aware of this condition, as early management really does make a huge difference.
I have found so much useful information from the Tanya's CRF site, too. My cat also was a stray, and was diagnosed with early CKD at age 6 or 7. Good luck with your cat!
I just want to hug you!! Even though this video is two years old, you don't know how on time it is for me to see it. My cat was just diagnosed with very early signs of kidney disease, and the vet wasn't very informative on what to expect from now on. Just sent us for more tests. So I was beginning to panic and feel hopeless. All this information that you give here finally calms me down. I know now that our situation is not fatal, at least not in the near future, if I do everything right! So , thank you, thank you, thank you! All the best for you and your lovely cats!
I know the feeling. Exactly why i came here too. I was panicking and spiralling tbh. This video is reassuring. How is your cat now? What was the treatment that doc suggested?
Thanks, I just ordered the special food for my boy, the vet was recommending I put him down 8 months ago but I took him home instead after some hospitalization and he has been doing really well. He started vomiting again recently so im looking this up now, Its just so hard to get this info and get treatment when you dont have money to bring your cat in a few times a year for lab work. But im going to do my best because he is my boy, he has had many more Purrs since that day when I signed the paper for them to take him away, Im glad I couldnt let them take him and decided to let him die at home with me. I had to use a baby syringe with wet food at first to get some strength back in him and then he just starting eating on his own again one day. He had been almost a month without food. I now have food and water cameras so I can keep better track of these things. I didnt even notice he was sick until he was reeealy sick. anyway thanks, stay strong if your in the same boat.
I wish this video existed at least 5 years ago... It was very late for me to denoise my Cat as we never knew this disease existed in Cats. By the time we did try to keep my Cat normal, it was almost impossible to do. Sadly, we had to put our Cat down and it seems like he knew himself it was something he could not suffer long enough. It was in too much pain to go through living and he was around 8-9 years old. He passed away in 2019 for those who are wondering.
Our little Chuckles (not so little,she's nearly 15!) just got diagnosed with very early stages of kidney disease (she's getting blood work every 3 months due to another condition, so that gets checked too). She's now on renal food (which she's not amazingly impressed with), and she's got a water fountain which she loves!
Pomme Bour: our litlle girl , only 17 years !!! , had bad blood results concerning her kidneys. She immediately was put on new cat biscuits and wet food, which has helped . Her kidney results are stable , every 6 months a blood test) or if needed every 3 months. The main thing is, regular check ups and she will stay well . All the best, thinking of you and your cat. I only know so well, changing the food, very, very tricky. A good thing is she loves water. Eveywhere in all the rooms is water for her available. Its not, she is lazy, but whereever she is, she quickly can drink.
@@karindickinson7993 Glad your cat is getting better! Chuckles has blood test every 3 months for a condition she's got and they systematically also check her kidneys. Her results were normal just three months ago and she is "just outside" the normal range (they did a second test to confirm that) . She seems completely fine, playful, and has her appetite (even if a bit reluctant with the new wet food - she does like the kibbles though!)
@@toriless It is so sad , to hear this. Hug you !!! Let us hope, that our old beloved MOGGY ( 17 ) eats properly again. I hope, once the new dosage for her THYRIODPROBLEMS kicks in, she will eat again. She has gone several times to her food bowls for nipping cat buscuits. That's a small success. Next week her teeth are cleaned( tartar) and there is a small inflammation too. All together adds up. She gets up, walks around, their is life in her. But one big thing : SHE AVOIDS ME !!!! I AM THE BAD MUM !!! I GIVE HER THE MEDICINE !!! I feel so unhappy about it, but I still love her dearly. I know why she does it. I want to make her well and she doesn't understand the reason. My beloved old MOGGY, please stay with us a little longer . You tell us, when your time has come .♥️🐱♥️🐱♥️🐱♥️
@@pommebour5354I know is being two years since you commented this but my cat that is looking grate and had labs with normal leves 5 months ago, is know with not good results, the levels of creatinine and urea are quite up, is your cat still with you?
Thank you. I hope people watch this before it's too late. I wish I knew the warning signs to look for when our elderly cat started succumbing to kidney failure. She lived 17 years. The last couple months and especially last two weeks were difficult ones. I became a pro at administering subcutaneous fluids but it's definitely not something I wanted to have to excel at. After her initial crash we were able to nurse her back to a few good months but just as it seemed like she might go on for another year or so the disease got worse. It's truly heartbreaking but if caught in time you can add so much more to your cat's life so don't give up hope.
My Hope had stage four kidney disease since he was five (he was born with an irregular kidney) and somehow managed to make it to age ten before he had to go last year. When he had his last acute episode, one of the values that was supposed to be in the 300-400s was elevated to 1.4k and the vet frankly told me he had no idea how Hope was still alive. He was a tough little cookie! Hope he's having fun chasing birds in cat heaven.
I just lost my 17 year old cat Figaro to kidney disease. I miss him terribly. Our pets are such a huge part of our lives and it leaves a huge void when they are suddenly taken from us.
I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given me with my cats. I’ve had Winston and Lenina since 2002. They both lived good, long lives thanks to your help. She passed two years ago at seventeen and I lost him earlier this week at nineteen. It’s hard to say goodbye to anyone you’ve called family for the best part of two decades. I miss them dearly, but I can go to sleep knowing I was able to do all I could for them with your guidance. Thanks, Doc .
Should I have any kidney-related concerns if my kitty came back "very positive" for feline coronavirus? The vet has been really vague about what we need to do next. Her liver and kidney tests came back normal. I want to be proactive.
Q: for the blood work that check out the kidney function, is it mandatory that cat don't eat anything 8 hours prior? (the lab person told me that if the cat eats it will mess up the results; I just want to know if it will mess it up badly or the results will still be relevant. I can't keep my outdoor cats for 8 hours in a cage, to make sure they won't eat anything, that's why I keep postponing the appointment). Thank you!!
Q: How does kidney diseases affect treating other chronic conditions in cats? Mine had kidney disease, arthritis, and asthma. And when it came to managing her arthritis I was told that many of the more common medications can exasperate the kidney disease. Is this true with multiple conditions?
Thanks for the helpful video! In the follow up, I would really appreciate if you could speak about treatment options for cats with both heart disease and kidney disease. Our cat is 10 and so she couldn't receive fluids when she collapsed because it would cause heart failure.
Thank you. I really need this. I’ve been crying all night. One of my cats is diagnosed to have a kidney disease. I hope that I can keep him happy towards the end of his life.
My dear cat recently passed from a sudden, aggressive kidney cancer that destroyed her one functional kidney. The other was completely shriveled and non-functional with no apparent cause. It was very sad, and having access to a video like this would've helped me understand what the problem she was facing was like. I'm glad it exists now - so it can help other people help understand the kidney function is in our feline friends.
I'm so happy to see that Mr. Pirate will be joining us for this video! I am very excited. I have a 16 year old Japanese Bobtail at home and our vet has just diagnosed her with kidney disease in March. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this topic because I have been beside myself with worry about her from this diagnosis.
Sorry to read this ! Regardless the age of your cat ,wet food alone is much better for your cat ! Dry food causes lower urinary tract disease in cats especially males also kidney failures which happened to my cats !! I am sending you lots of love & hugs from L.A. !!! Hoping everything will be alright with your cat ! I cooked meals every other days for my cats to heal from lower urinary tract disease ! One healed completely, but the other one had a congenital issue made him prone to ...he almost healed but not completely & that led to a distended bladder ! And kidney failures ,both acute & chronic ! 💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@toriless I am very very happy for your cat & you !!! Yes,diet is the key !!! Please do not feed dry foods ! As it leads to lower urinary tract disease and kidney failures which happened to my cats ! 💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
Thank you for being such an Eloquent, Humble & Compassionate Advocate & SAINT for the Vet/Pet community. You are Truly sent from Heaven❣Thank you seems so understated Sending Great Gratitude & Appreciation, Big Blessings & LOVE, Many Mercies & Compassion and All the Luck & Joy🍀✌🏽❤🙏🇨🇦May All be Free from Suffering
My cat is 20 with kidney disease, but thanks for the reminder to get her in for a recheck. She’s amazing…a tamed feral. Thanks for this helpful video. 👍🏼
My last 2 senior fosters both passed from kidney disease at 17, was heartbreaking. They refused special food so my vet compromised and told them they could have crappy wet fancy feast (no tuna or salmon) as long as they promised to eat it with healthy crunchies sprinkled on top. Never heard of calcitrol, I'll make a note of that for the future.
Actually fancy feast isn't bad at all from the well balanced nutritional ratio points of views ! When you calculate to convert the wet form to dry matter ,you'll see ! Aside from arguments on by- products .Especially their turkey & giblets is an excellent one !! So called " premium" wet foods aren't any better !! Not to mention the prescriptional foods!!! That's why your cat refused it !! As it didn't match your cat's palate. I don't blame her/ him ! 😅 I am so sorry for your losses & yes,it's very very hard ! Sadistic disease ! 💔 I thank you so much for fostering senior cats !!! That's so sweet & precious 💖 The cats were very lucky to be with someone like you ! 💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@spark_6710 good to hear it's not that bad! I call fancy feast 'cat crack' because even the pickiest eaters dive right in haha. Thanks for the lovely compliments, that's so nice of you 🤗 I take seniors and last chance cats, have an inappropriate pee-er right now. Hasn't done it for over year so it's working out better than expected yay. 😻😸
@@mayjo7444 tuna and salmon are high up on the ocean food chain and are older/larger when harvested. So a higher level of toxins builds up in them from the marine life they ate, multiple times their own weight in a lifetime. Also salmon has almost 2x the phosphorus as most whitefish and that's one of the things you're avoiding on a KD diet. So if the goal is to avoid accumulating toxins that can cause damage and reduce the amount of work the kidneys need to do, fish is not your cat's friend.
I wish I had this thorough information before my Missy passed away at 17.5 from kidney disease. I watched her go from 11 lbs. to 8.5 in the latter stages. I learned how to give her subcues, but she had no appetite most of the time and lots of vomiting. Her Vet did not suggest hospitalization. I was lost for answers and left with a dwindling bank account. I know now what to do if need be for my next fur baby. Thank you much for sharing your knowledge with us and helping us understand what we can do to help our Cats. Listening to you from Paso Robles, CA.
