Is it safe to leave a non-functional or dead kidney in my pet?

Question

Should a dead kidney be removed or left alone? I’ve read that it is the lesser of the evils to leave it alone, and I’ve also read that the dead organ can release toxins into the bloodstream and that the body will also attack the dead tissue which causes all kinds of other problems. Which course of action would you recommend? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 14 years and 7 months old | 5.5 lbs

Rodrigo Roca, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, sorry to hear about Randi. Its unlikely that the kidney is dead as this could be very severe and cause life threatening risks. If an organ is truly dead, then it needs to be removed as you are right, these toxins can be several dangerous. Whats more likely to be going on is that Randi likely has a non-functional kidney. The cells are still alive, just not doing their job sufficiently enough. If this is the case, there is no reason to remove the kidney as it is not causing any more harm by leaving it in there. In fact, if your cat has severe kidney disease, then removing a kidney could make its kidney disease worse. Finally, a nephrectomy (kidney removal surgery) is complicated and not benign by any means. There are greater potential for complications with bleeding and pain. You should clarify with your veterinarian wether the kidney is indeed dead or if it is just not functioning adequately. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Is it safe to leave a non-functional or dead kidney in my pet?

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