The Importance Of Regular Veterinary Blood Tests For Your Cat
Posted on: 30 March 2016
Seeing a vet regularly for physicals and vaccinations can help to keep your cat healthy and free of diseases. However, while physicals can catch some ailments, it's also important for you to have your cat's blood regularly tested as they grow older. This guide will explain how these regular blood tests can help your cat, and potentially prolong their life.
Finding Problems Before There Are Symptoms
Kidney disease is a tricky disease to detect in cats. There are several symptoms that are common for cats to develop from kidney disease that may tip off pet owners, like excessive drinking and urination, or a loss of appetite. Unfortunately, by the time your cat has developed these symptoms, chances are that the kidney disease has already progressed beyond the early stages. However, a blood test can help your veterinarian to diagnose kidney disease at the extremely early stages of kidney failure.
What Blood Tests Reveal
Blood tests can determine what a cat's creatinine level is, which is a key indicator of kidney disease. Creatinine is a leftover byproduct from creatine, which is used as fuel in your cat's muscles. Once your cat has utilized the fuel, it's broken down into creatinine, which needs to be removed from the body. In healthy cats, the creatinine is filtered out of the body by the kidneys and is excreted in the urine. However, in cats with kidneys that aren't functioning at peak capacity, their blood will contain higher levels of creatinine because the kidneys can't keep up with removing it from the blood.
Kidney Disease Treatment
It's important to catch any disease early on, but especially so of kidney disease. There is currently no cure for kidney disease in cats at any stage. However, if it's found in the early stages, there are steps that can be taken to prolong your cat's kidney functionality, increasing the length of their life and making them more comfortable.
Depending on your cat's needs, your veterinarian may put your cat on a lower protein diet, so that the kidneys don't have to filter as much out of their blood. In addition, they may suggest that your cat be given subcutaneous fluids to help your cat stay hydrated. Since weak kidneys produce more urine in order to get rid of waste and byproducts, staying hydrated is a necessity, and subcutaneous fluids can help.
Not every cat will experience kidney disease, but getting your cat a yearly blood test can catch it early on if they do develop the disease. Your kitty will live a longer, happier life, and you'll know that you're doing everything you can to protect their health. Check with your local veterinary clinic for more information.
Share