Acute Renal Failure Complications from Feline Cystitis

Urine retention for over 24 hours can easily trigger acute renal failure.

In cats with urine retention, a biochemical test typically reveals elevated levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, increased potassium, and higher blood sugar. The hallmark of acute renal failure is a lack of appetite and thirst, sometimes accompanied by vomiting.

What is Postrenal Renal Failure?

When you take your cat to the hospital, the vet may inform you that the cat is suffering from severe renal failure, making it difficult to treat. This can be quite shocking, and many cats may not wake up after receiving anesthesia, which can be fatal. In reality, many cats that have been catheterized experience issues related to anesthesia, as cats with renal failure are prone to high blood sugar and are not suitable for anesthesia. However, some veterinarians still administer it, leading to deaths that are often attributed to anesthesia. Therefore, I often advise cat owners not to opt for full anesthesia when catheterizing their pets, and instead consider sedation or local anesthesia to reduce the risk of anestheticrelated deaths.

Obstructive renal failure is akin to a clogged drain. While it's dirty when blocked, it clears up quickly once unblocked. After the drain is cleared, it's necessary to flush it with plenty of water to clean out the debris. Similarly, in cats with urine retention and renal failure, there's a buildup of toxins in the body. Once the urethra is unblocked, it's crucial to provide ample water to encourage urination and detoxification, which can rapidly reverse the condition.

Postrenal renal failure also tends to cause hyperkalemia, so after unblocking the urethra, potassium should be excreted using diuretics, and bicarbonate should be used to neutralize creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.

Therefore, the standard treatment for acute renal failure includes:

Unblocking the urethra

Diuretic potassium excretion

Bicarbonate to lower creatinine and blood urea nitrogen

Abundant fluid intake.

By following these steps, over 80% of cases of urine retentionrelated renal failure can be rapidly reversed. I find that cats are incredibly resilient; if humans went without urinating for two days, they would require extensive hospital care. However, many cats I've seen with severe urine retention become lively and start eating again just a day after being catheterized.

Removing obstructions and balancing electrolytes are necessary only for primary kidney diseases. Therefore, acute renal failure caused by feline cystitis does not require dialysis.

Treatment Case

When the cat was catheterized, it had stopped eating and drinking, showing signs of poor spirits and appetite. The catheterization revealed blood in the urine, and the doctor recommended intravenous treatment, painting a very serious picture. I suggested taking the cat home to manage the situation myself, and by the next day, the cat was eating again.

Under normal circumstances, renal failure can be reversed within a day, with over 80% of cats showing signs of improvement and vitality after catheterization.