15/06/2026
Chronic kidney disease is a common condition in older dogs and cats.
Healthy kidneys perform many functions, including filtering the blood, making urine, and helping to regulate blood pressure.
Chronic kidney disease is the inability of the kidneys to efficiently filter the blood of waste products and most animals with CKD still produce a large amount of urine.
At the early stage there may be no clinical signs, and then the animal may start to urinate and drink more. Eventually, the body builds up a large amount of waste/toxins, causing lethargy. Some animals with CKD will decline rapidly over a few months while others can live for many years with slow decline.
Symptoms to watch for include:
• Drinking more water than usual
• Urinating more frequently or producing larger volumes of urine
• Reduced appetite or becoming fussy with food
• Unexplained weight loss
• Nausea, vomiting, or lip licking
• Lethargy or reduced energy levels
• Poor coat quality
• Bad breath
• Muscle loss, especially over the back and hips
• House-soiling or accidents in previously toilet trained pets
Regular senior health checks and blood and urine testing can help identify kidney disease before obvious symptoms develop, allowing for treatment to begin sooner.
If you are concerned that you are seeing these signs with your pet, or if you would like to keep ahead of the game before your pets health declines, give the clinic a call and book in for a check up 08 8642 3308
