Diabetes and Kidney Damage

Rising urea levels in the blood (uremia) can affect the function of a variety of organs ranging from the brain (encephalopathy) with alteration of thinking, to inflammation of the heart lining (pericarditis), to decreased muscle function because of low calcium levels (hypocalcemia).

You can also enjoy onions in many dishes to add texture and flavor, because they are not only amongst the healthiest vegetable to eat, they are also crammed with flavonoids, especially quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that works to reduce heart disease and protects against many cancers. And onions keep you well under your kidney diet targets, containing just 3 milligrams of phosphorus, 3 milligrams of sodium and 116 milligrams of potassium in 1/2 a cup. Onions are also a good source of chromium, a mineral that helps with the efficient metabolism of carbohydrates, fat and protein.

Since your kidneys also let you to dispose extra fluid, you may realize the buildup of fluid - generally in your legs at first. This swelling can cause you to gain water weight and can be difficult to get shed without medications. Also, if your kidneys aren't functioning, you won't be able to form red blood cells and you will become anemic (low blood count). Anemia alone can make you feel very tired and weak.

Trauma is another common cause of kidney failure in dogs. If your dog is hit by a car or kicked hard enough it could cause kidney failure. Fungal infections can also cause trauma to the tissues of the kidney. There are two main fungal infections that often cause kidney damage, and these are blastomycosis and canine valley fever.

ARF is a condition when both kidneys almost suddenly fail to perform their functions. The failure occurs within a few hours/ days. This may result from an acute disease of the kidneys, as a result of allergic manifestation operating gravely on the kidneys, i.e. acute GN, described earlier. Besides, sometimes blood pressure may be so acutely elevated, that it may knock down both the kidneys, resulting in their sudden/ acute failure. Further, an acute infection of the kidneys (pyelonephritis), following some obstructive lesion in the urinary tract, like a urinary stone, or benign enlargement of the prostate, may also cause ARF, if the infection is not controlled promptly. This aspect has already been discussed under the head of UTI urinary tract infection.

Trasylol, manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, was predominantly used in open heart surgeries to control the amount of blood. Controlling the amount of blood in an open heart surgery is crucial because a bloodless heart is needed to be able for the doctors to be able to perform the surgery. Also, in an open heart surgery blood and oxygen is also supplied to the lungs and brain so that the body is able to function properly. You may be wondering why I am talking about open heart surgeries and acute kidney failure in the same sentence. It is because when blood needs to be controlled during an open heart surgery, it is done by the use of a drug. The most commonly used drug to do this in the past decade was Trasylol. Trasylol has been linked to cause acute kidney failure when used in an open heart surgery. Trasylol has contributed to over 20,000 deaths due to acute kidney failure resulting in death.

If the kidneys are found to be deficient, then treatment will depend upon how far advanced the disease is. Stages one, two, and three of renal disease can usually be treated by a GP, and is likely to involve medication and advice on lifestyle changes (such as diet and alcohol intake).

The goal with diet is to reduce strain on the kidneys by providing the cat with easy to digest, non-toxic food rich in vitamins and minerals. The most difficult foods for the kidneys to process are highly acidic commercial pet foods; high sodium, and toxic additives such as preservatives, coloring agents, insecticides and unusable proteins. This probably means switching your pet to a completely specialized diet rich in natural nutrients and low in mass production. In other words home made. If you can't make your own cat food definitely still switch from a dry food diet to a wet food diet, preferably as natural as you can possibly afford.

Chronic Renal Failure Chronic Renal Failure or CRF is common in older dogs and is one of the most common causes of death in dogs. It is so common that most blood tests performed on aging dogs will show some elevation in kidney enzymes indicative of kidney disease. If caught early though, a suitable diet, supplements and fluid therapy can delay the disease and prevent kidney failure. CRF isn't necessarily a death sentence, some pets can live comfortably for many months or even years after being diagnosed.