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Hypokalemia in cats: 186 cases (1984-1987)
S W Dow1, M J Fettman, C R Curtis
1Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
Insights
Hypokalemia, or low potassium, affects 37% of cats. Certain commercial diets and diseases like chronic renal failure significantly increase hypokalemia risk in feline patients.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Biochemistry
- Feline Health
Background:
- Hypokalemia (low serum potassium) is a common electrolyte abnormality in cats.
- Dietary factors and underlying diseases are suspected contributors to hypokalemia in felines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of hypokalemia in a feline population.
- To identify risk factors, including diet and disease, associated with hypokalemia in cats.
- To characterize concurrent biochemical abnormalities in hypokalemic cats.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of serum biochemical data from 501 cats over a 3-year period.
- Statistical analysis using odds ratios (OR) to assess the association between diet, disease, and hypokalemia.
- Comparison of biochemical abnormalities and disease prevalence between hypokalemic and normokalemic cats.
Main Results:
- 37% of cats exhibited hypokalemia (serum potassium < 4.1 mEq/L).
- Cats fed specific commercial diets were 4 times more likely to be hypokalemic.
- Chronic renal failure (OR=14.4), hepatic disease (OR=5.7), infectious diseases (OR=2.7), and CNS/neuromuscular disease (OR=2.4) were significantly associated with hypokalemia.
- Common concurrent abnormalities included hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, and elevated serum urea nitrogen and creatinine.
- Severe hypokalemia was strongly linked to chronic renal failure.
Conclusions:
- Diet and specific diseases are significant risk factors for hypokalemia in cats.
- Hypokalemia is frequently associated with other biochemical abnormalities and severe underlying conditions, particularly chronic renal failure.
Abstract:
Retrospective review of serum biochemical data obtained from 501 cats over a 3-year period (1984-1987) indicated that 186 (37%) had hypokalemia (serum potassium concentration less than 4.1 mEq/L). After adjusting for disease diagnosis, cats fed either of 2 commercial diets were 4 times more likely to be hypokalemic than cats fed other diets. Odds ratios (OR; measure of association), adjusted for diet type, were calculated to determine the odds of hypokalemia for a given disease, compared with odds of normokalemia for the same disease. Chronic renal failure (OR = 14.4), hepatic disease (OR = 5.7), systemic infectious diseases (viral or bacterial; OR = 2.7), and neuromuscular or CNS disease (OR = 2.4) were all significantly associated (P less than 0.05) with the occurrence of hypokalemia. Significant differences in age or sex between hypokalemic and normokalemic cats were not found. Within the group of 186 hypokalemic cats, hypercholesterolemia (89 cats; 48%), hyperglycemia (88 cats; 47%), high serum urea nitrogen concentration (86 cats; 46%), hyperchloridemia (80 cats; 43%), and high serum creatinine concentration (73 cats; 39%) were the most common biochemical abnormalities. When disease diagnosis was compared among cats with severe hypokalemia (serum potassium concentration less than 3.0 mEq/L) and those with moderate hypokalemia, cats with severe hypokalemia were 3.5 times more likely to have chronic renal failure than cats with less severe hypokalemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)