Renal failure in dogs symptoms, diagnosis, treatment of CKD in Shar Pei. Renal failure in dogs - treatment, symptoms and pathogenesis

Each person is responsible for those whom he tamed. Therefore, if you have a pet, then you need not only to enjoy its existence, stroke it and caress it, play with it and do other things that bring you pleasure. You also need to take care of your pet, because he is not able to do it himself. Especially when it comes to health - absolutely everything is in your hands. Many people ask the question: “What can go wrong?” And the answer to this question can be short and clear - almost everything. Animals can suffer from a wide variety of diseases, and your task is to prevent their occurrence or cure if the disease has already manifested itself. This article will address one of the most well-known problems - kidney failure in dogs. This disease is quite common, and the saddest thing is that most often it manifests itself due to the inattention of the owners. So if you want to save your pet from suffering, you should know absolutely everything about what constitutes kidney failure in a dog.

What it is?

Kidney failure in dogs is a disease that most often develops closer to old age. What does she represent? Throughout a dog's life, its kidneys function at full capacity to filter out all the harmful substances that enter the body. Under such a load, a gradual wear of the internal organ occurs, and the cells begin to fail. Accordingly, they cannot perform their functions, as a result of which toxins penetrate the body, spread through it, slowly killing the dog. Kidney failure is diagnosed when the number of dead cells exceeds half. It is then that the corresponding symptoms begin to be felt. Why so late? Kidney failure in a dog has one feature that you should definitely be aware of if you do not want to allow this disease to manifest itself in your pet.

Cell work

Like any other disease, kidney failure develops gradually. It does not come suddenly, at one moment, so you should think about how to prevent it. However, this is not easy to do. The point is precisely in the feature that was discussed above - it is because of it that kidney failure in dogs cannot be determined with the naked eye. The stages of the development of the disease imperceptibly pass from one to another, since the kidney cells that remain after death take on the functions of those that can no longer perform them. Accordingly, they simply redistribute the load as long as they can do it without harm to the body. When do health problems start to show up? Just after fifty percent of the cells fail, as was said earlier. That is why you need to pay special attention to such a disease as in dogs. You can learn the symptoms and treatment of this disease from this article.

Stages of the disease

Briefly, it is necessary to talk about the issue that has already been raised above. What are the stages of a disease like kidney failure in dogs? Symptoms and treatment are different for each of them, so it is important to know at what stage the disease is. So, the first one is the initial one, which is almost imperceptible. You will have to try hard to notice it, as your pet will not show any obvious symptoms. The clinical stage will be described in this article in as much detail as possible, since it is on it that all the main symptoms become noticeable, and it is also for it that almost all courses of treatment are prescribed. As for the final stage, in no case should you allow it to occur. The fact is that it occurs when more than seventy percent of the kidney cells are destroyed, after which it is almost impossible to restore the organ, and your dog will have a disappointing future. However, it is precisely for you to prevent the onset of the final stage that this article exists, which will provide you with all the necessary information.

Symptoms

You have to learn absolutely everything about such a disease as kidney failure in dogs: treatment, prognosis, and most importantly, the symptoms by which you can determine that something is wrong with your pet. So, the main and most important of them is the strong thirst experienced by the dog. She may drink huge amounts of water, and will try to find it throughout the house and beyond. But this symptom is not the only one - you should also look out for increased urination, decreased appetite and subsequent weight loss in animals, as well as signs of loss of strength, such as lethargy, constant fatigue, lack of mobility. Thus, if your cheerful and joyful pet suddenly refuses to eat and get up from one place, and all he wants is water, then you have a serious problem that you should definitely contact your veterinarian. Simply put, this is kidney failure in dogs. It makes no sense to predict the course of the disease right away - this pathology is not a sentence for the animal. You need to see a doctor to find out at what stage the disease is, and after that you can already find out the course of treatment, and forecasts and recommendations for further care of the animal.

Critical Condition Symptoms

Of course, I don’t want to talk about this - I would like to hope that all dog owners will be attentive enough to their pets to notice the first manifestations of the disease in time. But still it is worth knowing also about what symptoms this disease has not in the first, but in the last stages. Critical in dogs is already manifested by much more unpleasant symptoms. Firstly, in a dog's mouth, numerous ulcers may begin to appear on the mucous membrane - the result of exposure to toxins in the body. Secondly, the dog may begin to lose balance on level ground, and may also experience convulsions and severe shaking. And thirdly, the dog may begin to vomit, in which it will be possible to notice the remnants of undigested food. Also, this vomiting will be accompanied. Naturally, you should not bring your pet to such a critical state, you should not joke with a disease such as kidney failure. You now already know the symptoms of this disease, but there is one more thing that you should pay attention to, and if you do everything right, you may never see any signs of the disease.

