The Makes use of and Aspect Results of Potassium Dietary supplements for Cats

New Africa / Shutterstock

Potassium is a very necessary electrolyte, utilized by the physique for a number of completely different features and important for well being. Whereas dietary deficiency is unusual in cats, sure well being issues could cause low potassium ranges within the physique, resulting in a necessity for appropriate potassium dietary supplements. There are a few various kinds of potassium dietary supplements for cats, so let’s undergo how they could be used, and conditions the place potassium supplementation must be prevented.

Potassium Dietary supplements for Cats

Remedy Kind:

Potassium (in citrate, gluconate, chloride, and bicarbonate varieties)

Remedy Type:

Oral tablets, powder, and gel

Model Names:

Tumil-Okay (gluconate), RenaKare (gluconate), RenaPlus (gluconate), RenalK (gluconate), Urocit-Okay (citrate), Okay-Plus Granules (citrate), NutriVed Granules (citrate)

Widespread Names:

Potassium citrate, potassium gluconate, potassium chloride.

Results:

Improve potassium ranges within the physique or enhance urine pH to forestall formation of calcium oxalate urinary stones.

Out there Dosages:

Varies extensively relying on the kind of potassium salt (i.e citrate vs. gluconate) and the dosing kind (pill, powder, gel).

Potential Aspect Results:

Hyperkalemia (excessive potassium), digestive upset – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, ulceration

Precautions:

Kidney failure or kidney damage, coronary heart illness, hemolytic (purple blood cell loss) illness, acute or extreme dehydration, GI motility impairment. Supplementation shouldn’t be began with no recognized potassium deficiency

Contraindications:

Recognized hyperkalemia (excessive potassium), urinary obstruction, GI obstruction, extreme vomiting or diarrhea.

About Potassium Dietary supplements for Cats

Potassium is a crucial electrolyte that serves many features within the physique, however particularly for nerves, muscle tissues, and the center. Cats with very low or excessive potassium can develop results on nerve, muscle, and coronary heart perform. Cats receive potassium by their weight loss program. Widespread dietary sources embrace purple meat, poultry, and fish. Dietary deficiencies of potassium are unusual.

Potassium dietary supplements for cats could also be wanted in circumstances the place potassium ranges within the physique are low. Cats with low potassium might have supplementation relying on how extreme the loss is and the explanation behind low ranges. There are a few conditions the place potassium ranges could also be low in cats, a situation referred to as hypokalemia.

Potassium dietary supplements may be used as a method of decreasing the chance for cats creating calcium oxalate bladder stones.

Three Widespread Potassium Dietary supplements for Cats

There are three major types of potassium salts which may be utilized in cats for oral supplementation.

1. Potassium Citrate

This kind is used most frequently to assist stop the formation of calcium oxalate stones for cats which can be at the next threat. The citrate is metabolized to bicarbonate, which helps to extend urine pH, an surroundings much less favorable for calcium stone formation. An instance of any such complement is Okay-Plus.

Whereas it might be helpful for low potassium ranges within the physique, there’s little to no analysis proof of relevance to assist its use in these circumstances.

2. Potassium Gluconate

This kind is used most frequently for circumstances resulting in low blood ranges of potassium within the physique. Examples embrace RenaPlus, RenaKare and Tumil-Okay.

3. Potassium Chloride

Potassium chloride is used most frequently in an injectable kind to deal with pets with extreme hypokalemia in a veterinary setting. It’s not generally utilized in an oral kind to deal with low potassium ranges as its style and palatability seems to be poor. One research did counsel that KCl within the weight loss program lowers urine focus, will increase urine quantity, and was related to decrease threat of calcium stone formation.

Different types of potassium embrace potassium acetate, one other injectable kind, and potassium bicarbonate. Potassium bicarbonate can be most helpful for prevention of calcium oxalate stones, however is uncommonly used as a result of potassium citrate is already metabolized by the liver right into a bicarbonate kind.

Potassium Complement Dosing Info for Cats

Any data offered right here just isn’t supposed to switch a veterinary examination and an attending veterinarian’s evaluation of your cat’s well being and remedy suggestions.

There is no such thing as a recognized FDA approval for potassium dietary supplements for cats. Dosing is essentially primarily based on a cat’s specific well being scenario, restricted analysis research, and a veterinarian’s medical expertise. If used inappropriately, potassium supplementation can have vital dangers, which might be reviewed shortly. Potassium supplementation ought to at all times be primarily based on recognized potassium blood ranges.

A cat’s blood potassium degree must be maintained between 3.5-5.5 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Cats with a potassium degree under 3 could also be thought of mildly hypokalemic. Potassium must be rigorously monitored in order that it doesn’t exceed 6. Potassium ranges that surpass 7.5 may be life-threatening, affecting coronary heart muscle perform.

In circumstances of persistent kidney illness, the most typical reason behind low potassium in cats, the Worldwide Society for Feline Drugs suggests treating with 1-3 mEq per cat each 12 hours. Many dietary supplements present dosing in mEq, however 2 mEq of calcium gluconate is about equal to 468mg.

Due to the numerous dangers which can be doable, many potassium gluconate dietary supplements marketed as a medicine require a prescription (e.g. RenaPlus potassium gluconate tablets). Dietary supplements marketed as a meals additive (e.g. RenalK+) don’t – however can nonetheless carry related dangers.

As soon as beginning a potassium complement, potassium ranges within the blood should be checked to find out any want for dosing adjustment.

How To Administer Potassium Dietary supplements to Cats

Pill types of potassium could be the most correct to dose however may be more durable to present than powder and gel varieties. Artistic Cat Studio / Shutterstock.com

Most potassium dietary supplements within the types of potassium citrate or potassium gluconate are available pill, powder, or gel varieties. I discover that the powder and gel varieties are probably the most easy approaches for cats, however many cats may be administered tablets with a bit of follow.