My 19 years old cat has a kidney disease and suddenly was a severely constipated. The vet did everything correctly and my cat Micka is recuperating. Thank you for the video, I wish I have watched it sooner.
Thank You for this Video! Our last cat lived a little more than 17 years, but didn't start to "go downhill" until about the last six months--when she became more finicky about what she would eat and rapidly lost weight. Our biggest fear about getting a new cat is having to relive the same experience with an animal that has the same kidney disease.
Thanks for this video. My 18 year old kitty was diagnosed with early kidney disease about 2 years ago. So far, he's been stable managing it with diet. We do bloodwork on him every 6 months because he's geriatric and I dread getting the results! It's comforting to hear you say the same things my vet says (he sees a feline specialist). The latest development is that his thyroid levels were slightly elevated. The poor kitty is just an little old man, getting older every day. Take it from me, getting old sux!
My 19 year old guy will not eat kidney diet wet food recommended by the vet. I tried every recommended method of easing him into a new diet and different brands and big Nope!, he just won't eat it to the point of weight loss, lethargy, he lost interest in playing. The tiniest whiff and he won't touch the bowl, this went on for weeks. I even tried adding a single morsel of the wet food to the old food and he wasn't having it for days. I made it my mission (even made a daily spreadsheet, that's what quarantine can do) to make him eat the kidney diet wet food but my obstinate old man beat me at my own game. Man he's stubborn! Finally I tried the Royal Canin renal diet dry food and he loves it. It's like he's going through a geriatric renaissance. He's putting weight back on, he's affectionate again, he's gotten more playful again. I've gotten mixed messages from my vet practice --- one doctor says wet food full stop no exceptions, the other says if dry is all he'll eat to go for it. Fortunately his blood work has him on the high end of normal, the vet just wanted to get ahead of the game with his diet. I guess I'll know in the fall when he goes in for his biannual (twice a year at his age) tuneup & blood work, but for now he's a happier guy than he's been in a while. In the meantime I may try again to hide a morsel of wet renal diet to his dry renal diet kibble, we'll see.
Cats are such weird, stubborn, picky eaters sometimes! My girl is 8, has IBS, and will *only* eat her Royal Canin Digestive Formula dry food. Granted, any food not formulated with extra high fibre for cats with digestive problems will be difficult for her to digest, but still, that particular food is ALL she will eat! I guess Royal Canin make good foods for cats with health issues?
You can find a link to my video on getting cats to eat in the description but yeah, in some cats getting them to eat ANYTHING is a challenge, and if you have one of those, you take your wins where you can get them. Sounds like you are doing a good job though, and found an appropriate wet food that your cat will thrive on, so good stuff!
My cat was diagnosed with kidney disease 3years ago. She has been managed by kidney diet. She is turning 10 next feb. she also has a apricot sized cancer next to her pancreas. I am just happy that she is still eating, meowing, playing, wondering out in the garden, still catching little mice. I hope she can live up to 15. My other cat is also on her diet because they are related and share biscuits.
Hi, I think your chat stopped before I could share this link to Caitlin Doughty's channel Ask A Mortician. As I mentioned, my dear cat Tabitha died at age 20 from end-stage CKD, and I did not know anything about mobile services when the disease was far-gone. As you said, CKD is insidious and unless you are vigilant, even regular vets don't make a big deal about it at a certain age. At the end-stage, she was vomiting several times a day (because the CKD led to pancreatitis) and had a bleeding squamous cell tumor in her mouth. I tried to give her Pepcid orally via syringe for her upset tummy, but it helped very little. She was obese, severe arthritis, and could barely care for herself. She couldn't clean herself anymore. She developed a wheeze and got very constipated. It started with CKD4, and every few days there was another problem. I took her to a vet dentist when my regular vet saw a tumor in her mouth - the vet dentist said that he could resect the tumor and remove some of her jaw, but she would be on tube feedings indefinitely. At a cost of $3,000 USD. It would have been worth it if she would be healed, but c'mon - she was 20 and had so many problems. It broke my heart that she now had a terrible tumor in her mouth, because food was her favorite thing. She still loved to eat, especially wet food. So the myth that dry food causes CKD is incorrect. It is a degenerative disease - at a certain point in life, a lot of humans develop CKD and it affects their heart, their digestive systems, and their ability to tolerate IV fluids for rehydration. Back to Tabitha - at that point, I just knew that there was one way this would go and it would just mean horrible pain for her. At this point, I was taking her to her regular vet ALMOST EVERY 2 WEEKS because the vet refused to renew her narcotic pain medication without a visit to evaluate. I know that a lot of vets are more compassionate than to require such a thing when they themselves made the end-stage diagnosis - but in my area, vets are hard to get appointments for as they are a hot commodity. I know that there are amazing vets who are more than an hour's drive away - but Tabitha hated going to the vet. She would pee and poop in the carrier and cry nonstop. There are vets who do provide mobile services. I live in the Bay Area, CA, and there are vets who can come to the home when pets are dying - in order to avoid the traumatic last visits to a vet in order to have pain medication renewed. I am also an RN who did human hospice, so this was something I sought out in order to provide palliation and a good death. This link th-cam.com/video/kORGk6s1C_s/w-d-xo.html is extremely moving but very useful. This was the service I used peacefulpathways.com which serves my area. The vet was available for emails - which, being upset and worried and freaking out, I admit that I used a bit too much but I was distraught. The vet arranged, via a special pharmacy that compounds medications, for Buprenorphine and Gabapentin, in addition to Cerenia, to be delivered to my house. She came to my house when Tabitha was obviously declining rapidly, and I didn't want the end to be horrible, and she put her to sleep in our home. It was incredibly sad - but she was home. I hope that you can devote a segment of your channel to end-of-life and options for palliative care. Thank you! I don't want to depress anyone and this is a hard topic. But if your cat is at an end-stage, look into the options available - it may really surprise you. Love your channel.
All of her medications were compounded transdermal. So I could just rub them into the lateral parts of her ears (where the little divet is). She was very comfortable at the end.
@@HelpfulVancouverVet I know this is a service which requires some investigation. But I titrated her up all on all of her medications over a period of 2 months, and while the transdermal route isn't as immediately effective as the oral route, cats' ears are very thin with heavy blood supply, so transdermal medications are gentle to their systems. Our hospice vet also supplied oral sublingual Suboxone. Just having to not take her to a cold clinical vet office and making her last moments terrifying meant a lot to me. It didn't help the grief, except for the fact that we had comfort knowing she was with us in her home at the end. It's a tough subject - but CKD is ultimately an end-stage condition. This needs to be put out - it can be controlled for a bit, but it is bad for cats. We as a community need to know what the resources are for the end stage. I feel that this is hard for you - maybe I am getting it wrong - could we have a link to help us for end-stage diseases? Thank you, Dr Yuri.
If you are in the Tacoma/Kitsap Peninsula area of Washington State I recommend Dr. Heather Houser. She helped my girl cross. She was amazing. She came to my home in the middle of covid.
Thank you so much for this, Dr. Uri! I used your subcutaneous fluids video when my cat first got diagnosed with kidney disease earlier this year, and this video had so much great information that I'll be talking to my vet about during our next appointment!
thank you so much for the video and spending time on educating us about chronic kidney disease. The video was really helpful and it was an eye opener for me. I have an elderly cat with chronic kidney disease. I can now learn how to manage the disease and keep my best friend safe and somewhat healthy. Thank you again.
Thank you for the great information. I give a home to the stray cats that come to me.Generally that averages about 1 cat a year. Their general health is usually somewhat poor and some have chronic issues. The cost of the tests and treatments on the timeline you list is beyond what I can generally offer. As it is my vet bills are usually several thousand dollars a year. For instance, just to bring in a new stray it costs about $500. Tests, neuter, vaccine…. I’ve lost a couple of very special cat friends to kidney disease. I’ll try to use the things you mention to improve the care of my “pride”. In general though it’s all a bit depressing. I love them all very much. To not be able to give them the very best care available is tough. I’m hoping your tips will help me spot problems in a more timely manner. All you can do is do your best. The upside of helping strays feels so good. I recommend everyone give it a try!😁 Btw: My rescue cat Garua might have given Mr Pirate some competition as “best cat ever”. He was very sick when I took him in. The vet said he would have probably died within days. Helping him was money well spent. He was “possibly the best cat ever”. 😿 Thank you for your great TH-cam channel.
Thank you for this wealth of information! I have been taking my cat to the vet regularly for the last 18 months, since I learned about her early stage kidney disease. While they seem to be on top of it for now, I just learned more about her condition in your video than I have over countless vet visits combined. Much appreciated 😽
My 16 year old cat was, I guess, in uremic crisis based on what you described. We immediately took her to the vet who said she probably wouldn't last the day so we made the decision to end her suffering. It was awful. Listening to this video makes me wonder if the vet should have done more and we could have saved her. We didn't do any of the things you said and looking back, maybe we should have. I have so many regrets and a lot of guilt with that cat just because of my lack of knowledge. I have made it my mission since then to become a more informed cat guardian. Thank you for making this video so I can be more equipped to discuss treatment options with my vet if it ever comes up again.
I am so sorry for your loss. May I ask, what were the symptoms that she presented at the vet? I am worried the vet we see tmw might not be as smart or well-informed as TH-cam's most compassionate vet, Dr. Yuri. Do you think you will get another kitty someday? It would be nice to put all this new health information into practice, and be the best damn cat guardians we can be.
@@MK-ih6wp Thank you. Her symptoms were that she could barely walk. She was vomiting but not much was coming up, she was very lethargic, and was down to 4 lbs. I had no idea that even in this state fluids could be given and an overnight stay at the vet may have been the key to keeping her alive. We'll never know. She passed in September of 2010 and we adopted 2 sisters that December. Almost 2 years ago we rescued another cat from our back yard so now we have 3. I am definitely more informed now than I was 11 years ago. Just wish I would have known then what I know now.
