Curated by Maria Rita Insolera, Naturopath
Kidney failure in dogs and cats is a subtle disease that occurs slowly and is irreversible and progressive. It is often asymptomatic and can be diagnosed when kidney damage is already extensive. Let's find out how to prevent it with natural therapy and what are the symptoms to recognize it.
What is kidney failure in dogs and cats
Kidney failure is a disorder that occurs slowly and is irreversible and progressive.
The initial phase of the disease is asymptomatic, the intermediate phase does little to compromise the normal life habits, while in the advanced phase a severe clinical syndrome called uremia develops.
Chronic kidney diseases (nephropathies) are present in a large number of dogs and even higher than cats and it is difficult to notice their presence.
Symptoms of renal failure in dogs and cats
Renal failure, also known as nephropathy, has a very slow course and is initially without apparent symptoms. The kidney begins to deteriorate already at a young age for the most varied reasons: heavy metals, infectious diseases, poisoning.
However, there are a number of symptoms that must alert . Their degree or concomitance are extremely variable from case to case. Care should be taken if it is present:
- Acrid smell from the jaws;
- Persistent gingival redness;
- Decreased appetite that lasts a few days sporadically and without apparent cause;
- Frequent vomiting of gastric liquids;
- Increase or decrease in urination;
- Increased climate-independent thirst.
Renal failure of the dog: cures and natural remedies
Most older dogs suffer from kidney failure. There are those who manifest the symptoms first, some later, but kidney function decreases with age .
Most of the waste in the organism is eliminated thanks to the filtration of the nephrons, that is the very small organs that together make up the kidney. More toxic substances are introduced through the diet, more waste must be eliminated and the kidney is forced to overwork. The consequence of this is a wear of the nephrons which causes their progressive destruction.
The kidney, in order to do all its work at the same time, with an increasingly small number of nephrons, works more coarsely by passing precious substances for the organism among the waste, with the consequence of a further deterioration.
This progression of the disease is extremely subtle, in fact the symptoms of renal failure are evident only when the organ is destroyed beyond 50% and, since it does not cause pain, it is difficult to see that something is wrong.
Natural therapies aim to slow down the course of the disease .
The first therapy, and the fundamental one, is to save kidney work through an adequate diet with reduced metabolic waste . It is essential to decrease the intake of protein, magnesium and sodium. It is necessary to choose proteins of higher biological value, that is those that are more usable. Furthermore, water-soluble vitamins such as those of group B and C. are necessary.
Among the herbal remedies there are:
- Alfalfa TM: 1 drop every 5 kg of dog weight 3 times a day, or in tablets 1 to 4 a day depending on size. With the improvement or in case of slight insufficiency, give the mother tincture only once a day.
- Altea : make a decoction with 1 teaspoon of root in 250 ml of water. Give ½ teaspoon to the cat and the small dog, 1 teaspoon to the average dog, 1 tablespoon to the large dog, always twice a day, mixed with food, for a few weeks, then thin out.
Cat renal failure: natural remedies and treatments
Cats are also prone to suffer from kidney failure. As for the dog, unfortunately the progression of the disease is subtle and the symptoms are evident only when the organ is destroyed more than 50%.
It is important to slow down the course of the disease through natural therapies. First, it is good to save kidney work through a proper diet with reduced metabolic waste. It is essential to decrease the intake of protein, magnesium and sodium. It is necessary to choose proteins of higher biological value, that is those that are more usable.
Very useful are the water-soluble vitamins, such as those of group B and C.
Among the herbal remedies there are the Herb and the Altea. In the first case, for alfalfa, it is easy to let the cat take 1 drop every 5 kg of weight 3 times a day, or 1-2 tablets a day. With the improvement or in case of slight insufficiency, it is also possible to use mother tincture only once a day.
For the topiary, instead, it will be sufficient to prepare a decoction with 1 teaspoon of root in 250 ml of water. Give ½ teaspoon to the cat twice a day, mixed with food, for a few weeks, then thin out.
