Kidney disease is serious illness, but there is so much we can do to keep our dogs & cats as healthy as possible. In previous Caring for Pets entries we’ve discussed how helpful Chinese herbal formulas and Omega 3 fatty acids are.
Now, let’s talk about meds that help dogs & cats with kidney disease who develop hyperphosphatemia (high blood levels of phosphorus), and why phosphorus is a problem.
The kidneys & phosphorus
Normally functioning kidneys keep phosphorus levels low, and when a pet’s kidneys are failing, it will not excrete phosphorus into the urine. Failing to excrete the phosphorus allows it to increase in the blood. Dogs and cats weren’t designed to have high blood phosphorus levels, and this hyperphosphatemia throws the whole system out of wack.
1. The first thing to go awry is the balance of calcium and phosphorus.
Normally, the body has a balanced ratio of calcium and phosphorus. When the phosphorus increases, the pet’s body works hard to raise calcium levels to keep things in the normal balance. Calcium is raised by pulling it from bones.
2. The second thing, then, is soft, fragile bones.
3. The third problem is elevated blood calcium and deposition of this extra calcium in your pet’s heart, vessels and throughout the internal organs.
Preventing high phosphorus
To prevent calcium from damaging blood vessels and internal organs, we need to prevent the pet’s phosphorus levels from rising. Begin by feeding low-phosphorus meat and veggies and grains. I still recommend homecooked and raw diets over commercial kidney diets as they can be just as low in phosphorus as the commercial diets, but are often more delicious. Food needs to be delicious so that pets continue to eat even when ill.
In addition to low-phosphorus diets, pets with kidney disease should receive a supplement such as aluminum hydroxide to pull phosphorus from blood. Some pets don’t like the taste of aluminum hydroxide, and for them, it can be flavored. It is always given with food.
Why not Epakitin?
A newer supplement to lower phosphorus was developed—Epakitin. I don’t routinely use it for three reasons:
· research supporting it was done on very few animals.
· it is not as effective as aluminum hydroxide.
· it contains calcium, which is exactly what we don’t want.
The one good thing about Epakitin is that more pets accept the taste than accept the taste of alumunimum hydroxide. Fortunately, veterinary compounding pharmacies can tweek taste of aluminum hydroxide so your pet thinks it’s fish, or liver, or even butterscotch.
When to begin aluminum hydroxide
Pets with kidney disease should begin taking aluminum hydroxide before their phosphorus and calcium increase to unhealthy levels. It’s always better for the pet to prevent phosphorus elevations and subsequent calcium elevations than it is to try to lower them once they are elevated. Pets will feel better for longer periods if we can keep blood normal.
Up-coming: Calcitriol
In a future Caring for Pets discussion, let’s cover the new medication Calcitriol that helps keep calcium in check by influencing the brain. For many pets, Calcitriol may extend the period during which they can feel healthy even with chronic kidney disease.
reade more...
Now, let’s talk about meds that help dogs & cats with kidney disease who develop hyperphosphatemia (high blood levels of phosphorus), and why phosphorus is a problem.
The kidneys & phosphorus
Normally functioning kidneys keep phosphorus levels low, and when a pet’s kidneys are failing, it will not excrete phosphorus into the urine. Failing to excrete the phosphorus allows it to increase in the blood. Dogs and cats weren’t designed to have high blood phosphorus levels, and this hyperphosphatemia throws the whole system out of wack.
1. The first thing to go awry is the balance of calcium and phosphorus.
Normally, the body has a balanced ratio of calcium and phosphorus. When the phosphorus increases, the pet’s body works hard to raise calcium levels to keep things in the normal balance. Calcium is raised by pulling it from bones.
2. The second thing, then, is soft, fragile bones.
3. The third problem is elevated blood calcium and deposition of this extra calcium in your pet’s heart, vessels and throughout the internal organs.
Preventing high phosphorus
To prevent calcium from damaging blood vessels and internal organs, we need to prevent the pet’s phosphorus levels from rising. Begin by feeding low-phosphorus meat and veggies and grains. I still recommend homecooked and raw diets over commercial kidney diets as they can be just as low in phosphorus as the commercial diets, but are often more delicious. Food needs to be delicious so that pets continue to eat even when ill.
In addition to low-phosphorus diets, pets with kidney disease should receive a supplement such as aluminum hydroxide to pull phosphorus from blood. Some pets don’t like the taste of aluminum hydroxide, and for them, it can be flavored. It is always given with food.
Why not Epakitin?
A newer supplement to lower phosphorus was developed—Epakitin. I don’t routinely use it for three reasons:
· research supporting it was done on very few animals.
· it is not as effective as aluminum hydroxide.
· it contains calcium, which is exactly what we don’t want.
The one good thing about Epakitin is that more pets accept the taste than accept the taste of alumunimum hydroxide. Fortunately, veterinary compounding pharmacies can tweek taste of aluminum hydroxide so your pet thinks it’s fish, or liver, or even butterscotch.
When to begin aluminum hydroxide
Pets with kidney disease should begin taking aluminum hydroxide before their phosphorus and calcium increase to unhealthy levels. It’s always better for the pet to prevent phosphorus elevations and subsequent calcium elevations than it is to try to lower them once they are elevated. Pets will feel better for longer periods if we can keep blood normal.
Up-coming: Calcitriol
In a future Caring for Pets discussion, let’s cover the new medication Calcitriol that helps keep calcium in check by influencing the brain. For many pets, Calcitriol may extend the period during which they can feel healthy even with chronic kidney disease.