@@EmpressLishy My cat has similar symptoms right now. But the vet said her blood work looked good, kidneys thyroid were fine, she just has a UTI & needs antibiotics. But that doesn't seem right to me, my cat is like super sick. Wobbley & weak & skinny, so thirsty, looks miserable, although she is still eating. I hope the antibiotics help her, she also gets her first fluid IV today. Hydration is key. Glad you guys adopted more furry friends! They need us just as much as we need them. Invest in a cat fountain if you havent yet, esp male kitties. Then you can hopefully avoid chronic kidney problems.
@@EmpressLishy she is 10x better, in just 24 hrs! The vet gave her subcutaneous fluids & it made a big difference. Keep that in mind if you ever have a dehydrated kitty! It only cost like $40!
Going through this now with my cat. Also hyperthyroid and on methimazole transdermal. BUN is 46 and T4 was stabilized to 2.4 but edged up to 4.6 over last two months. The problem is progressive weight loss over about three years from about 9 Lbs. to about 6.0 right now. She has a decent appetite though but doesn't seem to be able to metabolize sufficient calories. Weight loss has stopped in the last two months but still unable to gain. Looking forward to your information on CKD.
Thank you so much this was such a brilliant video. I learned so much. Please continue to make more there's so many people out there with so much information that is not given by the veterinarians. This video gives you information to bring to your veterinarian and seek further information about your cat's health.
My cat just got diagnosed with early stage 2 and the vet didn't tell me anything about calcitriol. I will certainly mention it when I get the chance and see if they know about it. Thank you so much for that video. It really helped me understand what's going on. Now I feel better about it!
My 15 year-old lady was diagnosed with kidney disease three years ago. We've had to make some compromises with her management since she gets medicine for high BP with her wet food, which she always has been very picky with since I adopted her 6 years ago. So far she's doing pretty good, though blood tests show the disease is slowly becoming more advanced. This video had some great information for us going forward.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this video!!! Communication is everything! I have been in tears for a week over my F3 Savannah’s (Apollo’s) diagnosis of kidney disease. This has really explained everything and given me so much piece of mind and comfort. I have left both appointments with internal medicine with more questions than answers and $1600’s in so far. Who would have thought I would have found all the answers on your TH-cam video. Thank you again doctor for these videos.
I lost my cat yesterday to kidney disease after a very long battle.. it was heartbreaking and shocking for all of us.. he started developing ckd a year ago yet we never knew until it was at stage 2.. we started treating him every week, his condition was stable until all my cats got infected with calicivirus.. they all got better except for the one with kidney disease, it was so much for him to handle and his condition got worse and worse every hour.. until yesterday when we went to the hospital where he was hospitalized and we saw that his condition is hopeless and he was in so much pain that his mental condition is alot worse and he didn't even recognize us.. so i had to take the hardest decision of my life and put him to sleep.... he was my first and most beloved cat.. i always considered him my best friend and a source of joy to me and my family... you'll forever leave a gap in my heart, Ceaser.. 25.5.2022
It's intimidating when your cat is diagnosed, and treatment results vary widely. However, we had a cat diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of ten. With fluid treatments and diet changes, she lived another 2 1/2 years and you would have never have known anything was wrong with her. Once you get used to administering the fluids, it becomes second nature.
As always - great info in your video! Thank you! I actually shared your video with another TH-cam content writer, as she found out her kitty got kidney desease. Thank you so much for video that actually gives knowledge, and also puts people at ease with many complex issues.
Okay, starting a week with some heavy stuff :) I had a CKD cat,we fought it for 1.5 years before she, sadly but inevitably, passed away at not-quite-14. For anyone researching feline CKD, Tanya's site is a treasure. Google it -- I won't put a link here, YT autodeletes comments with links. Don't use it _instead_ of qualified professional vet help (if you have access to it, which I didn't, at least not consistently), but use it to learn and understand this whole thing. BTW, Tanya is not the owner's name, it's Helen. Tanya was her first CKD cat.
My cat was just diagnosed with kidney disease a year ago. It has been a struggle to get him to change food and take medication, but tips you have provided in your videos have been extremely helpful in this. We now have a proper routine and his quarterly lab results show that the disease is stable. Thank you for your much needed advice!
I am so thankful of being a long time subscriber and having my elderly boy tested when he reached age 9 and catching the early stages of a kidney disease. My boy is living the best life even with that diagnosis. We are getting blood work done regularly, and if my old boy allows urine testing. He gets a special diet and additionally every three days a supplement fluid that I got from my vet (splitting up those 3 different mini glass bottles is probably the most time consuming thing and even that takes only a few minutes, it is worth it believe me.)
Thank you! Professor Paws, who is sleeping in my lap as I watch this, has stage 2 kidney disease. I am anxious to do everything I can for him, and will definitely ask my vet about calcitriol. (We are already doing the other things you mentioned.)
I adopted an 18-year old kitty grandpa two months ago. His name was Gismo and he's black, his chin is bald so the pink skin shows 😂 He was very sweet and agile despite his age and one day he just fell down and stopped walking. We took him to the vet and they discovered a huge tumor in front of his pancreas.. He was put down the same day. I didn't expect it to go that quickly because he never really showed any signs of distress before 😿🐈⬛ A video on pancreatitis or cancer would be really helpful! I love you guys. RIP Gismo.
Thank you for this video. Our cat was recently diagnosed with kidney disease and is currently on the new diet you've mentioned. Before being diagnosed he had a uremic crisis and we put him into the hospital for 2 days with iv fluids just like you suggested. He has now been out of the hospital for 2 weeks, we had new blood tests done and he seems stable. This video really helped me feel more confident that we are doing what we can to care for him and to keep him healthy as much as possible.
This is very important information to hear! I didn't know that it's best to get my cat checked every year after the age of 8. I'll mention this to my mother as she's caring for my childhood cat who hasn't seen a vet since she was 4 (she's now 13). I can always keep this in mind for my little girl too! Thank you Dr. Uri!!
My kitty got her blood drawn to check for kidney problems today :( She is younger than a year and I hope she’ll be okay. Hasn’t been eating well and according to the vet she is pretty dehydrated, we will get the results of the blood work tomorrow morning. Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. Thank you for the information 🌹
This was so informative and educational. I really wish I knew some of these signs and statistics with my senior cats that I had years ago. They definitely would have had a better quality of life as they got older. Thank you for this video!
Thank you so very much! This video has been so very helpful and insightful. My kitty is definitely not a fan of the wet diet food but he's slowly warming up to it
I lost my first cat to CKD.He was doing good,then contracted UTI by Multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa .There were few Antibiotics worked for him.But those were only injections.I had to inject them to my cat 3 times a day.I understand a cat with CKD are weak against infection,I wonder why he got Multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.(maybe it's everywhere?) He passed 2 weeks after 19 years old birthday.I borrowed Oxygen generator(We can borrow them for pets relatively cheap)because he was so anemic,despite he got a shot of Hematopoietic agent.He passed by my side.I hope treatment for feline CKD will advance.
I always thought about oxygen generator or masks for my cats !! Nobody told me ,though ! Very sadly they both passed away 4 years ago ! I am very sorry for your loss !💔💔💔💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
My vet told me about generator.(There is a company in Japan (Edit:where I live)which rents generator for pets relatively cheap)I'm so sorry for your loss too!💗💓💓 I wish Oxygen generator for pets will be available easily many places.
I adopted my sweet Smokey at an animal shelter when he was 2 years old. We spent 13 1/2 years todgether, it's so strange now almost a month later to walk into the house and he is no longer there. The first signs were constant need to drink water. The vet prescribed a wet and dry food specifially made for kidney disease. He did well for a few months and then drastically went down hill in a month. Was horrible to make the decision to put him to sleep and then to be there in the vets office petting him, near his face talking to him as she gave him the shot. When she listened to his heart beat and then said he is gone.. I felt numb. She carried him away in a blanket and I carried his empty carrier to the car and then broke down. I miss him so very, very much. I love you Smokey, you will always be in my heart sweet boy ❤
I am preparing for this too my friend. My beloved cat is having liver problems and is at the vet now. My apartment feels empty but I am preparing for the hole in my heart.
@@Kreedogger how are you guys holding up now? I am so nervous.
@@MK-ih6wp She made it! She's alive and is home. She has made a full recovery. About 4 days ago she 110% pepped back up and is having a good time. She's going to be ok! Thanks for your concern MK
That just broke my heart 😢
So sad, Rest In Peace Smokey
The fact that he petted the cat during the entire course of the video and the cat being so satisfied an chill with it is EXTREMELY adorable 😊☺️☺️😊😻😻
The cats tail wagging side to side is actually an indication that the kitty is becoming irritated. Jackson Galaxy who is a cat behaviour expert says for most cats it's best to pay a cat around the side of the neck, under the chin, and top of the head because they have sensitive nerve endings on their back.
@@jessethepersiankitty2377 I think this person knows this cat well lol
I had a cat with kidney disease and it is not the end of the world for sure! He lived 21 years. Take your cat to the vet frequently to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Thank you for this video, doctor!
Thank you for sharing! Sounds like a happy story :-)
@@HelpfulVancouverVet it is a happy story! He lived the best life with us with a lot of love ( and fluids too)… :)
my cat i just 1 1/2 y/o. I want him to survive. 😢
With a proper diet and simple medications, they can survive longer. So simple to deal with. Mine is 17, sick but allright.
For constipation vet suggested to feed my cat little milk everyday. But now as he has kidney disease, 45% damaged, is milk safe to drink? His vet has no idea about it.
I miss my princess so much, kidney disease is tough, the last 6 months we hand fed and watered her. We gave her subcutaneous fluids weekly and that really seemed to help. She still never had an accident and always was the perfect kitty. She passed in December at 19 years old.
I miss you Nibbles.
I rescued my cat from a horrible home where they had just left her to rot and die. A family members house actually (i dont speak to that family member anymore).
The cat was most likely born with congenital defects. She needed special care so i took her and with vets cared for her as best i could. I knew she was chronically ill and that i wouldn't have her forever but i wasnt aware that she had chronic kidney disease. During her year with me, i got her coat looking shiney+regrow in areas where it'd fallen out, got her eating a great diet, played with her, took her out to play and experience the trees, and cuddled her all the time. She really did seem at one point like she might survive, she looked great and had energy, she was loved and well fed.
