The cat is not an animal that usually drinks a lot of water. Being a predator native to the desert, it is used to ingesting practically all it needs at the same time as it eats its prey. But of course, when you start living with humans, you no longer have any need to hunt, since they make sure that your feeder is always full and that you do not lack clean and fresh water in your drinker.
Even so, it usually costs him a lot to drink. But sometimes it is the case that the furry drinks too much liquid. When that happens, we should worry as it could have polydipsia, a condition that usually accompanies some serious illness.
What is polydipsia?
Polydipsia is a symptom that there is something in the hairy body that is not working well. When a cat drinks too much water, it could be that it had it. Therefore, it is a problem that can appear at any age and any feline, but the one who lives in a tense family environment, or where due attention is not paid to it, is especially vulnerable.
What are the causes?
There are several causes of this condition, the following being the most common:
- Diabetes mellitus: It is characterized by having persistently or chronically high concentrations of glucose in the blood.
- Cushing's syndrome: It is caused by the increase in the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for increasing the level of sugar in the blood.
- Hypoadrenocorticism or Addison's disease: it is the reduction of the function of the adrenal glands, which barely produce some of the most important hormones called glucorticoids or mineralocorticoids.
- Hyperthyroidism- characterized by increased functional activity of the thyroid gland and excess secretion of thyroid hormones.
- Acute kidney failure: it is a rapid loss of kidney function due to kidney damage.
- Chronic kidney failure: It occurs when the kidneys are affected and cannot filter the blood as they should.
- Hypercalcemia: high concentration of calcium in the blood.
- Pyelonephritis: it is the inflammation of the kidney and the renal pelvis.
How is the diagnosis of polydipsia made?
If we see that our beloved cat has begun to drink more water than normal and has urinated more frequently, it is very important that we take him to the vet as soon as possible. Once there, the vet will do a blood and urine tests full. And if it is still not clear to you, you can choose to do these other tests:
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Adrenal function test
- Bile acid stimulation test
- Measurement of Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
How is it treated?
Treatment will depend on the underlying cause. Immediate treatment is a intravenous saline and diuretics if it is due to hypercalcemia. You can also choose to deprive the cat of water for a short period of time to see how this affects the volume of urine.
Also, so that the cat can return to normal life, you may suggest doing changes in your diet, and recommend medications to keep your kidneys working.
Can it be prevented?
Polypdsia is a problem that, although it cannot be 100% prevented, we can do some things so that the cat's health is not compromised.
- Feed him wet cat food (cans) without grains or by-products: having a minimum of 70% humidity, the cat will ingest almost all the water it needs from its food, as it did when it was an animal that lived outdoors. In addition, being of excellent quality, you can digest it without difficulty.
- Take care of it as it deserves: As their caregivers, we have to be their companions and friends. We have to spend time with him, play with him, give him a lot of love every day of his life. So you are sure not to suffer from stress or anxiety.
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