"Riannon via CatKB.com" u42022@uwe wrote in message
news:8330c810d668a@uwe...
Phil P. wrote:
Old school thinking. 4 is too low. You want to keep the cat's serum
potassium levels in the upper half of the normal range so that the cat
will
still be able to maintain normal serum potassium levels when the body
stores
of potassium are low or when there is a shift in potassium from ECF to
ICF.

Thanks Phil, I'll have to speak with her again. I've been hearing from
others too that their vets didn't recommend potassium supplementation for
their crf cats, even ones who have a lower number than mine. I wonder why
so
many are not up to date on this.

Because there are more mediocre vets around than good ones.

Serum potassium levels are not a good indicator of total body potassium
stores because 98% of the total body stores of potassium are contained in
tissue- not the blood or serum. A cat can have normal or low-normal serum
potassium levels while the total body stores of potassium are low or
depleted. In fact body potassium depletion can occur well before the onset
of hypokalemia.

The principal of giving potassium supplements to renal cats is the same
reason potassium supplements are giving to patients reeceiving fluid
therapy. Fluid therapy produces urine rapidly. Rapid urine formation
promotes potassium excretion. Renal cats are polyuric and polydipsic which
also produces urine rapidly and promotes potassium excretion.

Phil