Erythropoietin: Anemia Treatment for Dogs & Cats with Kidney Disease

Anemia is a common problem in cats of all ages. Find out the causes and the treatments so that you can help your anemic cat.

Does your pet have potassium deficiency? Oral potassium supplements for dogs and cats can help you raise potassium levels. Visit Petco to learn more!  

Fever, or elevated body temperature, is a common problem in sick pets. We all know that illnesses like the flu can cause a fever in humans – pets can get illnesses like this also, but what many pet owners don’t know is that there are lots of other things that can cause your dog or cat to have a fever. This is one reason that it’s very important to see your veterinarian if you are concerned that your pet has a fever, since a diagnosis of the underlying problem will be required for proper treatment. Read on for more information on some of the things that can cause an elevated body temperature in dogs and cats.

Vet authorized diets are typically needed only when a pet has specific health issues, but learning about how they're different from "normal" foods can help you be a more well-rounded pet parent.

Chronic kidney failure, meaning loss of function of the kidneys that is slowly progressive, is one of the most common diseases of aging that we see in cats. There is no cure for it, but when we recognize the disease earlier, we can make changes in how we take care of the cat that increase its lifespan and quality of life in general. Read on to discover some ways you can recognize developing problems in your cat’s kidneys at home.

Most veterinary chemistry panels evaluate the blood for signs of disease in the liver, kidneys, pancreas, blood proteins and electrolytes.

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Hi there. Unfortunately, it's not likely that liver or any other food will make much difference in his red blood cell count. Anemia in chronic kidney disease is due to the body not producing erythropoietin, which is the hormone that drives the production of new red blood cells. This type of anemia can be treated with erythropoeitin injections, so I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about this option. I have had several kitties with chronic kidney problems and anemia who responded well to this treatment.

I am sorry to hear about your dog! I am attaching an article here with information on erythropoietin for you http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1728 We most commonly use this drug in patients who are anemic due to chronic kidney failure. We don't often see an allergic (such as anaphylactic) reaction to the injection but the body can develop antibodies against the drug and this leads to destruction of the erythropoietin and can cause increase of anemia, so the dog must be monitored closely while administering the drug to be sure this isn't happening.

Hi there. So sorry to hear that Pisces is having this issue. EPO can stimulate red blood cell production and in theory it sounds like a good idea however, it has it's own side effects and some are very serious. Also EPO is outrageously expensive so it is not a very cost effective treatment. Most cats will do well with blood transfusions and treating the underlying cause of the anemia (if one can be found). I hope this answers your question. If you have additional questions you are welcome to post again. Best wishes!

These two diseases are very frustrating to manage as the kidneys need fluid to help "flush" them but the heart cannot handle any additional fluid. Additionally many drugs used to treat CHF cause harm to the kidneys. With anemia and kidney disease there are synthetic hormone injections that stimulate red blood cell production. Your veterinarian has to administer these injections. Sometimes even a blood transfusion is given but this has to be balanced with the heart failure. I recommend discussing with your veterinarian which disease process is most critical right now and start treating that as aggressively as possible. This would likely mean hospitalization for Anthony.

The best diet for a cat with chronic renal failure is a canned-only, low-protein diet - this won't help with the anemia, specifically, but is the best option to help slow the progression of her kidney disease in general. You can try supplementing her with an iron supplement designed for cats such as Pet-Tinic - this can be ordered online without a prescription, and has dosing instructions on the label based on your kitty's weight.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach this afternoon. Unfortunately, I cannot provide dosage or dosing information for drugs over the internet for legal reasons. If your veterinarian has prescribed Rysiek to take a certain amount, then I would adhere to your vet's directions. However, if you have specific questions or concerns about the dosing, you may wish to call and discuss this directly with your veterinarian. Best wishes to you and Rysiek!

Anemia is not, by itself, a disease, and therefore there is not a medication that I can recommend that will treat it. The cause of the anemia - whether blood loss, a tick or flea-borne disease, or an immune-mediated disease that is destroying the red blood cells - must be first discovered and then appropriately treated. You need to take your cat to a vet in your area who can run tests and then give him the appropriate medication.