An online survey of dietary and phosphate binder practices of owners of cats with chronic kidney disease. Issue 10 (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Caney, Sarah MA
• Is Part Of: Journal of feline medicine and surgery. Volume 19:Issue 10(2017)
• Page Start: 1040
• Page End: 1047
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: Cats -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Cats -- Surgery -- Periodicals; 636.8089
• DOI: 10.1177/1098612X16672999
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1098-612X

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to learn about owner experiences of chronic kidney disease (CKD), focusing on use of therapeutic renal diets (TRDs) and intestinal phosphate binders (IPBs). Methods: An online survey was promoted to UK-based cat owners. Results: In total, 859 owners participated. Most cats (n = 620; 72.18%) had two or more clinical signs at the time of their CKD diagnosis. Most common were polydipsia (n = 462; 53.78%) and weight loss (n = 426; 49.59%). In 94 cats (10.94%) CKD was only diagnosed as a result of wellness screening. In total, 371 participants (43.19%) reported that their cat's blood pressure had been measured; 100 of these (26.95% of those where blood pressure had been measured) subsequently received anti-hypertensive medication. In total, 90.80% of all participating owners had received a recommendation to feed a TRD. Five hundred and seventy-one owners (66.47%) reported that they were feeding a TRD as a component of their cat's diet. The most common reason for not feeding a TRD was that the cat did not like it (n = 123; 59.13%). Where a veterinary recommendation to feed a TRD had been received, 564 owners (72.31%) reported feeding a TRD as a component of their cat's diet vs seven owners (7.04%) who had not received a veterinary recommendation to feed a TRD. IPBs had been recommended to 321 owners (37.81%) and for 72 owners (8.38%) the recommendation came from a source other than a veterinary professional. Where used, IPBs were commonly added to a TRD (n = 136; 49.28%) and were generally accepted within 4 weeks (n = 178; 73.86%). Conclusions and relevance: Awareness of TRDs was high but much lower for IPBs. A veterinary recommendation to feed a TRD was associated with higher compliance.