Renal transplantation in cats with chronic renal failure

Renal transplantation was performed on 6 cats with chronic renal failure. Clinical signs and the blood chemistry findings (BUN, Cr, IP) improved one week after renal transplantation. Renal anemia also improved 3-4 weeks after surgery. Two cases had the same complications, hydronephrosis and hydroureter within 1 or 2 weeks of surgery, evidenced by marked elevations of BUN and Cr, suggesting that ureteral obstruction at the site of ureterocystostomy is the main complication of renal transplantation in cats. As a new resolution for this problem, we transplanted the ureter with the intact ureteral opening of the bladder from the donor in the remaining 4 cats. Ureteral obstruction was not observed in them, thus the procedure was considered to be useful for avoiding this complication. Two cats died of pneumonia and other complications within 3 months. There were no acute rejections or side effects from the immunosuppressant during the observation period in the remaining four cats.