When you hear devastating news about your pet’s kidney health, veterinarians understand that your mind shuts down and you might not be able to ask necessary questions. However, after the initial shock of the diagnosis, it’s imperative to ask your vet the right questions in order to be fully informed. In many cases, you may not even know where to start, and that’s why we’re sharing 5 questions you should ask your veterinarian after a chronic kidney disease diagnosis.
1. How bad is it, doc?
Okay, maybe not that phrase exactly, but it is important for you to understand how severe your pet’s condition is from your veterinarian’s point of view.
2. How well do you think my pet is going to do with this disease?
Your veterinarian should be able to tell you what their expectations are for your pet’s experience with chronic kidney disease—though it can be tricky for veterinarians to give a specific prognosis (particularly for pets with advanced disease). Sometimes the best thing we can tell clients is to have 1 month of better quality of life be our first goal, then 3 months, then 6 months, and then a year.
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3. How often should we retest blood values?
Retesting your pet’s blood work will vary depending on how high the values are to start with, and how sick your pet currently is. In the early stages of chronic kidney disease, it may be every 2 to 3 months. If your pet is severely ill, it may be weekly.
4.Which tests should be repeated?
Which tests should be repeated also varies depending on the severity of your pet’s disease and your veterinarian’s protocol.
However, certainly BUN, Creatinine, and UPC will be important, especially in the early stages of testing.
If the values and your pet’s condition worsen, other tests will be needed to help direct treatments will be important.
5. Are you comfortable using supplements and food therapy along with conventional treatment?
This question is important to ask your veterinarian. It will help you assess how your veterinarian might respond to using treatments with which they are not familiar, and their reasoning for pet holistic treatments in conjunction with traditional ones.
Bypass the devastating symptoms of dog and cat kidney failure with a veterinarian’s help.
