Kidney Stones in Cats

Kidneys are important in the body of a cat as they are important in human beings. Abnormal conditions affecting the cat's kidneys will lead to dysfunction of the kidney. When the performance of a kidney fails, there are some metabolic processes in a cat that will seize to occur. If important metabolic processes fail to occur then definitely the cat dies.

What are Kidney Stones in Cats?

Kidney stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts. These stones form inside the kidney of a cat, bringing about kidney complications. Often, these stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, and it allows crystallization of minerals which eventually stick together.

Causes of Kidney Stones in Cats.

Kidney stones can form due to various contributions. The major contributions to their formation is not very clear, but among the reasons include:

• Oversaturation of the kidney stones forming materials in the urine of the cat.
• Increased calcium levels in the urine and blood.
• Diets that produce alkaline conditions in the urine.
• Recurrent urinary tract infections.

Metabolic kidney stones, which are formed due to an imbalance of urine components, are common in cats than kidney stones resulting from infections. Some of the infections include fungal mycoses and bacterial cysts.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones in Cats.

Many cats do not have apparent signs for kidney stones. This implies that most kidney stones are diagnosed after carrying out some tests on the cat. Some of the commonly known symptoms of kidney stones in cats are:

• Blood in urine.
• Frequent vomiting.
• Recurrent urinary tract infections.
• Abdominal discomfort.
• Weight loss.
• Poor appetite.
• Altered urine production, which can be increased or decreased.
• Painful and difficult urination.

Other symptoms may vary depending on which types of kidney stones are present in the cat. Kidney stones may be active or inactive. When they are active, is when a lot of symptoms can be observed on the cat.

Diagnosis of Kidney Stones in Cats.

When the above signs are seen on a cat, then the veterinarian will have to do procedures for diagnosis of the cat. The following steps will be followed during the cat diagnosis.

1. The veterinarian will ask for a well-detailed history of the cat.
2. Then the officer will go ahead to perform a physical examination on the cat. The analysis involves ultrasound imaging and urinalysis.

After the two procedures above, the veterinary officer will then identify the mineral content on the stones. Determination of the type of content is done by acquiring mineral deposits from the urinary tract of the cat. The deposits are acquired by sound waves in a process called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy.

Treatment of Kidney Stones in Cats.

After the diagnosis of kidney stones in your cat, then treatment of the stones has to be undertaken immediately. The treatments vary depending on the type of kidney stones present in the kidney. Some of the treatments include:

• Administration of antibiotics to the cat. This is specifically for kidney stones resulting from urinary tract infection.
• Carrying out Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy. This procedure reduces the size of the kidney stone progressively until its existence comes to an end.

Conclusion.

Kidney stones affect most of our cats day in day out. It is important to know how to deal with cats whenever they show signs of this condition. Consultations should be made with a veterinary officer for more information concerning kidney stones.