Laboratory tests

If you have even the slightest suspicion that your dog is developing kidney failure, you should definitely visit the veterinarian and run some lab tests. The fact is that the efficiency of the kidneys can be easily checked with a blood test for urea and creatinine. As mentioned above, it is impossible to identify the disease in the initial stages, since living cells distribute the functions of the dead among themselves, so the level of urea and creatinine in the blood will be normal. And it is this norm that you should constantly check. For a dog, the presence of one to two milligrams of creatinine and 10-25 milligrams of urea per hundred milliliters of blood is considered normal.

What indicators should be of concern?

Always focus on the upper threshold - if the indicators begin to approach it, then you already have reason to worry. Why try so hard and strain? The bottom line is that, as with most diseases, the sooner kidney failure is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat and the better the prognosis for the dog.

Treatment of the disease

It's time to talk about the most important point regarding such a disease as kidney failure in dogs - treatment. There is only one solution here, and, fortunately, it is quite effective. Your pet will need infusion detoxification therapy. What does it mean? This means that a special solution will be introduced into the body in the form of a liquid, which will cleanse the body of your dog from those toxins that the gradually failing kidneys let through. This therapy will allow attacking the disease from all directions at once.

How does the therapy work?

Firstly, it quenches the pet's thirst, secondly, it rids the animal's body of toxins, and thirdly, it reduces the load on the kidneys, which are already working at the limit of their capabilities. Accordingly, depending on the severity of the disease, this therapy will have its own frequency. If the disease was diagnosed already at the clinical stage, then therapy sessions will need to be carried out daily, but if it was detected at a critical stage, then sessions will have to be carried out more often. So the sooner you can spot your pet's problem, the less problems you and he will have. In addition to fluid therapy, some medications can also be prescribed that can alleviate the course of the disease and contribute to the effectiveness of treatment.

Further therapy

And, of course, in dogs it is a disease that will not go anywhere, since the cells of this internal organ are not restored. You can only normalize the state of the body and then maintain it in working condition on your own. To do this, you will either need to visit the veterinarian periodically for intravenous therapy, or, if the disease was not at a critical stage, this therapy can be administered subcutaneously at home. One way or another, you need to constantly consult with your veterinarian to determine the effectiveness of the treatment and the frequency of further sessions.

Food

Well, the last point that you should focus on is nutrition. When the worst is behind you, you will need to think about what to do next. How to keep your pet in good condition? To do this, you will need to think over his diet in as much detail as possible. Fortunately, a wide variety of dietary pet foods are now available in the public domain, and among them you can find special options designed for dogs with kidney failure.

What to feed a dog?

One of the clearest examples is Hills Prescription Diet Canine, which is available in two varieties. One of them is designed for dogs that suffer from kidney failure, while the other is designed for those animals that suffer from a severe stage of this disease. How is this food different from regular food? It has a completely different composition, which contains much less protein, phosphorus and sodium, that is, those elements that put a greater burden on the kidneys and can contribute to the accumulation of toxins in the body. Instead, these foods have more soluble fiber and vitamins, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Depending on how much the disease has affected the animal's body, the diet can be either permanent, that is, lasting until the end of the pet's life, or temporary. Food for dogs with kidney failure is something you should pay special attention to, do not try to save money on this. If the doctor tells you to buy special medical food, it is better to spend money on it.

Herbal treatment

Many dog ​​owners believe they can handle the disease on their own, seek information about certain herbs such as dandelion, nettle, or alfalfa, and decide they don't need professional help. However, this is a very big mistake - it is impossible to argue with the fact that such herbs, with the right approach, can be of great help in the fight against the disease, but it is impossible to cure kidney failure exclusively with them. So do not torture your animal with attempts at home treatment - always consult a specialist.

Kidney failure in dogs is a fairly serious disease. And if your dog suffers from a similar disease, then you need to be well aware of this disease in order to help your pet heal and continue a full life.

Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Dogs

Quite a severe disease is renal failure. The kidneys do not completely remove from the pet's body those substances that poison it. Phosphorus, calcium, vitamin D3 are poorly absorbed and the acid-base balance is disturbed throughout the body.

A number of infections and toxic substances cause kidney disease. The disease develops due to previous diseases, all kinds of injuries, and even because of low-quality products. This disease can be transmitted genetically. Age-related changes can also cause kidney failure. The concept itself means a disease not only of the kidneys themselves, but also of the adrenal glands too.

