What causes high BUN levels in cats?
BUN stands for blood urea nitrogen and is the primary end product of protein metabolism. High levels indicate kidney failure or disease, dehydration, shock, high protein diet, certain toxin ingestions, poor circulation to the kidneys and urinary obstruction. Low levels indicate liver disease or starvation.
Does kidney disease cause high BUN?
Dehydration generally causes BUN levels to rise more than creatinine levels. This causes a high BUN-to-creatinine ratio. Kidney disease or blockage of the flow of urine from your kidney causes both BUN and creatinine levels to go up.
What causes high BUN and creatinine in cats?
Creatinine and BUN can be elevated in disorders other than chronic kidney disease such as a kidney infection or dehydration. Taking a urine sample from your cat to his annual examination will win you a gold star from your veterinarian and allow the urine to be tested to determine if chronic kidney disease is likely.
What is considered a high BUN level?
The normal BUN level is between about 7 and 21 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Unless this level is greater than 60 mg/dL, it may not help your healthcare provider measure your kidney health.
How can I lower my cats kidneys?
The first step in minimizing phosphorus retention is to decrease dietary phosphorus intake, to help slow the progression of kidney disease. Within 2 to 4 weeks of initiating a phosphorus-restricted diet, plasma phosphorus levels should be rechecked to make sure they are decreasing.
How do I get my BUN levels down?
Proper hydration is the most effective way to lower BUN levels. A low-protein diet can also help lower BUN levels. A medication wouldn’t be recommended to lower BUN levels….Lower BUN levels can indicate:
- liver failure.
- malnutrition.
- severe lack of protein in the diet.
- overhydration.
What does elevated BUN and creatinine mean for cats?
A higher reading indicates overall declining kidney health. Typically, when both BUN and creatinine are elevated, about 30 percent of kidney function remains. Phosphorus is an important mineral for all cats, but it’s easy for cats with kidney disease to have too much of it. As kidneys deteriorate, it’s more difficult for them to process phosphorus.
What should your bun be in kidney failure?
Often at the time of diagnosis, BUN is well over 150, 200, or even 300. Creatinine- This is another protein metabolite (though this one is less dependent on dietary protein intake than is BUN). A normal creatinine is less than 2.0. A good goal in kidney failure is a creatinine of 4.5 or less.
When are kidney values are increased in cats?
When Kidney Values are Increased in Cats. When these values are increased we know there is something going on in the kidneys. Sometimes it is simply a matter of dehydration causing elevations in the BUN and creatinine. The BUN is more likely to increase in dehydration than is the creatinine, but both can and will rise.
What should my Cat’s bun level be after surgery?
Many vets who run tests in-house in the USA cannot measure BUN levels over 130, so you may see a reading of >130. If possible, it is better to know the exact level, but don’t worry if this is not available. With luck, it is going to come down below 130 anyway following treatment.
A higher reading indicates overall declining kidney health. Typically, when both BUN and creatinine are elevated, about 30 percent of kidney function remains. Phosphorus is an important mineral for all cats, but it’s easy for cats with kidney disease to have too much of it. As kidneys deteriorate, it’s more difficult for them to process phosphorus.
What’s the normal level of bun in a cat?
(See normal ranges for cat blood chemistry values here.) Two of the most useful chemicals that veterinarian measure to see if toxins are building up in the patient’s body are Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and Creatinine. Normal BUN levels in cats seldom reach higher that 25 to 30 mg/dl.
Can a cat with a high bun level develop CRF?
But if his renal values don’t return to normal after the IV fluid treatment, then yes, it does seem he has developed CRF. That said, BUN is not the most reliable indicator of kidney function. Elevated BUN may indicate a renal problem, but BUN can also elevate for non-kidney related reasons.
When Kidney Values are Increased in Cats. When these values are increased we know there is something going on in the kidneys. Sometimes it is simply a matter of dehydration causing elevations in the BUN and creatinine. The BUN is more likely to increase in dehydration than is the creatinine, but both can and will rise.