Today after her rapidly going downhill, i had to have her put to sleep. The vet explained that there was nothing i could have done and that she improved for that short time because of my care, but that there was nothing we could do. My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Ive never had a cat whos so loving, talkative, caring, and cuddly. She was so special. Im happy that shes not suffering anymore, but i am going to miss her forever.
You both needed each other::::
Mr. Pirate looks happy to be there. He is such a sweet boy.
Mr. Pirate is so loved!
He is the prettiest fur!
My first cat was a tabby. She was the best cat in the world in my eyes
Tabbies have a very special place in my heart because of her 🤗
Looks twice as large too.
I don't know how anyone could focus with Mr. Pirate being absolutely adorable and licking Dr. Uri!
I don't even have a cat, but I'll be watching. A friend lost her cat to kidney disease, and now, 10 years later, she's dealing with this for her current cat. It's a terrible disease!😿
I know...Dry foods cause lower urinary tract disease and kidney failures. It happened to my cats .It is very very hard to go through with .Please tell your friend that I am very sorry for your friend's loss & her/ his cat ! You are such a good friend & sweetheart ! 💔💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@spark_6710 what foods are recommended for cats? Any knowledge of brands, types of food will really help and be appreciated from our side
@@PatriciaCV9 Raw, cooked meats and wet cat can foods (just not the cheapest brands) plus one can also mix kibble foods with some water, cats tend to get most of their water from the foods they eat. running water like a pet fountain can also encourage a cat to drink water.
@@PatriciaCV9 you can watch Jackson Galaxy video on dry and wet food to know what is the best!
Yh it is all most often caused ny dry good
17:00 "Treating an animal that wants to murder you is just a special kind of awesome" The best line to represent cat people ever. Love your content Dr. Uri.
It's a horrible disease but the subcutaneous saline treatments work very well when given as prescribed. Our cat was diagnosed Stage 2-3 when he was 18, gave him the saline treatments every day for 3 years, and it made him so much more comfortable. Passed away at the ripe old age of 21, not even from the kidney disease. It was a labor of love but totally worth it if you have a cat in the early stages!
Wow. You got 3 more wonderful years! A 21 year old cat is amazing! We are doing the subQ fluids for about 4 months now & it does make quite a difference. It's well worth it .
@@mchaelhron279 of course...take your cat to the vet...the care of diet and hydration is key.
can you plz share the food brand you gave him ?
How about the foods? He refused to est or drink that time? How u manage it?
@@juliatravisfemme I just brought my cat home from 3 nights in hospital. While she was there, they fed her a couple of times with a syringe (of course with no needle). Now that she's home, her appetite is good. Sadly, she is at end stage and the IV fluids did not improve her blood work. So, one day at a time.
When my soulmate, Oslo, got kidney disease, I gave him lactated ringers 2x a day, trying everything to help him. When he was gone, his absence was everywhere. Been 20 years - miss him everyday❤️
Have my soulmate salem who was just diagnosed and i am a wreck
@@LindseyRaelle I hope you were able to get good care. My thoughts are with you. 💔
what are lactacted ringers?? And what do they do??
Lost my cat to kidney disease in December, it was truly a horrible end and took such a heavy toll on all of us. Good spreading awareness, if you don't manage it early enough it's a bad time!
I am sorry for your loss, what a terrible way for the beloved cat to go.
Yes, it can be very bad. I truly appreciate Dr Yuri's advice in the early stages, and we need advice in case the disease gets bad and it becomes end-stage. It's a very delicate and sad topic, but we really need help with this this.
nativeunamerican I am deeply sorry for the loss of your dear kitty. I've been there. Sending prayers to you.
@@hherroyal05 I am very sorry for your loss ! I still strongly believe in ultra sound testing as it shows the shape & size & texture of organs in this case kidneys !!! So, vets & you can see how much damages done ! Also it's non aggressive method & not only that gives us more visions& ideas as well as it decreases stress on cats as we don't have to go back & force between vet's clinic & home !!
Dry foods cause kidney failures & lower urinary tract disease which happened to my cats !
Again sorry for your loss & your cat ! Lots of hugs are being sent to you from L.A. ! 💔💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@hherroyal05 💔
This will be a bittersweet episode for many I think. Kidney disease can be very quick and surprise killer. I know first hand unfortunately.
So do I. My heart is broken.
Same. If I talk or think about it too much, I cry. This video makes me think I and my vet could have done more but I had no knowledge at all about this topic.😭
@@toriless exactly what did you do? If you don’t mind sharing
Yes, I miss my sweet boy so much. ❤
I’ve lost two furbabies in the past two years to kidney disease. Now my 10 year old kitty has it too. 😞
I'd also like to point out the importance of manually cleaning (or at least checking) the litter box frequently as a way of assessing cat health. I scooped our cat's litter box every day, and noticed that our then 13 year old cat was producing urine clumps that were about 50% larger. This continued for a week, so we brought her to our vet. I feared diabetes or kidney disease. Her urine and blood values were all OK except for her blood urea nitrogen, which was borderline high. The vet put her on a kd diet and fish oil. At her next checkup, her values were all normal range. She lived for another five years on the kd diet and fish oil and never developed full blown kidney disease. This is why I'd be reluctant to buy an automatic self cleaning litter box - especially for an older cat. I would have missed the change in urine output and she may not have lived to the age of 18 had I not scooped her litter box myself every day.
Did she die of kidney disease? Or something else?
@@post121 Congestive heart failure. Our vet told us that it sneaks up on them and can only be diagnosed with an internal ultrasound. She was being treated for a possible tooth infection and had seen the vet three times in her final two months, and nobody suspected anything wrong with her heart.
What did the larger urine clumps indicate? I know you said test said high nitrogen but I'm wondering in general if cat urine balls get bigger why would that happen?
@@nonone2010 Larger urine clumps just indicate increased urine volume. Our vet said that it's a common symptom in cats with kidney issues. After being on a prescription diet and fish oil, her blood nitrogen and creatinine returned to normal, but she continued to drink more water and produce large amounts of urine. And, yes, she was frequently tested for diabetes, but that always came up normal.
@@andrewj5998 oh thank you so much for the information and for replying so quickly. It helped me.
Mr. Pirate being his magnificent self
Any Vet that says “…because treating a cat who wants to murder you is a special kind of Awesome” And Means It gets my Subscribe. It’s like he knows my cats…
I wish my aggressive cat had a chance to be treated by this vet. Dr. Uri, you set my standards for a vet's attitude too high!
@@VictoriaWinterfall It's like he met my old cat, who earned himself the nickname of The Bastard, and was both loved and feared as a murderous little house panther, and excellent exterminator...
@@neuralmute I can relate to the feared and loved part a lot! And unfortunately my cat was sick, so giving him ton of medicine was a pain but also quite the achievement haha.
My new vet literally called my cat a bitch during our first appointment and in the same sentence said she loved her sassiness for her age(23).
@ladyvin pill shooters are a lifesaver if your cat doesn't do pill pockets.
I have 2 older cats, both have underperforming kidneys… this video is actually really useful.
I wish MY cat’s vet explained even just half of all this. instead, I’ve been mostly clueless.
I am so sorry to read this ! I am sending you my prayers & love & hugs from L.A. !!!
Please do not feed dry foods as that causes lower urinary tract disease & leads to kidney failures ! 💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
I live in Reno, in a rural area. Horrible choices of nearby vets. Any diagnostic work, 1 vet sent me to 187+miles to UCDavis! Ridiculous.
It's so important we have the vital information feline guardians need and it is just like medical care for humans...a lacking patchwork of expertise. That's what makes this Doc so valuable for me. I hope for you. We all need all the help.
my cats get renal wet food served in every room, renal dry food served in one room, have 2 fountains, at least 1 bowl of milk formulated specifically for cats and 2 bowls of still water.
It’s not really the dry food that causes trouble so much as the dehydration that CAN happen if they eat only dry food and don’t drink enough.
my little ones are heavily encouraged to eat wet food (it’s everywhere) and drink water (also everywhere).
I’d rather dry food be available if they insist on it. my cats just have to want it enough to jump and climb a little out of the way.
@@claireconover No. Dry food is the cause of many things including lower urinary tract disease & kidney failure !! It happened to my cats ! One died from a distended bladder issue & severe dehydration caused by the lower urinary tract disease & he had both acute & chronic kidney failures !
Dry foods are highly processed foods & only 10 % moisture that dry their bodies out !! Giving water never catches up for the loss of hydration !! Unless the cat drinks like 4 to 6 cups of water & as you know there's no cat does that !!! If a cat gallops water ,that means the cat has some medical issues !! 💜🥁🐉🎤🐈🐈⬛💞
@@claireconover See *TANYA'S Guide to CKD cats* You need it. It's everything you need, save it to bookmarks. My vets are ignorant. Luckily they are ok with giving me the meds I request, but failed on everything else. I got a vet now who told me to call him with updates, since he never used this blood pressure medication, commonly given to CKD cats with high BP, before. Isn't neat?
Diet. Diet Diet Diet Diet. This cannot be stressed enough. Turns out, feeding your cat bad food leads to a low quality life. Makes me sad seeing all the crap cat food in stores. I learned this from first hand experience. My cat was actually eating Blue cat food(higher end would you believe) and got completely blocked up somehow. I could hear him scratching at the litter box and not having anything come out, it broke my heart. I took him to the vet and they did the tests, he checked out after having finally peed that weekend. I was completely lost and on my way out of the vet and would you believe one of the assistants recommended science diet for him and it legitimately saved his life. I will buy science diet cat food for the rest of his happy life. Was a night and day difference for my cat. Instant relief!
NO DRY KIBBLE! Raw food diet with warm/hot water mixed in is great! Cats would never eat dry food in the wild.
I lost my cat to kidney disease two months ago, two years after her diagnosis. I administered sub-q fluids at home, gave her vitamins, probiotic, and blood pressure medicine everyday. It kept her symptoms at bay and gave her a pretty good quality of life considering everything. Eventually the treatments weren't enough and I could tell that it was time. I didn't let her suffer. I arranged for a vet to come to my home so she could pass in her sleep.