Certain symptoms indicate that your pet is suffering from kidney failure. Attention should be paid if

• The dog constantly drinks and suffers from endless thirst. During the day, the animal, having healthy kidneys, drinks up to fifty milliliters of fluid throughout the day. This is based on one kilogram of weight. In case of renal insufficiency, the dose of water consumed is increased to one hundred milliliters.
• Urine excreted by a dog, with a disease of renal failure, increases significantly in quantity. A dog can go to the toilet six to eight times a day. Over time, the kidneys no longer produce the required amount of urine. As a result, she doesn't stand out at all.
• Decreased appetite - may not be accidental. This is one of the most severe symptoms of this disease. At the beginning, the animal begins to sort out food. Then he does not eat even what is offered to him. Loses weight rapidly. As a result, the dog generally refuses to eat.
• Your friend has stopped frolicking. He doesn't care. He became lethargic, sleeps a lot or just lies. This condition of the animal may indicate that the dog is developing kidney failure.
• Vomiting is also one of the symptoms of this disease. At the onset of the disease, vomiting is rare. But over time, they become more frequent. Such a phenomenon can occur after each meal or just drinking water. The pulse quickens.
• Edema appears.
• The mouth becomes inflamed and ulcers appear.
• Vision drops sharply.
• Alternating indigestion and constipation.

Acute renal failure in dogs

The acute form of this disease has a distinctive feature: it develops extremely quickly. It is necessary to contact a specialist in time so that he makes the correct diagnosis. Under this condition, it is possible to cure this disease, as far as possible in each case, although this will require sufficient time. The difficulty lies in the fact that the acute form is quite rare. There are a number of factors that lead to the appearance of the disease.

• So nephrosis or nephritis entails the complete destruction of kidney tissue.
• Worms and the toxins they release lead to kidney disease. A variety of infectious diseases in dogs quite often entail AKI.
• There are a number of congenital diseases in which the kidneys do not cope with their immediate duties.
• It is possible that poisoning also causes this disease.
• A cyst in a dog interferes with the work of the kidneys. But after its removal, the body is restored completely.
• The tumor can provoke the appearance of the disease.
• One factor may be sand or a kidney stone.

The kidneys begin to work poorly if

OPN is divided into the following groups:

1. Prerenal.

At the same time, the pressure drops sharply. This is possible if there is not enough fluid in the body or during heat stroke.

1. Renal.

In the kidneys, tissues and cells are damaged. It can be caused by pyelonephritis, drug poisoning.

1. Postrenal.

In this case, the ureter is compressed, and possibly clogged. This means the presence of stones in the kidneys and ureters. OPN, if it is already secondary, becomes incurable.

Chronic kidney failure in dogs

Distinguish between acute and chronic renal failure in dogs. The acute form of renal failure is very fast in its development. And if you seek help from a specialist in time, who will quickly and correctly establish the diagnosis, you can help your pet. Chronic renal failure often occurs in dogs,

• who have lived for six years or more. But not only age can serve as the onset of the disease.
• It could be genetic heritage.
• And also OPN, formed much earlier.

The whole trouble is that the onset of kidney failure in a dog is not noticed by the owner of the dog for the simple reason that the disease does not have pronounced symptoms. And, therefore, no one is much alarmed. The first signs of CKD are:

• Bad appetite
• Weakness.
• The results of analyzes and certain tests indicate the presence of the disease.
• Increased thirst.

At the first stage of the disease, the dog remains active, frisky. The kidneys still cope with their functions and manage to purify the blood. This is facilitated by a large amount of urine. Further, the kidneys no longer cope with their duties and this entails a deterioration in the health of the animal. Clearly becomes noticeable:

• Weight loss,
• Endurance.
• The activity of the animal is lost.
• The dog drinks a lot.
• The excretion of urine becomes less and less every time. And there are false positives.
• The fur becomes dull.
• Saliva is viscous. Dehydration occurs.
• The temperature drops to thirty-seven degrees.
• There is bradycardia. The pulse rate is less than sixty beats per minute.
• The smell of ammonia comes from the dog's mouth.
• Periodically there are vomiting or vomiting. At the same time, undigested food is visible.
• Swelling of the extremities is quite common. Although this does not always happen.
• The kidneys gradually decrease in chronic renal failure.

The owner of a four-legged friend with such symptoms just needs to go to a specialist. After all, the pet urgently needs help.

Treating a disease in a dog

Renal failure in dogs can be difficult to diagnose early on because the kidneys are a paired organ. If one of the kidneys becomes ill, then the healthier kidney takes over its function for some time. And the body continues to work without any deviations.

Therefore, before proceeding with the treatment of kidney failure in a dog, the doctor will definitely prescribe a number of tests and examinations. In this case, the veterinarian will ask the owner about the living conditions of the dog, its usual behavior. And also to clarify what has changed in the behavior of the animal in recent years. The tests, x-rays, ultrasound examinations allow you to fully reveal the picture of the pet's disease. Based on this, the doctor makes an appointment.

Such a diagnosis requires inpatient treatment. For therapeutic treatment of acute renal failure and chronic renal failure, the same drugs are used. In the treatment of acute renal failure, the cause that led to the attack is eliminated. And with chronic renal failure, the goal is to maintain the vitality of a pet. With such a disease, the animal experiences severe intoxication. First of all, it must be eliminated.

