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Chronic Renal Failure and Feline Kidney Transplantation
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Cat kidney transplantation surgery
Chronic renal failure is an irreversible and progressive disease in both dogs and cats. The kidneys will continue to progressively deteriorate despite maintenance treatment which includes dietary therapy, hypertension management, anemia management, blood calcium and phosphorus modification and fluid administration.
Feline kidney transplantation is the only potentially curative treatment for chronic renal failure. Unfortunately, kidney transplantation in canines is not as successful. A survival rate of 6 years or more post-surgery has been reported with an 80 per cent success ratio with an improved quality of life for the transplant recipient. Transplant patients do require lifelong medication after surgery to prevent rejection of the new kidney. Waiting too long to decide on a transplant will reduce the chances of success considerably.
Following the transplantation, prevention of rejection of the transplant is achieved by use of immunosuppressive drugs. Sometimes long term survivors have experienced chronic rejection which was unresponsive to these drugs and in some cats, the transplanted kidney stops functioning after three years.
Weight loss which is unresponsive to intensive dietary management is the signal that a transplant should be considered. If kidney transplantation is being considered, it should be performed as the veterinarian determines progressive weight loss is reaching 20 percent of the normal body weight of the cat.
Many transplant surgeries involve a homeless healthy cat who provides the donor kidney and the donor cat subsequently is usually adopted by the recipient cat's family. The average cost of this surgery is $12,000.00.
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