Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survey of dietary and medication practices of owners of cats with chronic kidney disease.
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Markovich, Jessica E et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how cat owners manage the diets and medications of their pets with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is a common condition in older cats. Over 1,000 cat owners participated, and the average age of these cats was about 14 years. Many of the cats also had other health issues, like hyperthyroidism and heart disease. A lot of owners reported that their cats had unusual appetites, with many needing encouragement to eat regularly. While many cats were receiving fluids and medications, a significant number were not getting phosphorus-binding medications, which can be important for managing CKD. Overall, the findings suggest that appetite issues are common in these cats, which can lead to them not getting the best nutrition for their condition.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to describe the dietary and medication patterns of cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this prospective, cross-sectional descriptive study, owners of cats with CKD were asked to complete a web-based survey. The study was advertised on CKD-, pet-, veterinary- and breed-associated websites and list serves. Owners of 1089 cats with CKD participated in the study. The mean reported age of the cats with CKD was 13.7 ± 4.2 years. Forty percent (430/1089) of cats had concurrent diseases, with hyperthyroidism, heart disease and inflammatory bowel disease being the most common. Veterinarian recommendation was the most common reason reported (684/1032; 66%) for diet selection, and 51% (556/1089) of owners fed a veterinary therapeutic diet formulated for kidney disease as some component of the diet. Many owners (466/1079; 43%) reported that their cats had an abnormal appetite; of these owners, 52% responded that their cats had a poor appetite or required coaxing to eat 5-7 days per week. Forty-seven percent and 51% of cats were receiving subcutaneous fluids and oral medications, respectively; however, most cats (811/1036; 78%) were not receiving phosphorus-binding medications. Fifty-six percent and 38% of cats received commercial cat treats and dietary supplements, respectively. Anorexia or hyporexia is a common problem in cats with CKD and may lead to cats being fed suboptimal diets for their disease. This information may be useful for treating or designing nutritional studies for cats with CKD.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25535212/