• Intravenously, the animal is injected with a buffer composition, glucose, a physical solution in the form of droppers.
• In addition, the liver and heart are supported by certain drugs.
• Blood transfusion, if necessary, can sometimes also support the life of a pet.
• The use of an "artificial kidney" is also possible. But this will require very high costs.
• To improve the general condition of your pet and improve digestion, you need to take vitamins and probiotics.
• In addition, the doctor prescribes drugs to the caudate patient that can lower blood pressure, and pills or injections are also needed to calm the nervous system.
• To maintain health, a diet for dogs with kidney failure is very important.

It should be noted that the life expectancy of a pet depends on the stage of the disease, its type, as well as the conditions in which the animal is located.

What to feed a dog with such a deficiency

One of the conditions for the treatment of acute renal failure and chronic renal failure, as well as your desire to prolong the life of a pet, is nutrition. Properly selected and balanced selection of products will enable the four-legged friend to live a full and joyful life again. To do this, again, you need to listen to the opinion and advice of a specialist. At the same time, you can cook your own meals for your pet. And you can use special food for this purpose, buying it in specialized stores or veterinary pharmacies.

When choosing food for dogs with kidney failure, certain requirements must be met. But the most important requirement in cooking is a strict restriction of salt intake. It is salt that is the main enemy for those suffering from kidney failure. And if the pet is dear to the owner, then he will carefully adhere to this rule.

But fats in food should be in sufficient quantities. They are necessary to restore the vitality of your pet. The dog's diet should include eggs, butter, yogurt, which has a high percentage of fat content. But you should not use vegetable oil for cooking. When preparing meals at home, it must be remembered that fats should be introduced gradually and in small portions so as not to upset the work of the stomach and intestines.

Protein foods can not be completely excluded from the diet. But it still needs to be limited. You can give your pet two proteins and only one yolk for food. Egg shells can be included in the diet. Just before serving, it must be finely chopped. This use of the shell will allow the absorption of phosphorus. For half a kilogram of any cooked food, you need only one gram of crushed eggshell.

Consumption of dairy products

With some caution and in small quantities, it is necessary to introduce milk and products containing milk, bones. The amount of foods that contain phosphorus directly depends on the severity of the disease. The more difficult the degree of the disease, the less phosphorus should be in the diet of the animal.

Carbohydrates, which have a low amount of phosphorus, should also be used when feeding a dog suffering from kidney failure. You can cook dishes using semolina and rice, as well as white potatoes.

Another very important factor in dietary nutrition is water. Tap water should never be used for cooking, especially for an animal suffering from kidney failure. Therefore, water is taken for culinary products and just for drinking, only filtered.

If your pet does not want to eat, then it is better to cook for him those dishes that he likes. Treat your pet with tasty treats. As the dog recovers, he will eat whatever is offered to him.

There are special dry food for dogs () suffering from kidney diseases. And their range is quite diverse. But before you buy such food, you need to make sure it suits your pet.

It is worth knowing that transferring a dog to a normal diet is possible only after certain treatment and tests, with the permission of a doctor. This is possible if a four-legged friend is diagnosed with acute renal failure. In chronic renal failure, dietary nutrition is constantly observed and cannot be abandoned. If older dogs suffered from kidney failure in a dog in the old days, now PN has become younger. And many younger pets suffer from this disease. Take care and love your pets.

The 21st century has already been marked by a powerful development of veterinary genetics. The hereditary nature of this or that disease is clarified, outwardly similar pathologies each acquire an individual name, because different genes are responsible for their development ...
A natural consequence of these turbulent processes - a "simple" dog breeder begins to get confused in the abundance of information and rapidly changing "labels". For example, Shih Tzu fans have repeatedly complained about terminological ambiguity, and recently one of them, in desperation, asked for help on the phone: one article talks about hereditary nephropathy, another about juvenile kidney disease, and a third about renal dysplasia. .. And the owners of healthy dogs got worried! The slightest hint of the possibility of getting a puppy with fatal genes is perceived very painfully. Indeed, even if one courageously sidesteps the financial question, who wants to lose a pet at a very young age?
Perhaps, let's leave the discussion about the classification to gentlemen scientists, and focus on possible prevention, the real and, alas, formidable consequences of the disease and its early diagnosis. Progressive nephropathy, underdevelopment of one of the kidneys or their cortical substance, polycystosis, glomerulopathy, amyloidosis, Fanconi syndrome (renal tubular dysfunction) and a number of other diseases are transmitted to the descendants, in which the kidneys stop working normally. If your favorite breed has a predisposition to kidney disease, pay extra attention!
For Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso, according to many authors, progressive nephropathy is characteristic of hereditary kidney damage.