So I don't know if this helped, but our 16 year old was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease almost two years ago. His stools were hard and dry and his fur thinning. We switched him over to a quality low phosphate dry food and a different high quality low phosphate wet food. He mostly licked up the liquid from wet food and wasn't eating a lot. As a last ditch effort I decided to add small amounts of Resveratrol to his wet food. It took some time, but he really has made huge improvements. He is eating a TON now, has good stools, and a lot more energy.
background - there are studies for humans showing Resveratrol with DHEA and another small dose of a prescription drug actually reversed aging and repaired cellular damage. I figured there was a *chance* it might help my kitty. I do not know for certainty if it is what has made a difference and do not want to give false hopes, but I would love for others to give it a try and maybe we might accidentally discover something that could actually help repair damage we thought was unrepairable.
Again, I do not want to give false hope but just maybe this might save other cats.
My cat has kidney disease she's in stage 1. And she's 7 years old and she's doing well the vet said if she continues to do well she might make it up to 12 or 13 years old. So she has 6 or 7 years left with me. I wish she had longer. She's my best friend my baby I've been through so much of my life with this cat. I don't think I'll ever be ready to say goodbye to her when the time comes. She's the best cat I've ever had.
I feel for you. I'm going to adopt a cat once mine passes from kidney failure. Untill then enjoy each others company.
@@datapatch7381 I will adopt another cat too once mine passes away too. Probably immediately. But no Cat will ever replace my first one.
How you find out stage 1?? Can you please tell me..
@@devlinabhanja6440 Do an xray and blood test at the vet. And ask your vet what stage your cats in.
@@marissarottaris9049 In india , Specially in Kolkata all vets are businessman and rude.. 😔
I adopted a senior cat of 15 in May of this year and he has quite a few health issues including kidney insufficiency. I have to give him half a pill of Benezcare every morning for life and special food for kidney care, no cheap supermarket stuff for my old buddy. Didn't appreciate at first my gently prising open his little gob to give him the pill but now I suppose he's understood it's just an unpleasant moment to bear for he's less reluctant, could be due to the fact that I give him a little treat straight after the ordeal; after the storm there is a silver lining. He has put on weight since I adopted him for he eats well, always a good sign. Did I mention that he is an utter joy and I've already fallen madly in love. I would highly recommend if you wish to adopt a cat not to overlook senior cats even if they do have health issues, they deserve as much love as younger cats just a bit more care.
Thank you for adopting a senior. What an amazing caring thing you have done ❤
I lost my sweet Danu to kidney disease and cancer earlier this month. Subcutaneous fluids every day for a year when it got bad, bloodwork, and a constant eye. He was my best friend for 18 years. I wish I knew more earlier but I learned as fast as I could and did my best. The sooner people know about how to help maintain this disease the better. Hug your furry friends close
Kidney disease is so common but so hard. I lost my girl Lily last year to Kidney Failure. When she entered into stage 3, they don't lie when they say you have only up to 30 days left. Kidney failure is hard to watch. She battled it for 4 years before developing a Kidney infection and she got 6 months going from stage 2 to 4.
They told you onlyb30 days left at 3rd stage !!? I think you meant stage 4 ?? I am very sorry for your beloved Lily ! Yes,very sadly kidney failure is almost inevitable for cats as they're sheer carnivores ! 💔💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
I know exactly how you feel. Loss to kidney failure is so devastating. I lost a cherished kitty to kidney failure amost 30 years ago. And I am not convinced that I have really gotten over his loss. I had to have him euthanized at the end, and it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. I have had several cats sinc then and I have loved them all unconditionally, but my pain still lingers once in a while, especially when I see a picture of him. So my heart goes out to you in your loss. It's been said we never get over the loss, we just learn to live with it. I wish you happiness and joy. Thank you for sharing your story.
@@nelsrinden510 I totally relate to your experience, I've got too many !!! I never forget each one of mine ,like you said I've loved all of mine equally, unconditionally ,too !!! And people say time heals everything ! They don't know what they're talking about when it comes to this !! I still sleep with my cat's ashes( boxes ) in my bed ,though it's been 4 years now !! They didn't have to die like that ! I didn't get the chance to euthanize .I didn't get much of help from vets at all & lots of neglects !!
I talk to all of my loved ones who aren't here physically anymore ! I recommend you to do so ,too ! I know it sounds crazy ! But ,it helps !! And they say the deads love us remembering 'em & love hearing us talking about them ! I believe that myself !! And I found out recently ,lots of my Y.T.friends do that as well !! Lol.💜💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@spark_6710 what do you mean you didn't get a chance to euthanize? I'm asking because I may be at that stage and I don't want to believe that's the best thing for my cat but you're saying you didn't get a chance to? Did your cat suffer, is that what you mean?
@@RONNIELA400 My cases were different . As previously mentioned ,I didn't get a full support ,or help from the vets . I decided to let them go naturally as I wasn't getting real supports ,or help !! Vets had misdiagnosed my dogs in the past & ever since I disagreed ( I was right !!! ) with them & complained ,I got mistreated very badly, didn't ever get full support or help ,even harrased by their staff !!! Even worse !! So ,when I decided to get a help ,it was too late .
If your cat becomes very lethargic ,stops eating or peeing ( then you have to take your cat to vet asap !! As she/ he can get a kidney failure & die ! ) ,or pooping ,or can't hold & defecates everywhere ,so on ,clearly losing the quality of life & will to live ,then it's the time .Natural deaths aren't always painless ,my cats suffered & I don't want your cat to suffer ! So,you should start talking about that with your vet ! How old is your cat ? Is your cat eating well ? Don't rush it ,but don't wait too long either when your cat's health keeps declining !! But,as long as your cat shows her/ his will to live ( eats ,drinks ,using cat litters & peeing/ pooping fine ) & you see life ( lights,sparks ,brightness ) in your cat's eyes ,then it's not the time to go ,yet !
Euthanasia is tough mentally / emotionally ,but physically ,it's easier & it's painless .It used to be horrible !!( in the '70's to '90's !! ) Vets will make your cat sleep 1st then inject a chemical to slow her/ his heart down to stop ,so literally die in her/ his sleep .I had done that with my dad ,too ! It is far better than suffer their deaths ( my cat suffocated to die with his tail furs ,the vet denieded it !!! the other one had a heartattack in my arms from severe dehydration caused by distended bladder & kidney failure !!! )Wishing you & your cat the best luck !!! Sending you lots of hugs from L.A. !!! 💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
I don’t know what it about having someone petting a cat while talking about what many would consider a kinda dry topic, but I think it boosts viewer retention.
It's a handy prop for anchors, especially those who have not developed a smooth body language
My daughter’s cat was in crisis. He had to go for check ups every two weeks. She was trained on administering subcutaneous fluids every 12 hours. She had to give meds and special foods. For a year her life revolved around the cat. She was glad to do it because that cat was her baby. The cat, I don’t think, knew it was sick. He acted normal. Playing and having fun. He did sleep a little more and his fur did not look great. But that could have been due to the fluids. Unfortunately, at his last check up he was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes. The little sweet boy only lasted three weeks after that. But for the last year he had a wonderful life.
MAKING WATER MORE INTERESTING FOR YOUR CAT. Dr. Uri's tip of adding Glycerine syrup to bad-tasting meds also works well in getting my cat to drink medicated water. It turns plain water into a cat treat that my cat now craves. So, Dr. Uri, you might want to mention your brilliant Glycerine trick when getting cats to drink more H2O.
Thanks,
Rick
I add hot (not boiling) water to the raw food my cat eats. She laps it up like it is the best thing in the world. It also takes the chill off of refrigerated raw food.
@@vo1d470 The product is Vegetable Glycerin, and the brand I usually use is Now. Here in the US, it is hard to find it as a sweetener because the substance is also used in the "beauty industry:" with use in the beauty industry the substance gets taxed, where as if it were considered food it would not be. I know all this because the product used to be sold in the sweetener section in health food stores; now you can only find it in the beauty section.
Thank you for making this video! My cat was diagnosed with kidney disease aged just 5 (she's a rescue, so we don't know what might have caused it). It was a very steep learning curve, but three years later she's still happy and stable. Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic kidney Disease has been an invaluable resource for us. I wish more people were aware of this condition, as early management really does make a huge difference.
I have found so much useful information from the Tanya's CRF site, too. My cat also was a stray, and was diagnosed with early CKD at age 6 or 7. Good luck with your cat!
@@ymn202 thank you, likewise! I hope your kitty stays happy and stable and you can share many years together.
Been using Tanya for many years when needed. Great info.
The food.....and vet care
Tanya's is amazing! So glad someone mentioned it.
I just want to hug you!! Even though this video is two years old, you don't know how on time it is for me to see it. My cat was just diagnosed with very early signs of kidney disease, and the vet wasn't very informative on what to expect from now on. Just sent us for more tests. So I was beginning to panic and feel hopeless. All this information that you give here finally calms me down. I know now that our situation is not fatal, at least not in the near future, if I do everything right! So , thank you, thank you, thank you! All the best for you and your lovely cats!
I know the feeling. Exactly why i came here too.
I was panicking and spiralling tbh. This video is reassuring. How is your cat now? What was the treatment that doc suggested?
Thanks, I just ordered the special food for my boy, the vet was recommending I put him down 8 months ago but I took him home instead after some hospitalization and he has been doing really well. He started vomiting again recently so im looking this up now, Its just so hard to get this info and get treatment when you dont have money to bring your cat in a few times a year for lab work. But im going to do my best because he is my boy, he has had many more Purrs since that day when I signed the paper for them to take him away, Im glad I couldnt let them take him and decided to let him die at home with me. I had to use a baby syringe with wet food at first to get some strength back in him and then he just starting eating on his own again one day. He had been almost a month without food. I now have food and water cameras so I can keep better track of these things. I didnt even notice he was sick until he was reeealy sick. anyway thanks, stay strong if your in the same boat.
I wish this video existed at least 5 years ago...
It was very late for me to denoise my Cat as we never knew this disease existed in Cats. By the time we did try to keep my Cat normal, it was almost impossible to do. Sadly, we had to put our Cat down and it seems like he knew himself it was something he could not suffer long enough. It was in too much pain to go through living and he was around 8-9 years old. He passed away in 2019 for those who are wondering.
