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(aka Chonic Renal Failure, CRF,
Nephritis, Nephrosis)
Kidney disease is one of the more
common ailments that affects our pets, especially our
elderly companions. It is the major cause of death in
older cats. It is the second major cause of death in
older dogs (behind heart disease). It can at times even
strike our younger pets.
The kidneys have a great reserve,
so great that clinical signs will often not appear until
75% of the total kidney tissues are not functioning
properly. Even lab tests may not indicate a malfunction
until 66% of the kidneys are damaged. Once this damage
to the kidneys has taken place, the disease is not curable.
However, it can often be controllable. By this we mean
that we can control the progression of the disease which
will usually progress to in time to the demise of the
pet.
From a conventional point of view
the kidneys are responsible for:
- filtering the blood
- removing waste products and passing
them on into the urine.
- play a role in producing red blood
cells by releasing the hormone erthryopoetin
- play a role in many other important
metabolic functions
A diseased or damaged kidney has
a decreased ability to filter these waste products.
The waste products then remain in the blood and this
results in the body becoming toxic. The toxins in the
body will not only make the patient sick and toxic,
but they also make the kidneys sicker. So this becomes
an self propagating disease, where the kidneys inability
to filter the toxins out of the body lead to the toxins
themselves making the kidneys sicker and sicker.
The causes of kidney disease are
many and can include: infection, inflammation, toxins,
auto-immune disease, and cancer. Very often, however,
there is no obvious reason for CRF aside from it being
a degenerative change associated with aging. The clinical
signs of illness can include: increased urination, increased
drinking, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weight
loss, anemia, etc. If not treated it will lead to death.
In addition we also view the
kidney from another point of view, that which Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers. This viewpoint is the
basis for acupuncture and chinese herbal medicine. In
short the kidneys are referred to as the root of life,
and considered to be the "pilot light" of
the body. They are the foundation of the "yin"
and "yang" of all the organs and therefore
important in the maintenance of health and the pathogenesis
of disease in the body.
According to TCM the kidneys function
include:
- Control of water metabolism
- The formation of bone and teeth
and fills the bones
- They govern birth, reproduction
and development.
- This organ is said to open to
the ears, and therefore plays a role in hearing
- Said to manifest itself in the
coat, which can help interpret clinical signs.
- Mentally it is associated with
Will Power
TCM disease of the kidneys
is divided into many patterns; Kidney Yin Deficiency,
Kidney Yang Deficiency, are two of the more common patterns
involved in chronic renal disease. It is beyond the
scope of this summary to completely define each pattern
but we can touch upon some of the clinical signs that
may be associated with each pattern. This by all means
is not a complete list of signs or definitions, but
just an example of what one may see. To confuse matters
even more, more often then not there is more then one
pattern of disease involved KIDNEY
YIN DEFICIENCY; Patients
are thin, dehydrated, warm to the touch, avoid heat,
have a weak lower back region or back legs, and have
some hearing loss. KIDNEY
YANG DEFICIENCY: Patients
are pale, avoid the cold, quiet, have a sore back, poor
teeth, hearing loss copious clear urine, urinary incontinence
and general debility. Diagnosis
and Treatment of this disease should be made by your
veterinarian.
Treatments can vary depending
on the severity of the disease and may include:
- Hospitalization
with the administration of fluids
- Administration
of fluids at home via subcutaneous fluids (under the
skin)
- Diet can
play an important role
- Phosphate
binders, to help control phosphorous levels that can
be elevated with kidney disease.
- Drugs to calm the stomach
down in cases of vomiting, appetite stimulants etc.
In addition to these conventional
treatments we feel that there are other ways to nourish,
strengthen, and support the kidney, thereby helping
our pet feel better and improving their quality of life.
Acupunture works wonderfully to stimulate the flow of
qi, increase appetite and increase strenght and vigor.
There are also many products available to help CRF as
well. These products include:
The goal is to help give our
pet the best possible quality of life, and it is our
belief that can be done with a combination of both holistic
and conventional care
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