Progressive nephropathy- constantly aggravated violation of the structure of the renal tissue. The disease can be hereditary (due to defective parental genes) or congenital (due to some teratogenic factor that “broke” the normal formation of the organ). As a rule, the first signs of chronic renal failure in this pathology appear in a dog already at the age of 4 months to two years. In addition, it can lead to secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) develops as a result of a progressive and irreversible loss of functioning nephrons. In the early stages, it is asymptomatic, which makes timely diagnosis difficult! As a rule, as long as more than 25% of working capacity is maintained in the kidneys, such clinical signs of renal failure as an excess of creatinine and urea in the blood are not observed. A decrease in the specific gravity of urine may appear earlier - after about 67% of the renal parenchyma have ceased to function.

About forty breeds are in the kidney risk group: Samoyed, Doberman, Alaskan Malamute, Norwegian Elghund, Shitzu, Lhasa Apso, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Standard and Miniature Poodle, Pekingese, Golden Retriever, Bedlington Terrier, Boxer, Bulldog, Chow - Chow, Great Dane, Pyrenean Shepherd, Irish Wolfhound, Keeshond, Cocker and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Miniature Schnauzer, Bobtail, Swedish Hound, Portuguese Water Dog, Yorkshire and Cairn Terriers, Rottweiler, Shar Pei, Welsh Corgi, sheltie, collie, beagle, basenji, bull terrier. The only consolation is the low prevalence of the above diseases: the owner is much more likely to encounter not with them, but with a decrease in kidney function in the old age of the dog.

Anxiety symptoms. The first signs of kidney disease can be seen by the owner with the naked (but very attentive) eye, such as increased thirst, frequent urination, and urine with a faint odor and pale color (clearly visible in winter when the dog walks on a little white snow). According to practicing veterinarians, owners of such puppies often complain that they cannot be taught to endure until they go outside.
Virtually all dogs that inherit progressive nephropathy show symptoms before the age of two. Puppies may appear clinically healthy until they develop chronic renal failure. The rate of development of the latter depends on the degree of initial damage to the renal tissue.
As chronic renal failure progresses, intoxication of the body increases, a specific smell from the mouth, vomiting, weight loss, anorexia, lethargy, and muscle weakness appear.

Diagnostics. For owners of dogs at high risk for CRF, experts recommend conducting a control determination of the dog's water intake at least once a year. That is, for 3-4 days in a row, the dog has the opportunity to drink only from a bowl (no puddles or streams), and the owner must take into account the water consumption: twice a day, the bowl must be weighed or the volume of water located there must be measured. The data is recorded, summarized, then they take the average for one day and look at how much the dog drinks water (based on its weight). If more than 100 ml per 1 kg, you should consult your veterinarian. The most important studies are a biochemical blood test (determination of the concentration of urea and creatinine) and ultrasound of the kidneys. The most accurate method is a kidney biopsy (informative in dogs older than two months).

Treatment. If a decrease in kidney function is detected at a very early stage (when there is only increased water intake and copious urination), you can increase your pet's life expectancy and significantly improve its quality. In chronic renal failure, to reduce the production of toxic nitrogenous metabolic products, the dog is transferred to a diet low in protein and phosphorus. According to the indications, drug therapy is prescribed and detoxification is carried out (methods such as hemosorption and dialysis have already become familiar in veterinary practice).
At first glance, it may seem that it is enough to notice signs of some kidney problems in your pet in time, look in the advertising booklet which of the medicated feeds is supposed to be in this case, and rest with a clear conscience: nothing more can be done anyway. This is the wrong position! We categorically recommend contacting a VETERINARY DOCTOR, since impaired kidney function can be caused not only by hereditary changes in their structure, but also by an autoimmune or infectious-inflammatory process and other reasons! And then the lack of adequate therapy aimed at combating the primary disease can worsen the prognosis many times over. In addition, the selection of therapeutic nutrition should be carried out by a specialist and one cannot do without taking tests.

Prevention. Foreign researchers are searching for gene markers for some breeds (there are many breeds and genes, little money for programs). Therefore, prevention is based on the good old genealogical method and selection work. In America and Europe, open registries (databases) are based on many dog ​​diseases, where information about patients and carriers of the disease is entered, as well as the names of healthy dogs that, when mated with a carrier, did not give a single case of the disease in a sufficiently large litter.

Ekaterina Savitskaya
magazine "Friend of dogs" № 3 2008
permission for publication obtained from the editors of the magazine "Friend of Dogs"
copying prohibited

The complex excretory function of the kidneys classifies almost any pathology of the paired organ as a severe and life-threatening pet. The impossibility or difficulty of removing toxic substances from the blood of the body leads to self-poisoning. Kidney failure is not a single developing disease, but a whole complex of symptoms. In veterinary practice, acute and chronic forms of the disease are distinguished.

Read in this article

Causes of kidney failure

Renal failure in dogs has multiple etiologies. Veterinary specialists, based on many years of therapeutic practice, identify the following main causes of renal pathology:

According to the observation of veterinary specialists, representatives of such breeds as Bull Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Shih Tzu, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Pinscher have a tendency to hereditary nephropathology.