Our little Chuckles (not so little,she's nearly 15!) just got diagnosed with very early stages of kidney disease (she's getting blood work every 3 months due to another condition, so that gets checked too). She's now on renal food (which she's not amazingly impressed with), and she's got a water fountain which she loves!
Pomme Bour: our litlle girl , only 17 years !!! , had bad blood results concerning her kidneys. She immediately was put on new cat biscuits and wet food, which has helped . Her kidney results are stable , every 6 months a blood test) or if needed every 3 months.
The main thing is, regular check ups and she will stay well .
All the best, thinking of you and your cat.
I only know so well, changing the food, very, very tricky. A good thing is she loves water. Eveywhere in all the rooms is water for her available. Its not, she is lazy, but whereever she is, she quickly can drink.
@@karindickinson7993 Glad your cat is getting better! Chuckles has blood test every 3 months for a condition she's got and they systematically also check her kidneys. Her results were normal just three months ago and she is "just outside" the normal range (they did a second test to confirm that) . She seems completely fine, playful, and has her appetite (even if a bit reluctant with the new wet food - she does like the kibbles though!)
@@pommebour5354 💖♥️💖👣🐾👣 I keep my fingers crossed, that your lovely cat still has good years with you, as we wish for our beloved moggy ROO. 💖🐱🐾🐱💖
@@toriless It is so sad , to hear this. Hug you !!!
Let us hope, that our old beloved MOGGY ( 17 ) eats properly again. I hope, once the new dosage for her THYRIODPROBLEMS kicks in, she will eat again. She has gone several times to her food bowls for nipping cat buscuits. That's a small success.
Next week her teeth are cleaned( tartar) and there is a small inflammation too.
All together adds up.
She gets up, walks around, their is life in her.
But one big thing : SHE AVOIDS ME !!!! I AM THE BAD MUM !!!
I GIVE HER THE MEDICINE !!!
I feel so unhappy about it, but I still love her dearly. I know why she does it. I want to make her well and she doesn't understand the reason.
My beloved old MOGGY, please stay with us a little longer . You tell us, when your time has come .♥️🐱♥️🐱♥️🐱♥️
@@pommebour5354I know is being two years since you commented this but my cat that is looking grate and had labs with normal leves 5 months ago, is know with not good results, the levels of creatinine and urea are quite up, is your cat still with you?
Thank you. I hope people watch this before it's too late. I wish I knew the warning signs to look for when our elderly cat started succumbing to kidney failure. She lived 17 years. The last couple months and especially last two weeks were difficult ones. I became a pro at administering subcutaneous fluids but it's definitely not something I wanted to have to excel at. After her initial crash we were able to nurse her back to a few good months but just as it seemed like she might go on for another year or so the disease got worse. It's truly heartbreaking but if caught in time you can add so much more to your cat's life so don't give up hope.
My Hope had stage four kidney disease since he was five (he was born with an irregular kidney) and somehow managed to make it to age ten before he had to go last year. When he had his last acute episode, one of the values that was supposed to be in the 300-400s was elevated to 1.4k and the vet frankly told me he had no idea how Hope was still alive. He was a tough little cookie! Hope he's having fun chasing birds in cat heaven.
What things you taken cares please share the details
I just lost my 17 year old cat Figaro to kidney disease. I miss him terribly. Our pets are such a huge part of our lives and it leaves a huge void when they are suddenly taken from us.
💜🐱⚘.. my cat is 17 tomorrow but struggling a lot. I don't think she has long. I have had many cats but miss then all.
Dear Mr Vet (& kitty),
Thank you so very much for taking the time to educate us. You are truly appreciated.
I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given me with my cats. I’ve had Winston and Lenina since 2002. They both lived good, long lives thanks to your help. She passed two years ago at seventeen and I lost him earlier this week at nineteen. It’s hard to say goodbye to anyone you’ve called family for the best part of two decades. I miss them dearly, but I can go to sleep knowing I was able to do all I could for them with your guidance. Thanks, Doc .
What a cute thumbnail design! I love how helpful this channel is...it's really a gem!
Thanks, I try!
Check out the follow-up LIVE Q&A session on cats and kidney disease here: th-cam.com/video/BXXkiSkAYMk/w-d-xo.html
Should I have any kidney-related concerns if my kitty came back "very positive" for feline coronavirus? The vet has been really vague about what we need to do next. Her liver and kidney tests came back normal. I want to be proactive.
@@jess_ismore If its just feline coronavirus then no.
Q: for the blood work that check out the kidney function, is it mandatory that cat don't eat anything 8 hours prior? (the lab person told me that if the cat eats it will mess up the results; I just want to know if it will mess it up badly or the results will still be relevant. I can't keep my outdoor cats for 8 hours in a cage, to make sure they won't eat anything, that's why I keep postponing the appointment). Thank you!!
Q: How does kidney diseases affect treating other chronic conditions in cats? Mine had kidney disease, arthritis, and asthma. And when it came to managing her arthritis I was told that many of the more common medications can exasperate the kidney disease. Is this true with multiple conditions?
Thanks for the helpful video! In the follow up, I would really appreciate if you could speak about treatment options for cats with both heart disease and kidney disease. Our cat is 10 and so she couldn't receive fluids when she collapsed because it would cause heart failure.
Thank you. I really need this. I’ve been crying all night. One of my cats is diagnosed to have a kidney disease. I hope that I can keep him happy towards the end of his life.
My babies are ... Well babies (1 year and 2 years) but I'll research on ways to prevent kidney disease.
Thank you for explaining so well
The most important thing is to feed our kitties food rich in moisture so no kibble.
My dear cat recently passed from a sudden, aggressive kidney cancer that destroyed her one functional kidney. The other was completely shriveled and non-functional with no apparent cause. It was very sad, and having access to a video like this would've helped me understand what the problem she was facing was like. I'm glad it exists now - so it can help other people help understand the kidney function is in our feline friends.
I'm so happy to see that Mr. Pirate will be joining us for this video! I am very excited. I have a 16 year old Japanese Bobtail at home and our vet has just diagnosed her with kidney disease in March. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this topic because I have been beside myself with worry about her from this diagnosis.
Sorry to read this ! Regardless the age of your cat ,wet food alone is much better for your cat ! Dry food causes lower urinary tract disease in cats especially males also kidney failures which happened to my cats !! I am sending you lots of love & hugs from L.A. !!! Hoping everything will be alright with your cat ! I cooked meals every other days for my cats to heal from lower urinary tract disease ! One healed completely, but the other one had a congenital issue made him prone to ...he almost healed but not completely & that led to a distended bladder ! And kidney failures ,both acute & chronic ! 💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@toriless I am very very happy for your cat & you !!! Yes,diet is the key !!! Please do not feed dry foods ! As it leads to lower urinary tract disease and kidney failures which happened to my cats ! 💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
Thank you for being such an Eloquent, Humble & Compassionate Advocate & SAINT for the Vet/Pet community. You are Truly sent from Heaven❣Thank you seems so understated
Sending Great Gratitude & Appreciation, Big Blessings & LOVE, Many Mercies & Compassion and All the Luck & Joy🍀✌🏽❤🙏🇨🇦May All be Free from Suffering
I'm blushing :-)
My cat is 20 with kidney disease, but thanks for the reminder to get her in for a recheck. She’s amazing…a tamed feral. Thanks for this helpful video. 👍🏼
Always a joy to see you demonstrating with Mr. Pirate. You two are pretty much the perfect cat-owner relationship that everybody aspires to.
My last 2 senior fosters both passed from kidney disease at 17, was heartbreaking. They refused special food so my vet compromised and told them they could have crappy wet fancy feast (no tuna or salmon) as long as they promised to eat it with healthy crunchies sprinkled on top.
Never heard of calcitrol, I'll make a note of that for the future.
Actually fancy feast isn't bad at all from the well balanced nutritional ratio points of views ! When you calculate to convert the wet form to dry matter ,you'll see ! Aside from arguments on by- products .Especially their turkey & giblets is an excellent one !! So called " premium" wet foods aren't any better !! Not to mention the prescriptional foods!!! That's why your cat refused it !! As it didn't match your cat's palate. I don't blame her/ him ! 😅
I am so sorry for your losses & yes,it's very very hard ! Sadistic disease ! 💔
I thank you so much for fostering senior cats !!! That's so sweet & precious 💖 The cats were very lucky to be with someone like you ! 💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
@@spark_6710 good to hear it's not that bad! I call fancy feast 'cat crack' because even the pickiest eaters dive right in haha.
Thanks for the lovely compliments, that's so nice of you 🤗 I take seniors and last chance cats, have an inappropriate pee-er right now. Hasn't done it for over year so it's working out better than expected yay. 😻😸
Nunia Bidnez, you meant not to give tuna n salmon to cats?
@@mayjo7444 tuna and salmon are high up on the ocean food chain and are older/larger when harvested. So a higher level of toxins builds up in them from the marine life they ate, multiple times their own weight in a lifetime. Also salmon has almost 2x the phosphorus as most whitefish and that's one of the things you're avoiding on a KD diet. So if the goal is to avoid accumulating toxins that can cause damage and reduce the amount of work the kidneys need to do, fish is not your cat's friend.
My dating profile is going to say looking for a guy who can pet a cat for 20 minutes! That cat looks happy 😃
I wish I had this thorough information before my Missy passed away at 17.5 from kidney disease. I watched her go from 11 lbs. to 8.5 in the latter stages. I learned how to give her subcues, but she had no appetite most of the time and lots of vomiting. Her Vet did not suggest hospitalization. I was lost for answers and left with a dwindling bank account. I know now what to do if need be for my next fur baby. Thank you much for sharing your knowledge with us and helping us understand what we can do to help our Cats. Listening to you from Paso Robles, CA.
Pls give me some suggestions. My 11 year old cat is in stage 3 kidney disease. What should I do?
So sorry. I just lost mine and I suspected a kidney problem but didn't know all this. He was about 20 yrs old
I wish you lived in Sweden so my cats could have you as their vet.