Pill varieties (like RenaPlus and Tumil-Okay tablets) could present probably the most correct dosing, however could be the most tough to present. Powder varieties enable for mixing with canned or mushy meals. This kind is accessible for many dietary supplements, together with Tumil-Okay powder, RenaKare, RenalK+, and Okay-Plus.

The gel varieties (Renal Okay gel, RenaPlus gel, Okay-Plus gel) present an choice the place the complement doesn’t need to be blended or related to meals. The gel may be given straight by mouth, or could also be utilized to a cat’s paw, inducing them to lick the gel off.

Aspect Results of Potassium Dietary supplements for Cats

Due to its results on nerve and muscle perform, vital dangers may be related to potassium supplementation when inappropriate or pointless.

Usually, the most typical unintended effects seen with potassium supplementation in in any other case wholesome cats is digestive upset together with vomiting, diarrhea, and poor urge for food.

Supplementing an excessive amount of potassium in an in any other case wholesome cat could result in indicators of hyperkalemia, together with vomiting and diarrhea, coronary heart arrhythmias, weak point, and collapse. That is unlikely to happen in in any other case wholesome cats when following product label directions.

Different unintended effects could also be related to different illnesses a cat has. These issues could function contraindications to potassium supplementation (the place it shouldn’t be used) or require vital warning. Widespread contraindications embrace:

• Hyperkalemia (excessive potassium): That is most frequently cats with a present urinary obstruction. Cats in danger must be monitored very rigorously. Whereas potassium citrate could cut back the chance of calcium oxalate stones, rising the urine pH can result in the next threat for magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (struvite) stones. In case your cat is displaying indicators of urinary issue, it might be greatest to discontinue a potassium complement pending a veterinary examination to find out the underlying trigger.
• Kidney Failure and Acute Kidney Harm (AKI): Whereas potassium supplementation is required most frequently in cats with persistent kidney illness (CKD), it must be used cautiously or not used in any respect when kidney illness is extreme or if the kidneys are experiencing an acute damage (similar to from a toxin or urinary obstruction). In these circumstances, the kidneys have little to no perform and supplementing extra potassium could result in very excessive ranges within the bloodstream and hyperkalemia.
• Vital Dehydration: This can be outlined as being 8-10% or larger dehydrated. This will likely happen for quite a few causes and is normally related to a really sick cat.
• Superior coronary heart illness and coronary heart failure: The guts could be very delicate to adjustments in potassium. In circumstances of superior cardiac illness or coronary heart failure, potassium excretion from the physique could also be impaired. Supplementing could result in hyperkalemia.
• Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus: Cats with uncontrolled diabetes could also be very sick and dehydrated. Insulin can even have an effect on potassium shifting from the bloodstream into cells. Uncontrolled or inappropriate insulin use could result in fluctuating potassium ranges which can be tough to interpret.
• Delayed abdomen emptying circumstances or intestinal obstruction: Extended contact with potassium tablets in a GI tract that isn’t shifting issues by correctly can result in GI mucosal harm, ulceration, and bleeding.
• Poor liver perform: for potassium citrate particularly, poor liver perform could have an effect on the metabolism of citrate to bicarbonate.

Overdose and Emergencies

Overdoses are much less frequent with oral supplementation, however this will likely depend upon underlying circumstances your cat has. In case your cat develops extreme kidney failure for instance, any supplementation could also be thought of an overdose.

Indicators seen with overdoses are the identical as these seen with hyperkalemia, together with:

• Digestive upset
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Muscle weak point
• Lethargy

In case you are ever involved that your kitty could have developed unintended effects whereas utilizing a potassium complement, or if an overdose is suspected, be sure that to contact your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Management Middle (1-888-426-4435), or Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-764-7661) instantly for additional recommendation.

Potential Drug Interactions With Potassium Dietary supplements

There are just a few drugs which will work together with potassium dietary supplements. This checklist doesn’t essentially imply drugs can’t be used along with potassium dietary supplements, however must be used rigorously. At all times verify along with your veterinarian for clarification relating to drugs your cat is presently on:

• Angiotensin changing enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) (telmisartan)
• Digoxin
• Potassium sparing diuretics (spironolactone)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAIDs) (meloxicam, robenacoxib)

The next are extra particularly dangers related to potassium citrate use for rising urine pH:

• Aluminum-containing phosphate binders
• Antacids containing aluminum
• Anticholinergic drugs (tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline)
• Aspirin
• Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (marbofloxacin, pradofloxacin)
• Lithium
• Methenamine
• Opioids (buprenorphine, tramadol)
• Phenobarbital
• Quinidine
• Tetracyclines

How To Retailer Potassium Dietary supplements for Cats

Pay shut consideration to any particular directions by particular person producers for tips on how to retailer their merchandise.

Generally, potassium gluconate must be saved in tight, light-resistant containers at room temperature (59 levels F to 86 levels F). Potassium citrate may be saved equally at room temperature however with a extra slender temperature window of 68 levels F to 77 levels F.

Drug Dosing Disclaimer: We are able to solely present doses for drugs which can be FDA-approved to be used in cats and solely because the label pointers dictate. For drugs which can be used off-label, we are able to solely present pointers and security data. Protected and acceptable dosing for off-label drugs can solely be decided by a main care veterinarian.

We encourage you to work along with your veterinarian to find out if a selected treatment is acceptable to your cat. Altering or adjusting a dose to your cat by yourself with out consulting with a veterinarian can carry threat. We don’t encourage using drugs prescribed for human use in pets with out first consulting with a main care veterinarian.