Kidney disease is quite common among felines and can be caused by several factors. It could be hereditary, the stuff they ate, an infection, and so on. The disease affects different age groups in cats, but both chronic and acute kidney diseases have one thing in common–they make your kitty sick.
Certain symptoms would start to occur, such as vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, bad breath, dehydration, and overall weakness. Although it’s a challenging disease to deal with, there are various treatments for alleviating the symptoms and helping your feline’s kidney get better.
Causes Of Kidney Disease
- Kidney Stones
Although research says this cause is quite rare in cats, it’s still important to take caution. This will show no symptoms or simple signs unless it has inflamed the kidney area and becomes a blockage in the ureter.
Only then your feline will suffer from pain, vomiting, and depression. You can help your precious cat by following a recommended diet such as giving it plenty of water, feeding it wet food, and medications if needed.
- Pyelonephritis
This is also known as the infection of kidney tissues in cats which are caused by bacteria and other fungal substances. The bacteria cause inflammation and makes urinating painful and difficult for felines. Check out this link https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/urinary/c_ct_pyelonephritis for further information. A few signs your pet has bacterial infection are increased urination but with little amount of urine and inappropriate urination. It won’t be that hard to spot these symptoms, especially if your cat is already litter trained.
- Toxins
Toxins such as antifreeze is an ethylene glycol-based product that can cause kidney failure and is one of the causes of poisoning in cats. Once ingested, it can affect several organs, that includes the kidneys and even the brain. The body transforms it into a toxic byproduct that’s harmful or poisonous to a living being. However, not only this chemical can cause kidney failure in cats, even medications for people and house plants can affect them too. Tulips, lilies, and daffodils are pretty toxic to felines whether they eat, nibble, or lick them.
Treatment Options
Going through this type of disease can be painful and difficult for them, and it’s important to keep an eye out for these things. Some symptoms are hard to point out if you aren’t that observant with your kitty, and it might worsen in the long run.
Not to mention that some causes can add to the progression of chronic kidney disease, which is the type that occurs over time. Acute kidney disease, on the other hand, occurs suddenly. Either way, both almost have the same symptoms, and alleviating these signs can also help your cat get better.
However, what treatments, medications, or remedies are most effective on felines? Nowadays, there’s a popular product in the market, and the number of users in both animals and humans continues to increase each day. This product is known as cats CBD oil, but it is also available in many variations. It is a plant-based product which means it’s all-natural most of the time. Aside from that, it also provides other health benefits and is easy to ingest.
CBD Oil
This compound is also known as cannabidiol which is a cannabinoid derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant species. Some of us would agree that by hearing the term cannabis, we instantly think of marijuana, and yes, marijuana does come from the same family.
However, the CBD used in most products is extracted from the same family but from a different plant called hemp. Both marijuana and hemp have almost the same cannabinoids.
The only difference is that hemp contains more cannabidiol while marijuana is rich in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These two most popular cannabinoids are exact opposites since CBD is non-psychoactive and holds many benefits. While THC may also have its own advantages yet, it is still psychoactive, and it causes a high when the amount is past 0.3%.
How Does CBD Oil Work On Cats?
Cat owners and their veterinarians have their own ways of relieving their pets from the pain they’re feeling. Although kidney disease itself doesn’t have a specific treatment, it’s common to treat the signs and symptoms first for your feline to get better entirely.
One of the remedies people have been trying these days is CBD oil since its effectiveness is backed by science (read more). It’s a product that comes in a convenient dropper bottle that your cat can easily ingest, or you can also include it in their food or drinks. However, how does it work exactly?
Animals such as cats and dogs also have an Endocannabinoid System that has receptors throughout the body. It is composed of neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids, and this system happens to balance all sorts of processes in the body, including digestive function, immune response, memory, mood, pain, appetite, and many more.
Cannabinoids from cannabis can interact with this system’s receptors that aid in relieving your cat from the symptoms of kidney disease. Although studies about the effects of CBD through the ECS are still pretty early, several owners who used CBD oil as a treatment for their felines said that it helped with relieving pain, anxiety, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Moreover, cannabidiol also has other health benefits.
Other Benefits
Its anti-inflammatory properties help with various issues other than kidney disease. It can also be used in cancer treatment to prevent cancer cell growth. Furthermore, it also helps with inflammation from skin allergies in dogs and cats. Lastly, it can provide calming effects and relaxation when your feline is feeling a bit anxious or nervous.