This includes a whole lot of related diseases. It occurs commonly in cats and dogs increasing with age, but not confined to old folks. Signs of trouble usually include excessive thirst, excessive urination, loss of weight, eventually leading to inappetence and lethargy. Towards the end your pet may show very bad breath as well.
Diagnosis is by blood test, and it is one of the conditions we check for in our “pre-op” blood sample offered to all patients undergoing surgery.
The earlier kidney disease from any cause is diagnosed the better it is to treat so early diagnosis is the key. Blood tests of the apparently well older pet e.g. the “pre-op” blood test is an excellent way of picking up early kidney trouble.