Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we consult for a huge number of families with an enormous variety of health concerns in their pets. Once diagnosed by a veterinarian, our packages aim to support your pet with a more natural view. One of the conditions we are asked about a lot, is Hypophosphatemia. This is a condition that occurs in both dogs and cats, so this blog may be a handy read for both owners of cats and dogs.
Hypophosphatemia is the clinical term for low phosphorous levels being present in the blood. This condition is far more common in dogs than it is in cats. Hypophosphatemia is associated with a host of other health conditions, and can cause a variety of health conditions in itself. Some of the conditions commonly caused by Hypophosphatemia include:
- Bone Diseases: Rickets is a bone disease often caused by low phosphorous levels, and is specifically a bone growth disease – it ultimately causes bone softening to occur, as well as deformities, especially in puppies and kittens! Another common bone disease caused by Hypophosphatemia is Osteomalacia which is a very similar bone softening disease, but found more commonly in adults.
- Muscle Weakness: muscles may become weaker, and the pet may become more physically unstable, and may appear slimmer with little muscle tone.
- Respiratory problems: in rare, severe cases, respiratory issues can occur as a result of low blood phosphorous.
- Heart Failure: another rare condition to come of low phosphorous levels, in the more severe cases.
- Seizures: again, while rare, seizures can occur as a direct result of severe Hypophosphatemia.
Findings Here
Findings Here
Symptoms and Causes
The clinical presentation of Hypophosphatemia changes depending on the severity of the deficiency in your pet. The trickier side of these symptoms, is that they are common in a variety of health issues, not just Hypophosphatemia! This can make diagnosis more difficult.
If your pet has mild Hypophosphatemia, you can expect to see some of, or all of the following symptoms:
- Muscle weakness: a change in gait, difficulty climbing stairs, weakness when getting up from a bed or laying position, or difficulty standing for long periods.
- Reduced, or total loss of appetite: pets may have a reduced appetite, or stop eating all together.
- Lethargy: unwillingness to be active for usual periods of time. Pets may be less alert.
- Disorientation: leaning or wobbling when standing may occur
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If your pet has severe Hypophosphatemia, you may see the above symptoms, as well as some of the following:
- Seizures: neurological activity can occur due to the lack of phosphorous in the blood.
- Ataxia: loss of coordination is another possible neurological symptom often seen in those with a severe deficiency of phosphorous in the blood.
- Constipation: this can occur due to paralysis of the intestines, meaning faecal matter cannot be pushed through the digestive system in order to be expelled. This condition is called Ileus.
- Irregular Heartbeat: arrythmias can be detected by your vet using a stethoscope. This is a symptom of severe blood phosphorous deficiency.
- Haemolytic anaemia and Haemolysis: abnormalities in red blood cell counts during bloodwork may show red blood cell destruction. These conditions are a symptom of severe Hypophosphatemia.
- Breathing difficulties: these often come hand in hand with heart conditions, and are a symptom of Hypophosphatemia.
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When we look into the possible causes of Hypophosphatemia, there are a number of possible reasons for it’s onset. Let’s take a look at them:
- Dietary Deficiencies: if the pet’s diet is lacking in phosphorous, hypophosphatemia is a risk. This may be found in those fed a poor quality diet.
- Renal Disease: disease in the kidneys can cause hypophosphatemia through two pathways – increased excretion of phosphorous in urine, and reduced ability to reabsorb phosphorous in the kidneys.
- Hyperparathyroidism: when the parathyroid gland (which is involved in the calcium:phosphorous ratio) is overactive, phosphorous loss is increased.
- Cushing’s Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism): phosphorous imbalances are common in those with Cushing’s Disease.
- Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis): this disease in cats is a contributor to phosphorous loss.
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis: severe phosphorous loss can be caused by this condition which occurs as a result of complications in diabetic animals.
- Poor Intestinal Absorption: in those with poor gut health, absorption of phosphorous in the gut can cause deficiencies.
- Phosphorous Redistribution: deficiencies in phosphorous occur when there is a shift from extracellular fluid (the blood) to intracellular fluid (the cells in the body)
- Specific Intravenous Therapies: some IV fluids can cause a reduction in phosphorous in the blood.
Findings Here
Findings Here
Findings Here
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Hypophosphatemia is a simple process. Your veterinarian will take a blood sample, and analyse it. The test is called a ‘Serum Phosphate Test’. Once this analysis is complete, your vet will inform you as to whether your pet’s phosphorous levels are within the ‘normal’ range of results.
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Conventional Treatment
When it comes to treatment your vet may offer, they will first and foremost look at underlying causes. Each individual cause will have a different treatment plan, so it is important to work with your vet on these.
Depending on the severity of your pet’s Hypophosphatemia, phosphorous supplementation will be advised. More severe cases may have phosphorous supplementation intravenously, but most cases will be advised to give oral supplements.
Some veterinarians will also advise on changing your pet’s diet to one with extra phosphorous.
Frequent check ups will be carried out by your veterinary team to keep an eye on your pet’s blood phosphorous levels.
Findings Here
Findings Here
A Natural Approach to Hypophosphatemia
As always, our approach is often supported by veterinary care, so we tend to look at this as a complementary approach as opposed to alternative.
Here are some of our considerations:
- Feed fresh: Poor dry food will most likely be lacking in various micronutrients despite its ‘complete and balanced’ label. Nutrient levels may be affected due to the numerous periods of exposure to high heat and the subsequent nutrient loss. Synthetic nutrients are often sprayed onto the kibble at the end of production. These synthetic nutrients may not be the most biologically appropriate option of nutrient intake.
- Include phosphorous rich foods: adding in plenty of phosphorous rich foods may be greatly beneficial to ensure adequate amounts of phosphorous are consumed. Some examples of these food sources include:
- Red meat
- Poultry
- Nuts and seeds
- Fish
- Offal (kidney and liver in particular)
- Consider mineral testing: carrying out a hair strand mineral test alongside a blood mineral analysis can help you look for not only phosphorous deficiencies, but other nutritional deficiencies which may have a knock-on effect on phosphorous levels in the blood.
- Work on gut health: as poor absorption of phosphorous in the gut is a possible cause of Hypophosphatemia, ensuring gut health is good is important. With so many stressors on gut health surrounding us and our pets daily, gut healing supplements such as mucilage herbs, and probiotics are must-gives! Our all-in-one supplement, Gut Guardian may be your pet’s gut-best-friend!
- Consider natural support for any underlying conditions: our blog covers most aspects of health, including many possible underlying causes of Hypophosphatemia. If your dog has had a diagnosis of an underlying condition, please do utilise our blogs for help with natural support!
Findings Here
Findings Here
If your cat or dog experiences any of the aforementioned symptoms, and a positive diagnosis of Hypophosphatemia has been given, you may wish to book in with one of our team to discuss your tailored diet and natural support plan!
Team MPN x
