Kidney disease can occur in dogs of all ages and develop in acute or chronic form. Although the symptoms of these diseases are usually similar, long-term prognosis is strong vary depending on their cause. Next you will find an overview. symptoms, causes and treatments for dogs with kidney disease.
A quick look at normal kidney function
The kidneys are a paired organ located in the abdominal cavity. They have several important functions. They filter blood to remove waste products such as urea and ammonia that are removed through channels called the ureters into the bladder. Kidney produce several important hormones, such as erythropoietin, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells. Besides of this, they regulate blood pressure, maintaining balance salt and water, as well as acid-base balance. Kidneys are made up of numerous structures called nephrons, each of which serves to filter and produces urine.
With kidney disease, these functions may be impaired, in resulting in a characteristic set of symptoms.
Terminology
Terminology for kidney disease can be quite confusing. You can hear the word “kidney” – it’s just adjective meaning “kidney”. “Kidney disease” means lesion focus, which is located within the kidney, and under the “renal deficiency “refers to a state of decreased renal function. Renal failure occurs with a lesion of approximately three quarters of nephrons in both kidneys. When this happens, the kidneys become unable to produce concentrated urine and remove waste from the blood (a condition also known as azotemia).
Chronic kidney disease is the most common impaired renal function in dogs and is defined as “functional or structural abnormality of one or both kidneys. “CBT results in irreversible loss of nephron function, which in turn leads to to decreased kidney function. By definition, chronic disease the kidney occurs after damage to the kidneys or a decrease in their function on for 3 months or more.
Acute kidney disease occurs when sudden kidney damage occurs. In practice, as a rule, the damage is so serious that acute renal failure.
What are the symptoms of kidney disease?
Symptoms in dogs with chronic kidney disease usually worsen for several weeks or even months. These may include yourself:
- increased thirst
- increased urination (sometimes unfortunate cases “in the house or in the car)
- decreased appetite
- vomiting
- weight loss
- lethargy
- bad breath
In case of acute renal failure, symptoms occur very unexpectedly and, as a rule, in a very serious form. Many Symptoms are similar to those listed above. Other symptoms may be:
- weakness and fainting
- depression
- stomach ache
- disorientation, behavior change
- cramps
- pale gums and other mucous membranes (anemia)
- blindness (due to high blood pressure)
What are the causes of kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease:
There are many potential causes leading to chronic kidney disease, therefore often the root cause of the disease cannot be determined. The main reasons are:
- hereditary condition of the kidneys (most common in purebred dogs)
- infections
- poisoning
- immune disorders
- kidney tumors
- urine outflow obstruction
Acute renal failure:
- Absence or low blood supply to the kidneys, for example, due to dehydration.
- Poisoning, for example, due to accidental ingestion of poisons.
How are kidney diseases diagnosed?
Veterinarian may suspect a dog for kidney disease after familiarization with her medical history and physical examination. After this will likely require blood and urine tests to confirm the diagnosis and exclude any other reasons. As well as As a rule, blood pressure is checked. Other tests may be an x-ray of the abdominal cavity or an ultrasound of the kidneys. Sometimes a kidney biopsy is performed, but this procedure is associated with a small risk.
How to treat kidney disease?
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and symptoms, its causes and whether the disease is acute or chronic.
Chronic kidney disease is usually irreversible, but it can control to reduce symptoms and slow down progression to renal failure or renal failure. If the root cause of the disease is known, then the prognosis of treatment depends it is from her. For example, in the case of a bacterial infection, should antibacterial therapy should be performed. Product restriction and phosphorus-containing feeds and omega-3 fatty acid supplements (e.g. fish oil) is useful for dogs suffering from chronic kidney disease. Also available for such dogs specially designed feed. ACE inhibitors help improve blood flow to the kidneys and prevent high arterial pressure.
Dogs with acute renal failure can sometimes supported by symptomatic treatment. In some cases, renal function may be restored, however, and short-term and long-term prospects depend on the cause and the severity of kidney damage. Usually the treatment consists of intravenous infusion therapy for several days or weeks. Dogs with acute renal failure need careful monitoring the acid-base balance, changes of which can be life threatening. Vomiting and loss of appetite should be taken under control. The vet may need to do regular blood tests to determine how the dog responds to treatment, but your pet’s behavior and appetite will also be good indicators. With the appearance of appetite and well-being the intensity of treatment may decrease, but, in any case, long-term and regular monitoring of the dog is required.
How to prevent kidney disease in a dog?
Kidney disease is the case when you can do little. done to prevent it. However, there are several Tips to Reduce Your Dog’s Risk:
- Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs – therefore, never give them to the dog and keep in inaccessible to them place.
- Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) can also lead to acute renal deficiencies – it tastes sweet, which can be tempting for an unsuspecting dog.
- Check the relevance of vaccinations in your dog – leptospirosis can lead to illness and kidney failure.
As a preventative measure, follow the recommendations:
- Show your old dog to your veterinarian regularly once a year (ideally every 6 months). Blood or urine tests help identify kidney disease at an early stage.
- Measure your dog’s water intake every month. If it begins to grow, then this may be a sign of kidney disease or another disorder. Normal water intake is usually not should exceed 100 ml per kg of dog weight during the day. But, remember, if a dog’s diet consists of dry food, then he or she can drink some more!
- Of course, control your dog for the above symptoms and show it to the vet if you are worried.
