My old cat has a dead kidney. Should it be removed or left alone?

In chronic renal failure, the kidneys can become scarred or small in size, so the ultrasound supports that diagnosis. I am not sure what you mean by stain - this isn't a common term used in the US on ultrasounds. Changing the diet to a prescription renal food, increasing fluid intake by encouraging water consumption or administering subcutaneous fluids, using additional medications as the need arises, etc are ways to maintain or improve quality of life. Depending on the degree of kidney failure and Luci's response to treatments, she may have several more years of good life. But it is also possible that no amount of medical care could keep her comfortable and humane euthanasia may need to be considered sooner than later. Renal transplants are not commonly performed in the world. There is one University in the US that I am aware of performing them, but rarely. There is a large expense, risks of the immune suppressing drugs used, and the ethics of taking a kidney from another cat (that needs to be a perfect match) without them being able to give consent. Often the other cat will need to be adopted by the organ recipient.

There are a number of causes of weight loss in cats. I'm assuming that the information of 1 kidney being larger than the other was something that the vet noted when the belly was palpated on exam. That finding, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily mean the kidneys are the issue. I see that Neko is only 3 years old. Weight loss in a younger cat could be due to kidney failure, though its much more common in senior cats. Working only off of the information that Neko is a young cat who losing weight and has 1 kidney larger than the other, with no other history given, it is hard for us to get any impression for what may be wrong. Again, if she were a senior cat I would suspect kidney failure, and I would then recommend a canned prescription kidney diet, lots of water, TLC, and know that time is limited -- with the understanding that we don't KNOW its the kidneys without blood work. However, since Neko is young, its harder to jump to this sort of advice. It could be her kidneys, but other concerns would include inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal worms, or even something like FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). Some causes are relatively inexpensive to treat, and others are much more difficult. Additional information about any other signs would help us-- is she vomiting, how is her appetite, is she playful and active or is she dumpy and lethargic, is she hiding, etc. Please feel free to resubmit a question on the forum (no charge), or request a consultation (for a fee) and we can give information back and forth and would likely be able to assist you further that way. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Without a full history and physical exam report it is difficult to know why they are recommending an ultrasound which is usually used to track changes in size or texture of internal organs, fluid build up and/or tumor growth. I recommend you contact your vets office and speak to the particular vet involved in order to get a better understanding of exactly what they are trying to identify or rule out and this will allow you to make a more informed decision as to the risks and benefits of anesthesia for an older cat with evidence of kidney issues. A full assessment of the entire blood work and any other current symptoms would be needed to discuss in any more detail and your vet should release these to you for a second opinion should you not feel the situation is adequately explained when you speak to them directly

These lab results do not provide any "normal" values, which can differ based on the type of equipment used to run the sample, however I would agree that based on what I am used to as normal values Sabrina is in either renal failure or has very severe dehydration. Renal failure seems more likely given that she is also quite anemic (has low red blood cells), although her liver values do not look high to me. Typically renal failure is treated with aggressive intravenous fluid therapy, and with kidney values this high it seems unlikely that only getting fluids every 12 hours will make much of a difference. Also, with anemia such as she has, great care has to be taken not to give fluids too rapidly as to worsen the anemia. Persian cats are predisposed to a type of kidney disease known as polycystic kidney disease. This is easily diagnosed with ultrasound examination of the kidneys. Unfortunately, the prognosis is grim.

Sorry to hear about your kitty. It sounds like he is in the advanced stages of kidney failure. Unfortunately kidney damage can not be reversed once it occurs - only managed. Once cats get to this stage of kidney disease, most treatments are focused on trying to make cats feel as good as possible for as long as possible. Sometimes treatments that are prescribed include SQ fluids (water given as an injection under the skin to increase hydration), anti-nausea medications, blood pressure medications, antacids, and other therapies to manage complications associated with kidney failure. It is hard to give a prognosis without knowing the specific details of your cat's bloodwork and history, but if he is not eating or drinking, he may be suffering and can quickly decline. If you are concerned about your kitty's quality of life, have a discussion with your veterinarian.

Sorry that your cat is having this problem. That is a decision you will need to make with the help of a vet that knows your cats entire medical history. It is difficult to give advice without knowing her entire history and evaluating recent lab work and diagnostic test to get an idea of her general health. I am sure your vet would be happy to discuss the risks and benefits of any type of surgery and help you decide the best plan for her.

Hello. The presence of only 1 kidney is a birth defect that can occur. If that kidney is fully functioning, as demonstrated by normal blood kidney values, & a normal urinalysis, then there is no reason that anesthesia will be any more of a concern then for a cat with 2 kidneys. I am not sure what you mean by an indifferent colon, other than if there is one congenital birth defect, other defects are possible. We had a case of a puppy born with a deformed hind leg, & when he was old enough for neutering, also found a completely abnormal reproductive tract as well as a deformed kidney. This dog is now 13 years old & going strong. Your kitty may require periodic blood work to make sure the kidney stays healthy, & possibly some type of special diet depending on how the colon actually affects the kitten's overall well being. But, accidents in nature happen. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.