Tag Archives: chronic kidney disease

Are Your Pet’s Kidneys OK? Early Detection & Protection for Kidney Health

A dog on a veterinary exam table
This year’s theme for World Kidney Day (March 13) is “Are your kidneys OK? Detect early, protect kidney health.” The veterinary staff of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center supports that sentiment entirely. Inspired by my colleagues’ work on protecting kidney health, today’s blogpost provides a “kidney primer,” curated from previous blogposts, to help pet families understand kidney disease and its treatment.

Why Special Diets Matter for Cats with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

A cat eating food from a bowl
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most common disorders of cats and a common cause of mortality in older cats. Veterinarians don’t know what causes chronic kidney disease, but we know feeding a special diet helps cats with CKD maintain quality of life. In cats with CKD, kidney diets have been shown to be superior to regular adult cat food in limiting episodes of illness and death related to chronic kidney disease. Today’s blogpost will focus on the benefits of feeding your cat a kidney diet when they have a CKD diagnosis.

Does My Cat Really Need an Annual Veterinary Exam?

A cat on an exam table
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), of which AMC is a member, maintains guidelines for the life stages of cats in conjunction with the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). These purr-fectly tailored guidelines help veterinary professionals make recommendations for wellness care for cats of different life stages. The guidelines address four feline age groups: kittens (birth to 1 year of age), young adult (1-6 years of age), mature (7-10 years of age) and senior cats (> 10 years of age). In today’s blogpost, I’ll discuss the nuances of veterinary care for each of these age groups and the one thing all cat owners should do to ensure the health and vitality of their feline friends.