There is also an age-related dynamics of pathology. In dogs older than 8 years, renal failure develops 2 times more often than in young pets under 1 year old.

Stages of the course of the disease

In veterinary practice, renal failure syndrome develops in the following stages:

• Latent. In this phase, the owner, as a rule, does not observe obvious clinical signs. In rare cases, general weakness, fatigue, lethargy are found. Clinical studies of urine and blood carried out in this phase may reveal characteristic changes in parameters in the underlying pathology.
• Phase of compensated insufficiency. The stage is characterized by the clinical manifestation of problems with the excretory system. The owner observes increased thirst in the dog and frequent urination. By this time, 50-55% of nephrons have died. The level of urea in the blood can reach 20 mmol / l, the creatinine index - 200 μmol / l.
• Stage of decompensated insufficiency. The number of disabled structural and functional units of the kidneys reaches 80%. The animal has not only problems with urination, but also general symptoms: loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation, weight loss. In blood tests, a persistent increase in urea and creatinine is recorded, which indicates a serious violation of protein metabolism in the body.
• Terminal. At this stage, the ability of nephrons to filter blood is reduced to a minimum. The coefficient of kidney function is reduced to 15%, that is, the death of nephrons is 85%. In the blood, the electrolyte balance is sharply disturbed, uremic intoxication develops. The animal has damage to the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Pathological processes at this stage of nephropathology are irreversible.

With the timely treatment of the owner and competent complex treatment, the animal manages to fully restore the filtering ability of the kidneys. The terminal stage ends, as a rule, with the death of the pet.

Acute and chronic forms

Acute renal failure has a fulminant development and is observed, as a rule, immediately after the cure of the primary disease. With a timely diagnosis and complex therapy, the pathological process in an acute course is reversible and is accompanied by the restoration of the filtering ability of nephrons.

Specialists encounter the chronic form of the disease in veterinary practice more often than the acute manifestation of pathology. As a rule, by the time the clinical picture manifests itself, most of the nephrons are taken out of the functional state, and it is not possible to restore them.

Symptoms in dogs

The manifestation of clinical signs of impaired excretory function in a pet becomes apparent only at the stage of compensated insufficiency. Until this phase, the disease can be suspected only by the results of a clinical examination of the blood.

Veterinary experts note that the symptoms of the disease do not always have characteristic signs, which makes it difficult to timely diagnose. The owner should pay attention to the following symptoms in a four-legged friend:

• Decreased appetite. The dog is reluctant to approach the bowl, picky. The amount of food eaten is reduced.
• Increased. A sick animal drinks a lot and often.
• The owner notes frequent urination in the pet. In the initial stage of the disease, portions of urine are normal. With the development of pathology, there is a decrease in the amount of urine separated, up to the complete absence of urination. In some cases, the owner finds puddles of urine on the floor.
• Depressed, lethargic, apathetic state. The dog often lies, spends a lot of time half asleep. Reluctantly goes for a walk, does not take part in games. The dog has muscle weakness. The animal stoops, moves reluctantly.

• Nausea, frequent vomiting.
• Visible mucous membranes are anemic.
• In a sick animal, edema is observed in the dewlap, fore and hind limbs, in the abdomen.
• Signs of dehydration: dry skin, dull coat, viscous saliva, retraction of the eyeball.
• Violation of nitrogen metabolism leads to an unpleasant ammonia odor from the oral cavity.
• In some cases, dogs have a digestive disorder in the form of diarrhea.
• Body temperature, as a rule, is slightly lowered. The dog has an irregular heartbeat.

Diagnostic methods

Taking anamnesis allows the veterinarian to suspect the development of kidney failure after suffering an infectious or non-contagious disease of the excretory system. During a clinical examination, edema, dehydration, signs of heart failure can be detected. An important diagnostic component is a laboratory analysis of blood and urine.

An increase in urea and creatinine indicates a serious violation of the filtering ability of nephrons and a violation of nitrogen metabolism in the pet's body.

Normally, the urea in dogs is 3.5 - 9.2 mmol / l, and the concentration of creatinine is 26 - 120 μmol / l. With moderate renal insufficiency, the urea index in the blood of a sick animal reaches 28 mmol / l, and in the terminal phase - 50 and above.

The concentration of creatinine in the stage of compensated insufficiency rises to 400 µmol/l, in the terminal - 600 µmol/l. Such high values ​​indicate a complete cessation of the filtration function of the kidneys, poisoning of the body with nitrogenous metabolic products and mean a fatal outcome for the pet.

In addition to indicators of protein metabolism, the mineral also changes in the blood. In the chronic form of the disease, an increase in the concentration of phosphorus in the blood is observed, while the content of calcium falls. Low values ​​of hemocrit during the disease indicate a violation of the process of erythropoiesis in the body of a sick dog. Protein and sugar are found in the urine.

