Understanding the Difference Between Feline UTI and Kidney Disease
The difference between feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection is a critical one.
Understanding the two and how to treat them can be essential in maintaining your cat's good health.
The better informed you are, the better the chance that you'll be able to prevent your cat from experiencing serious illness and even permanent damage.
Since both conditions involve the renal system and urine production, it is easy to confuse the two but they are very different and can carry very different consequences.
By far, kidney disease is the more serious and dangerous of the two as it can affect the function of your cat's entire body.
The major difference in feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection is that kidney disease involves the actual breakdown of kidney function.
In most cases of kidney disease, the ability of the kidney to filter out toxins becomes impaired.
When this happens, the built up toxins that result begin to eat away at the kidneys themselves.
Without immediate treatment, kidney failure will occur.
Urinary tract infection is much more common and is generally very easily treated.
Most UTI's are caused by a build up of bacteria in the urinary tract.
The most common complication of UTI is the formation of crystals due to this bacteria which can cause blockage.
If your vet discovers a blockage he can remove it either through surgery or catheterization or by prescribing antibiotics to break it up gradually.
While kidney disease will require very close and constant veterinary care, most UTI's can be treated at home.
One of the easiest ways to treat UTI is through the use of diet.
A main difference in feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection is that UTI will respond to dietary changes while kidney disease will not.
Making sure your cat gets plenty of liquids is a major part of maintaining good urinary health and usually canned cat foods will do a better job in this area than dry foods.
Along with feeding your cat the right kind of diet, you can help to ease UTI symptoms by promoting good urination habits.
This can be accomplished by ensuring that your cat has a clean litter box to use at all times.
And access to a clean water source will also help to encourage regular urination.
One of the easiest ways to treat UTI, and another major difference in the discussion of feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection, is the use of homeopathic treatments.
Made from herbs such as arctostaphylos uva ursi and berberis vulgaris, which have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, these products can help to reduce inflammation and ease the symptoms of UTI while strengthening the immune system.
While urinary tract and kidney issues are all areas of major concern for cat owners, there are distinct differences and understanding them is the first step toward helping your pet to stay healthy.
At the first sign of any kind of trouble, get your cat to the vet right away and be sure to consider all your options for treatment including natural methods.
You and your cat will both feel better for it!
Understanding the two and how to treat them can be essential in maintaining your cat's good health.
The better informed you are, the better the chance that you'll be able to prevent your cat from experiencing serious illness and even permanent damage.
Since both conditions involve the renal system and urine production, it is easy to confuse the two but they are very different and can carry very different consequences.
By far, kidney disease is the more serious and dangerous of the two as it can affect the function of your cat's entire body.
The major difference in feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection is that kidney disease involves the actual breakdown of kidney function.
In most cases of kidney disease, the ability of the kidney to filter out toxins becomes impaired.
When this happens, the built up toxins that result begin to eat away at the kidneys themselves.
Without immediate treatment, kidney failure will occur.
Urinary tract infection is much more common and is generally very easily treated.
Most UTI's are caused by a build up of bacteria in the urinary tract.
The most common complication of UTI is the formation of crystals due to this bacteria which can cause blockage.
If your vet discovers a blockage he can remove it either through surgery or catheterization or by prescribing antibiotics to break it up gradually.
While kidney disease will require very close and constant veterinary care, most UTI's can be treated at home.
One of the easiest ways to treat UTI is through the use of diet.
A main difference in feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection is that UTI will respond to dietary changes while kidney disease will not.
Making sure your cat gets plenty of liquids is a major part of maintaining good urinary health and usually canned cat foods will do a better job in this area than dry foods.
Along with feeding your cat the right kind of diet, you can help to ease UTI symptoms by promoting good urination habits.
This can be accomplished by ensuring that your cat has a clean litter box to use at all times.
And access to a clean water source will also help to encourage regular urination.
One of the easiest ways to treat UTI, and another major difference in the discussion of feline kidney disease vs urinary tract infection, is the use of homeopathic treatments.
Made from herbs such as arctostaphylos uva ursi and berberis vulgaris, which have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, these products can help to reduce inflammation and ease the symptoms of UTI while strengthening the immune system.
While urinary tract and kidney issues are all areas of major concern for cat owners, there are distinct differences and understanding them is the first step toward helping your pet to stay healthy.
At the first sign of any kind of trouble, get your cat to the vet right away and be sure to consider all your options for treatment including natural methods.
You and your cat will both feel better for it!
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