July 2009 - Research
Dang! I can't believe it. There was a technical error in my very first blog. I mentioned that kidney cells lose function ... that's strictly not correct. The part of the kidney that fails are the functional units called nephrons, which regulate the concentration of water and soluble substances by filtering the blood, taking out what is needed and eliminating the remainder as urine. The nephron eliminates waste, regulates blood volume and blood pressure, controls levels of electrolytes (salts) and body metabolites, and controls blood pH. Nephrons are the key operating units of the kidney and, without them, your cat, or you, could not survive. The good news for cats and for us is that there are hundreds of thousands of nephrons, so, even if we lose a large percentage of them, the kidneys can continue to function with proper care assuming the continued death of nephrons is stymied. Don't despair ... even with a loss of 75% kidney function, your cat can still survive and live normally.
Dang! I can't believe it. There was a technical error in my very first blog. I mentioned that kidney cells lose function ... that's strictly not correct. The part of the kidney that fails are the functional units called nephrons, which regulate the concentration of water and soluble substances by filtering the blood, taking out what is needed and eliminating the remainder as urine. The nephron eliminates waste, regulates blood volume and blood pressure, controls levels of electrolytes (salts) and body metabolites, and controls blood pH. Nephrons are the key operating units of the kidney and, without them, your cat, or you, could not survive. The good news for cats and for us is that there are hundreds of thousands of nephrons, so, even if we lose a large percentage of them, the kidneys can continue to function with proper care assuming the continued death of nephrons is stymied. Don't despair ... even with a loss of 75% kidney function, your cat can still survive and live normally.
Having noted my first technical error, it would be a good idea in this post to point you towards more knowledgeable folks. I do not have a background in veterinary care, animal physiology, or animal science, so, as a word of caution, don't read this blog for technical and scientific accuracy. If you're new to the topic of CRF, I recommend a few excellent websites. When I learned about Simone's condition and the dangers of it, I was shocked. She could die very soon. I felt compelled to learn as much as I could about the disease and how to care for a cat with CRF. I cruised the world wide web for several days, jumping from site to site. Here are some of the best sources of information that I found:
Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Renal Failure
A cat lover by the name of Helen created this fantastic, extremely organized website that covers pretty much any question you might have about CRF. It's fraught with hyperlinks to take you to other pages with additional information. The name of the site comes from the author's first kitty who died from the disease. Although she is self-taught, she has put together an encyclopedia of knowledge concerning CRF. Look down the left-hand side of the home page to see all the topics that are covered. Clicking on any topic will take you to a detailed description or discussion.
Living with a CRF Cat
A woman by the name of Judy has created a website to address both the psychological and technical sides of CRF. She kept a journal about her experience with a cat with kidney disease. There is also a page with Frequently Asked Questions that may be helpful.
Feline CRF Information Center
This site is co-authored by David DiFiori and Sandy Carr, but I could not find out any information regarding their background. Their website has the usual information about CRF with an emphasis on scientific studies. Also, owners of cats who have died from the disease can post a tribute to their cat.
Feline CRF Support Group
Maintained since 1997, this service provides cat owners with a place to share their stories, get information, and contribute ideas. A Yahoo ID is required.
Home Management of Cat with CRF
This is a short article by Dr. Sarah Caney about CRF, the ideal diet, and treatments of related problems.
That's it for today. In the next post, I'll write about blood analysis and starting Simone's treatment. Purr on!
Simone & Me
"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine."
>< Ralph Waldo Emerson
>< Ralph Waldo Emerson
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