I wish I lived in Sweden for the delicious food and cozy table cloths, but I'll have to settle for visiting next time I'm in northern Europe :-).
@@HelpfulVancouverVet You are much welcome here! :)
My 19 years old cat has a kidney disease and suddenly was a severely constipated. The vet did everything correctly and my cat Micka is recuperating. Thank you for the video, I wish I have watched it sooner.
Thank You for this Video! Our last cat lived a little more than 17 years, but didn't start to "go downhill" until about the last six months--when she became more finicky about what she would eat and rapidly lost weight. Our biggest fear about getting a new cat is having to relive the same experience with an animal that has the same kidney disease.
Thanks for this video. My 18 year old kitty was diagnosed with early kidney disease about 2 years ago. So far, he's been stable managing it with diet. We do bloodwork on him every 6 months because he's geriatric and I dread getting the results!
It's comforting to hear you say the same things my vet says (he sees a feline specialist).
The latest development is that his thyroid levels were slightly elevated. The poor kitty is just an little old man, getting older every day. Take it from me, getting old sux!
Hi, may I ask what stage your cat was diagnosed at please? Thanks
My 19 year old guy will not eat kidney diet wet food recommended by the vet. I tried every recommended method of easing him into a new diet and different brands and big Nope!, he just won't eat it to the point of weight loss, lethargy, he lost interest in playing. The tiniest whiff and he won't touch the bowl, this went on for weeks. I even tried adding a single morsel of the wet food to the old food and he wasn't having it for days. I made it my mission (even made a daily spreadsheet, that's what quarantine can do) to make him eat the kidney diet wet food but my obstinate old man beat me at my own game. Man he's stubborn!
Finally I tried the Royal Canin renal diet dry food and he loves it. It's like he's going through a geriatric renaissance. He's putting weight back on, he's affectionate again, he's gotten more playful again. I've gotten mixed messages from my vet practice --- one doctor says wet food full stop no exceptions, the other says if dry is all he'll eat to go for it. Fortunately his blood work has him on the high end of normal, the vet just wanted to get ahead of the game with his diet. I guess I'll know in the fall when he goes in for his biannual (twice a year at his age) tuneup & blood work, but for now he's a happier guy than he's been in a while. In the meantime I may try again to hide a morsel of wet renal diet to his dry renal diet kibble, we'll see.
Cats are such weird, stubborn, picky eaters sometimes! My girl is 8, has IBS, and will *only* eat her Royal Canin Digestive Formula dry food. Granted, any food not formulated with extra high fibre for cats with digestive problems will be difficult for her to digest, but still, that particular food is ALL she will eat!
I guess Royal Canin make good foods for cats with health issues?
Some say that Fortiflora is a good appetizer (by sprinkling it on the food). Mines love Fortiflora, but will lick it from the top of the food.
@@neuralmute I think my old guy goes online when I'm not home and looks for the most expensive food and decides that's what he wants.
You can find a link to my video on getting cats to eat in the description but yeah, in some cats getting them to eat ANYTHING is a challenge, and if you have one of those, you take your wins where you can get them. Sounds like you are doing a good job though, and found an appropriate wet food that your cat will thrive on, so good stuff!
@@Leguminator I'm sure my girl's been looking at cat food prices online too!
She's such a spoiled little beastie! XD
My cat was diagnosed with kidney disease 3years ago. She has been managed by kidney diet. She is turning 10 next feb. she also has a apricot sized cancer next to her pancreas. I am just happy that she is still eating, meowing, playing, wondering out in the garden, still catching little mice. I hope she can live up to 15. My other cat is also on her diet because they are related and share biscuits.
Hi, I think your chat stopped before I could share this link to Caitlin Doughty's channel Ask A Mortician. As I mentioned, my dear cat Tabitha died at age 20 from end-stage CKD, and I did not know anything about mobile services when the disease was far-gone. As you said, CKD is insidious and unless you are vigilant, even regular vets don't make a big deal about it at a certain age. At the end-stage, she was vomiting several times a day (because the CKD led to pancreatitis) and had a bleeding squamous cell tumor in her mouth. I tried to give her Pepcid orally via syringe for her upset tummy, but it helped very little. She was obese, severe arthritis, and could barely care for herself. She couldn't clean herself anymore. She developed a wheeze and got very constipated. It started with CKD4, and every few days there was another problem. I took her to a vet dentist when my regular vet saw a tumor in her mouth - the vet dentist said that he could resect the tumor and remove some of her jaw, but she would be on tube feedings indefinitely. At a cost of $3,000 USD. It would have been worth it if she would be healed, but c'mon - she was 20 and had so many problems. It broke my heart that she now had a terrible tumor in her mouth, because food was her favorite thing. She still loved to eat, especially wet food. So the myth that dry food causes CKD is incorrect. It is a degenerative disease - at a certain point in life, a lot of humans develop CKD and it affects their heart, their digestive systems, and their ability to tolerate IV fluids for rehydration. Back to Tabitha - at that point, I just knew that there was one way this would go and it would just mean horrible pain for her. At this point, I was taking her to her regular vet ALMOST EVERY 2 WEEKS because the vet refused to renew her narcotic pain medication without a visit to evaluate. I know that a lot of vets are more compassionate than to require such a thing when they themselves made the end-stage diagnosis - but in my area, vets are hard to get appointments for as they are a hot commodity. I know that there are amazing vets who are more than an hour's drive away - but Tabitha hated going to the vet. She would pee and poop in the carrier and cry nonstop. There are vets who do provide mobile services. I live in the Bay Area, CA, and there are vets who can come to the home when pets are dying - in order to avoid the traumatic last visits to a vet in order to have pain medication renewed. I am also an RN who did human hospice, so this was something I sought out in order to provide palliation and a good death. This link th-cam.com/video/kORGk6s1C_s/w-d-xo.html is extremely moving but very useful. This was the service I used peacefulpathways.com which serves my area. The vet was available for emails - which, being upset and worried and freaking out, I admit that I used a bit too much but I was distraught. The vet arranged, via a special pharmacy that compounds medications, for Buprenorphine and Gabapentin, in addition to Cerenia, to be delivered to my house. She came to my house when Tabitha was obviously declining rapidly, and I didn't want the end to be horrible, and she put her to sleep in our home. It was incredibly sad - but she was home. I hope that you can devote a segment of your channel to end-of-life and options for palliative care. Thank you! I don't want to depress anyone and this is a hard topic. But if your cat is at an end-stage, look into the options available - it may really surprise you. Love your channel.
All of her medications were compounded transdermal. So I could just rub them into the lateral parts of her ears (where the little divet is). She was very comfortable at the end.
Compounding and transdermal meds are amazing tools that we should all remember more often (me included).
@@HelpfulVancouverVet I know this is a service which requires some investigation. But I titrated her up all on all of her medications over a period of 2 months, and while the transdermal route isn't as immediately effective as the oral route, cats' ears are very thin with heavy blood supply, so transdermal medications are gentle to their systems. Our hospice vet also supplied oral sublingual Suboxone. Just having to not take her to a cold clinical vet office and making her last moments terrifying meant a lot to me. It didn't help the grief, except for the fact that we had comfort knowing she was with us in her home at the end. It's a tough subject - but CKD is ultimately an end-stage condition. This needs to be put out - it can be controlled for a bit, but it is bad for cats. We as a community need to know what the resources are for the end stage. I feel that this is hard for you - maybe I am getting it wrong - could we have a link to help us for end-stage diseases? Thank you, Dr Yuri.
If you are in the Tacoma/Kitsap Peninsula area of Washington State I recommend Dr. Heather Houser. She helped my girl cross. She was amazing. She came to my home in the middle of covid.
Also ask a mortician is amazing
It’s a bittersweet episode, my cat died to some disease similar to cancer.
I miss her so much.
@@toriless How rude you are!!!
17:01 - Wish my vet had the same aproach!
so true that many of us only remember approx 30 percent of what the doc said, and so helpful to have a video to refer to... thankyou
Thank you for such an important message you shared with all cats’ parents. We’re now very well informed 🙏
Thank you so much for this, Dr. Uri! I used your subcutaneous fluids video when my cat first got diagnosed with kidney disease earlier this year, and this video had so much great information that I'll be talking to my vet about during our next appointment!
So looking forward to this video!
HUGELY helpful, thank you!!!
thank you so much for the video and spending time on educating us about chronic kidney disease. The video was really helpful and it was an eye opener for me. I have an elderly cat with chronic kidney disease. I can now learn how to manage the disease and keep my best friend safe and somewhat healthy. Thank you again.
Awesome! So helpful! I learned so much. Thank you
Thank you for the great information. I give a home to the stray cats that come to me.Generally that averages about 1 cat a year. Their general health is usually somewhat poor and some have chronic issues. The cost of the tests and treatments on the timeline you list is beyond what I can generally offer. As it is my vet bills are usually several thousand dollars a year. For instance, just to bring in a new stray it costs about $500. Tests, neuter, vaccine…. I’ve lost a couple of very special cat friends to kidney disease. I’ll try to use the things you mention to improve the care of my “pride”. In general though it’s all a bit depressing. I love them all very much. To not be able to give them the very best care available is tough. I’m hoping your tips will help me spot problems in a more timely manner. All you can do is do your best. The upside of helping strays feels so good. I recommend everyone give it a try!😁
Btw: My rescue cat Garua might have given Mr Pirate some competition as “best cat ever”. He was very sick when I took him in. The vet said he would have probably died within days. Helping him was money well spent. He was “possibly the best cat ever”. 😿
Thank you for your great TH-cam channel.
Garua was so lucky to have found you.
Thank you for caring for the strays. What an amazing thing you do. They are very lucky to have you
Thank you for this wealth of information! I have been taking my cat to the vet regularly for the last 18 months, since I learned about her early stage kidney disease. While they seem to be on top of it for now, I just learned more about her condition in your video than I have over countless vet visits combined. Much appreciated 😽
My 16 year old cat was, I guess, in uremic crisis based on what you described. We immediately took her to the vet who said she probably wouldn't last the day so we made the decision to end her suffering. It was awful. Listening to this video makes me wonder if the vet should have done more and we could have saved her. We didn't do any of the things you said and looking back, maybe we should have. I have so many regrets and a lot of guilt with that cat just because of my lack of knowledge. I have made it my mission since then to become a more informed cat guardian. Thank you for making this video so I can be more equipped to discuss treatment options with my vet if it ever comes up again.