Ultrasound diagnosis allows you to assess the size of the kidneys. As a rule, in the case of the development of an acute form of the disease during the examination, the doctor detects an increase in the organ, and with the development of chronic insufficiency, the kidneys decrease in size. Postrenal pathologies, for example, can also be detected by X-ray examination.

ultrasound examination

Treatment of a four-legged friend

In veterinary practice, there is no fundamental difference between the tactics of treating acute and chronic renal failure. In both cases, the same treatment regimens are used. In the acute form, therapy is aimed at eliminating the provoking factor. With the development of chronic insufficiency, therapeutic forces are compensatory in nature and are aimed at improving the quality of life of the pet and its extension.

An approximate treatment regimen for a sick animal is as follows:

• Infusion therapy to eliminate the effects of dehydration and normalize electrolyte and acid-base balance. Intravenous drips help reduce the burden on the kidneys, help detoxify the body. For this purpose, physiological solutions, Ringer's solution, Polyglukin, Reogluman, Reosorbilact, etc. are used.
• Normalization of the urinary process. A sick dog is prescribed diuretics: Furasemide, Mannitol, Lespenefril. In some cases, the veterinarian uses mechanical diversion of urine by inserting a catheter.
• With the phenomena of a purulent infection, a sick dog is prescribed antibacterial agents of the cephalosporin series.
• Severe vomiting is stopped with antiemetics, for example, Cerucal, Papaverine, Enterosgel.
• With high levels of phosphorus in the blood, it is necessary to bind it. For this purpose, Almagel, Maalox, Aludrox are used. A good effect was noted when using potassium acetate to bind phosphorus and increase calcium in the blood.
• The presence of symptoms of anemia is eliminated with the help of vitamin B12, Ferroglukin, Ursoferan.
• With kidney failure, the heart also suffers. To normalize the work of the myocardium, a sick dog is prescribed Cordiamin, Riboxin, Cocarboxylase.
• If the disease is caused by autoimmune processes in the kidneys, systemic glucocorticoid therapy is successfully used in veterinary practice.

Cleansing the blood with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis allows you to quickly and effectively rid the body of toxins. Specialized veterinary clinics have in their arsenal high-tech devices for hemodialysis in animals. In their absence, the sick pet can undergo peritoneal dialysis.

The essence of the manipulation is to wash the peritoneum, which has a high ability to absorb liquid, through special holes with medicinal solutions.

For symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney failure in dogs, see this video:

Dietary nutrition in pathology

The therapeutic diet for renal failure is characterized by a minimum protein content. The main part of the diet of a sick pet should be fats and carbohydrates. Products should contain a minimum amount of phosphorus, salt is completely excluded. Veterinarians, as a rule, recommend transferring the pet to medicinal feeds specially designed for problems with the excretory system for the duration of treatment.

Prognosis for renal failure

The development of an acute form of the disease has more favorable consequences for the animal, provided timely diagnosis and adequate treatment. This is due to the fact that the detection of clinical signs occurs at a time when the main part of the nephrons has not yet died.

In the chronic form of the disease, the prognosis is cautious. If signs of the terminal stage are found in the animal, the outcome for the animal is unfavorable.

Renal failure in dogs is a severe pathology of the excretory system, accompanied by a violation of nitrogen metabolism and the functions of other organs. Veterinary specialists give a cautious prognosis with the development of a chronic form of the disease. Treatment is aimed at detoxifying the body, restoring the filtering ability of the kidneys, and prescribing symptomatic therapy. In some cases, a lifelong therapeutic diet is prescribed.

Useful video

About the diet for chronic renal failure, see this video:

What is acute kidney failure and why does it occur?

Acute renal failure(ARN) is a serious pathological condition, which consists in a violation of the excretory function of the kidneys. This process has a rapid development, as a rule, is reversible, and is accompanied by sharp changes in the acid-base, water and electrolyte balance, a decrease in the excretion of various substances from the body by the kidneys and, as a result, their accumulation.

The reason for such changes is a sharp decrease in blood flow in the kidneys, damage to the tissue of the kidneys and / or impaired outflow of urine from the kidneys. In other words, acute renal failure happens:

• prerenal(“prerenal”) - develops with a sharp drop in blood pressure and impaired intrarenal blood circulation, due to shock of various origins (bleeding, poisoning, infections, heat stroke), dehydration, heart failure.
• Renal("renal") - develops with bacterial infections of the kidneys (pyelonephritis), inflammatory diseases of the kidneys (acute glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis) and system-wide infectious diseases (leptospirosis). The reason for the development of acute renal failure can be the impact on the tissue structures of the kidneys of various toxic substances (ethylene glycol, salts of heavy metals, aniline), drugs (aminoglycosides, chemotherapeutic drugs, radiopaque substances, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and some other drugs), snake venom. Blockage of the renal tubules by hemoglobin of destroyed erythrocytes during their massive hemolysis, for example, during piroplasmosis or as a result of diseases accompanied by the development of DIC (poisoning with hemolytic poison, severe forms of sepsis), can lead to renal renal failure.
• Postrenal("Postrenal") - develops with blockage or compression of the urinary tract (ureters, bladder or urethra), due to urolithiasis, tumors, prostate enlargement in males and other causes.

