Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with low thirst and high blood sodium managed with watery food
By Bach, Jonathan & Claus, Kimberly·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2014·School of Veterinary Medicine - Medical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Primary hypodipsia in a cat with severe hypernatremia.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 4.5-year-old male domestic shorthair cat was brought in with muscle tremors, weakness, poor appetite, and excessive urination over the past two months. The vet diagnosed him with primary hypodipsia, which means he didn't feel thirsty, leading to dangerously high sodium levels in his blood. To stabilize him, the vet provided intensive fluid therapy and later recommended a diet of canned food mixed with extra water to keep him hydrated. Thanks to this treatment, the cat's condition improved and was managed successfully over the long term.
People also search for: cat muscle tremors · cat weakness and poor appetite · cat hypernatremia treatment · cat excessive urination causes · how to keep cat hydrated
Abstract
CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 4.5-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat presented with a 2-month history of muscle tremors progressing to weakness, pelvic limb ataxia, mild facial twitching, poor appetite and polyuria. Primary hypodipsia and resultant hypernatremia was diagnosed. Intensive fluid therapy and monitoring were initially required for stabilization, and the cat's condition was successfully managed long-term using canned food supplemented with additional water. PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Primary hypodipsia is rare in clinical practice, but experience with this case suggests that associated hypernatremia can be successfully managed using a water-enriched diet to provide maintenance hydration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24563495/