I am so sorry for your loss. May I ask, what were the symptoms that she presented at the vet?
I am worried the vet we see tmw might not be as smart or well-informed as TH-cam's most compassionate vet, Dr. Yuri.
Do you think you will get another kitty someday?
It would be nice to put all this new health information into practice, and be the best damn cat guardians we can be.
@@MK-ih6wp Thank you. Her symptoms were that she could barely walk. She was vomiting but not much was coming up, she was very lethargic, and was down to 4 lbs. I had no idea that even in this state fluids could be given and an overnight stay at the vet may have been the key to keeping her alive. We'll never know. She passed in September of 2010 and we adopted 2 sisters that December. Almost 2 years ago we rescued another cat from our back yard so now we have 3. I am definitely more informed now than I was 11 years ago. Just wish I would have known then what I know now.
@@EmpressLishy My cat has similar symptoms right now. But the vet said her blood work looked good, kidneys thyroid were fine, she just has a UTI & needs antibiotics.
But that doesn't seem right to me, my cat is like super sick. Wobbley & weak & skinny, so thirsty, looks miserable, although she is still eating.
I hope the antibiotics help her, she also gets her first fluid IV today. Hydration is key.
Glad you guys adopted more furry friends! They need us just as much as we need them. Invest in a cat fountain if you havent yet, esp male kitties. Then you can hopefully avoid chronic kidney problems.
@@MK-ih6wp Good luck with your kitty. I hope her treatments work and she gets well soon. And I do have 2 cat fountains. :)
@@EmpressLishy she is 10x better, in just 24 hrs! The vet gave her subcutaneous fluids & it made a big difference. Keep that in mind if you ever have a dehydrated kitty! It only cost like $40!
Going through this now with my cat. Also hyperthyroid and on methimazole transdermal. BUN is 46 and T4 was stabilized to 2.4 but edged up to 4.6 over last two months. The problem is progressive weight loss over about three years from about 9 Lbs. to about 6.0 right now. She has a decent appetite though but doesn't seem to be able to metabolize sufficient calories. Weight loss has stopped in the last two months but still unable to gain.
Looking forward to your information on CKD.
Thanks so much for this helpful video Dr. Uri and mister Pirate! Mr P looks like he is loving being serenaded by your voice and explanation ☺️
Thank you so much this was such a brilliant video. I learned so much. Please continue to make more there's so many people out there with so much information that is not given by the veterinarians. This video gives you information to bring to your veterinarian and seek further information about your cat's health.
My cat just got diagnosed with early stage 2 and the vet didn't tell me anything about calcitriol. I will certainly mention it when I get the chance and see if they know about it.
Thank you so much for that video. It really helped me understand what's going on. Now I feel better about it!
My 15 year-old lady was diagnosed with kidney disease three years ago. We've had to make some compromises with her management since she gets medicine for high BP with her wet food, which she always has been very picky with since I adopted her 6 years ago. So far she's doing pretty good, though blood tests show the disease is slowly becoming more advanced. This video had some great information for us going forward.
@@toriless may I ask what diet you changed him to? My 10 yr old baby was just diagnosed today with early-stage kidney disease.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this video!!! Communication is everything! I have been in tears for a week over my F3 Savannah’s (Apollo’s) diagnosis of kidney disease. This has really explained everything and given me so much piece of mind and comfort. I have left both appointments with internal medicine with more questions than answers and $1600’s in so far. Who would have thought I would have found all the answers on your TH-cam video. Thank you again doctor for these videos.
Very clear description of kidney disease. Thank you.
Thank you for your great work, doc! Very informative and helpful as always 🙏🏼
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent information. Thank you for your thoroughness and clarity.
My pleasure!
I have lost several to renal failures. This is really urgent to address. I will always have cats and am always looking to learn more. Thank you 😊
I lost my cat yesterday to kidney disease after a very long battle.. it was heartbreaking and shocking for all of us.. he started developing ckd a year ago yet we never knew until it was at stage 2.. we started treating him every week, his condition was stable until all my cats got infected with calicivirus.. they all got better except for the one with kidney disease, it was so much for him to handle and his condition got worse and worse every hour.. until yesterday when we went to the hospital where he was hospitalized and we saw that his condition is hopeless and he was in so much pain that his mental condition is alot worse and he didn't even recognize us.. so i had to take the hardest decision of my life and put him to sleep.... he was my first and most beloved cat.. i always considered him my best friend and a source of joy to me and my family... you'll forever leave a gap in my heart, Ceaser.. 25.5.2022
It's intimidating when your cat is diagnosed, and treatment results vary widely. However, we had a cat diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of ten. With fluid treatments and diet changes, she lived another 2 1/2 years and you would have never have known anything was wrong with her. Once you get used to administering the fluids, it becomes second nature.
So true!
hii just want to ask what stage of kidney disease was your cat?
Thankyou for telling. I too wonder what stage it was? Regards.
Thank you!!!! Your "squish that cat" advice is SO good when giving SQ fluids to a cat with kidney disease. We have to do it twice a week.
Wow! You are so smart! I've been feeling bad for Toby for a long time. It is a perfect solution!
As always - great info in your video! Thank you! I actually shared your video with another TH-cam content writer, as she found out her kitty got kidney desease. Thank you so much for video that actually gives knowledge, and also puts people at ease with many complex issues.
Thank you so much for this video!
Okay, starting a week with some heavy stuff :) I had a CKD cat,we fought it for 1.5 years before she, sadly but inevitably, passed away at not-quite-14.
For anyone researching feline CKD, Tanya's site is a treasure. Google it -- I won't put a link here, YT autodeletes comments with links. Don't use it _instead_ of qualified professional vet help (if you have access to it, which I didn't, at least not consistently), but use it to learn and understand this whole thing. BTW, Tanya is not the owner's name, it's Helen. Tanya was her first CKD cat.
Thank you; very timely for me and my 19 year old kitty, Mia. Thank you again.
My cat was just diagnosed with kidney disease a year ago. It has been a struggle to get him to change food and take medication, but tips you have provided in your videos have been extremely helpful in this. We now have a proper routine and his quarterly lab results show that the disease is stable. Thank you for your much needed advice!
Excellent video, thanks very much for your time. My cat was also diagnosed as early KD and he's on a KD diet now and he is super active now
Best of luck!
The more I learn the better for Kaylee. Kay is. Having UTI and Kidney issues.
Ironic. Kay just sat down next to me. She is so smart, beautiful, and sweet
THANK YOU 17 year old cat just diagnosed with kidney disease. Got him when he was 15, negotiating changes in diet now. Helps so much to know why.
I am so thankful of being a long time subscriber and having my elderly boy tested when he reached age 9 and catching the early stages of a kidney disease. My boy is living the best life even with that diagnosis. We are getting blood work done regularly, and if my old boy allows urine testing. He gets a special diet and additionally every three days a supplement fluid that I got from my vet (splitting up those 3 different mini glass bottles is probably the most time consuming thing and even that takes only a few minutes, it is worth it believe me.)
Thank you! Professor Paws, who is sleeping in my lap as I watch this, has stage 2 kidney disease. I am anxious to do everything I can for him, and will definitely ask my vet about calcitriol. (We are already doing the other things you mentioned.)
I adopted an 18-year old kitty grandpa two months ago. His name was Gismo and he's black, his chin is bald so the pink skin shows 😂 He was very sweet and agile despite his age and one day he just fell down and stopped walking. We took him to the vet and they discovered a huge tumor in front of his pancreas.. He was put down the same day. I didn't expect it to go that quickly because he never really showed any signs of distress before 😿🐈⬛ A video on pancreatitis or cancer would be really helpful! I love you guys. RIP Gismo.
Thank you for this video. Our cat was recently diagnosed with kidney disease and is currently on the new diet you've mentioned. Before being diagnosed he had a uremic crisis and we put him into the hospital for 2 days with iv fluids just like you suggested. He has now been out of the hospital for 2 weeks, we had new blood tests done and he seems stable. This video really helped me feel more confident that we are doing what we can to care for him and to keep him healthy as much as possible.
This is very important information to hear! I didn't know that it's best to get my cat checked every year after the age of 8. I'll mention this to my mother as she's caring for my childhood cat who hasn't seen a vet since she was 4 (she's now 13). I can always keep this in mind for my little girl too! Thank you Dr. Uri!!
My kitty got her blood drawn to check for kidney problems today :( She is younger than a year and I hope she’ll be okay. Hasn’t been eating well and according to the vet she is pretty dehydrated, we will get the results of the blood work tomorrow morning. Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. Thank you for the information 🌹
my cat has stage 1, and we are trying to manage it, thank you for the info.
My cat was just diagnosed with kidney disease. This was SO helpful!
This was so informative and educational. I really wish I knew some of these signs and statistics with my senior cats that I had years ago. They definitely would have had a better quality of life as they got older. Thank you for this video!
Thank you so very much! This video has been so very helpful and insightful. My kitty is definitely not a fan of the wet diet food but he's slowly warming up to it
I lost my first cat to CKD.He was doing good,then contracted UTI by Multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa .There were few Antibiotics worked for him.But those were only injections.I had to inject them to my cat 3 times a day.I understand a cat with CKD are weak against infection,I wonder why he got Multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.(maybe it's everywhere?)
He passed 2 weeks after 19 years old birthday.I borrowed Oxygen generator(We can borrow them for pets relatively cheap)because he was so anemic,despite he got a shot of Hematopoietic agent.He passed by my side.I hope treatment for feline CKD will advance.
I always thought about oxygen generator or masks for my cats !! Nobody told me ,though ! Very sadly they both passed away 4 years ago ! I am very sorry for your loss !💔💔💔💜🥁🐉🎤💕💞
My vet told me about generator.(There is a company in Japan (Edit:where I live)which rents generator for pets relatively cheap)I'm so sorry for your loss too!💗💓💓 I wish Oxygen generator for pets will be available easily many places.