3 Ways To Keep Your Cat Hydrated When They Have Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is a difficult condition to keep controlled in cats. While there is no cure, you can vastly improve your cat's quality of life by keeping them well-hydrated. Here are three ways you can do just that.
Water in Food, Limit Dry Food
Believe it or not, cats in the wild actually get the majority of their water intake from eating, rather than drinking. However, if your cat is eating dry food at home, the same can't be said. In fact, their dry food may actually be making them dehydrated.
If your cat has kidney disease, try scrapping the dry food and stick to wet food instead. You can even mix in a little extra water to the wet food to help increase the amount of moisture that your cat consumes on a daily basis.
Temperature
Cats don't sweat like humans do to regulate their body temperature, but they still expend moisture when it gets too hot. They do this like dogs do, by panting and allowing moisture to evaporate off their tongues. Unfortunately, this can reduce your cat's hydration.
Make an effort to keep your home comfortable and cool for your cat at all times. If your cat is allowed to go outside, try to restrict them to cooler hours of the day and when the sun isn't at its peak in order to reduce their risk of overheating.
Fluid Boluses
Lastly, your veterinarian can teach you to give your cat fluid boluses that will help to boost their hydration drastically.
Fluid boluses are small injections of saline solution that are put under your cat's skin. They're not injected into a vein or artery, as this could dilute your cat's blood too quickly and can only be performed safely by a veterinarian or veterinary technician. By injecting it under the skin, it allows your cat's body to gradually absorb the solution over time, offering a boost to their hydration even when they're sleeping or not interested in drinking. While it can be scary for pet owners at first, giving your cat a bolus is perfectly safe when you follow your vet's directions and can go a long way to improving and extending your cat's life.
Keeping your cat hydrated should be one of your biggest priorities if your cat has been diagnosed with kidney disease. Talk to a veterinarian to find out what else you can do to help keep your kitty healthy while they battle this illness. For more information, contact establishments like Clovis Veterinary Hospital P A.