In addition to excretory, the kidneys perform a number of other functions in the body - they regulate the composition of blood and other body fluids, participate in water-salt metabolism, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, synthesize biologically active substances that regulate blood pressure and hematopoiesis. Therefore, renal insufficiency (especially chronic) leads to additional disorders, such as a drop in hemoglobin levels, disorders of hormone-dependent functions and calcium metabolism.

Violations of the fluid and electrolyte balance, as well as the accumulation of metabolic products in the blood gives rise to complications from the cardiovascular and nervous systems, leads to gastrointestinal disorders and bleeding, as well as to suppression of the immune system.

How does acute kidney failure manifest?

Clinical signs of acute renal failure are non-specific: general depression, change in urine volume (reduction in urine volume, up to complete cessation of urination), weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or lack of it, increased heart rate, swelling, pallor or redness of the mucous membranes. The severity of clinical manifestations can vary from minor disorders, imperceptible to the owner, to the most severe disorders.
If any of these symptoms are detected, the animal should be taken to the clinic immediately.

Which patients are most likely to develop acute renal failure?

The high-risk group includes patients suffering from kidney disease, severe injury or systemic disease (pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, liver disease). Additional risk factors include dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, low or high blood pressure, fever, sepsis.

How a Doctor Diagnoses Acute Kidney Failure

The diagnosis of acute renal failure is made on the basis of information provided by the owner of the animal (anamnesis), examination, and most importantly, the results of laboratory tests. An important symptom is a decrease in the amount of urine excreted by the animal (oliguria) or its complete absence (anuria). On examination, all or some of the following signs may be detected: the smell of urine in the exhaled air, pallor of the mucous membranes, weakness, signs of dehydration, low temperature. The kidneys may be enlarged and painful. According to laboratory tests, there is a rapid development of azotemia, that is, an increase in the content of urea and creatinine in the blood (they are the main indicators of kidney function). In addition, the level of phosphorus and acidity of the blood usually increase. Urinalysis reveals the presence of protein and glucose, as well as cylinders and cells of the renal epithelium in the sediment, the appearance of salt crystals and erythrocytes is also possible. In addition, X-ray diagnostics are used, including the introduction of special substances into the blood (for example, to exclude kidney stones, determine their size, the level of blood supply to the kidneys and other pathologies), ultrasound diagnostics and, in some cases, kidney biopsy.

Treatment

Treatment of patients with acute renal failure should be comprehensive and aimed at eliminating the cause, stimulating diuresis, correcting fluid and electrolyte imbalances, acid-base disorders, removing accumulated toxins from the body, and eliminating systemic complications. These patients require intensive care in an inpatient department of the clinic.

First of all, doctors try to eliminate the cause that caused the development of acute renal failure (shock, bleeding, dehydration, infection, heart failure, etc.), which may itself contribute to the restoration of diuresis. With established postrenal renal failure, it is necessary to ensure a free outflow of urine as soon as possible (insertion of a urinary catheter, pumping urine with a syringe through the abdominal wall, or with the help of a surgical operation). In parallel, measures are being taken to restore an adequate process of formation and excretion of urine (drugs are prescribed that improve intrarenal blood flow, microcirculation in the tissues of the kidneys, diuretic drugs that are administered intravenously, strictly dosed using intravenous dispensers under the constant supervision of the attending physician).

To correct the water-electrolyte balance, acid-base disorders, infusion therapy is necessary. The choice of treatment tactics depends on the nature of the underlying and concomitant diseases, the degree of kidney damage and the general condition of the patient. Infusion therapy is usually continued until the content of urea and creatinine reaches normal levels, adequate diuresis is established and the patient's general condition is stabilized.

During the treatment period, it is necessary to constantly monitor the vital functions of the body of a sick animal: evaluate its clinical condition, the volume of urine excreted per hour, urea and creatinine, electrolytes and blood gases, red blood indicators - hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, blood color index (for control over the development of anemia), as well as other laboratory indicators.

A complication of kidney failure may be an increase in the content of potassium ions in the blood, which can lead to muscle weakness and heart rhythm disturbances. Vomiting is a common complication of kidney failure. Its cause may be the action of toxins on the central nervous system and / or peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract. To prevent this complication, drugs that protect the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and antiemetics are used.

In the case of the development of irreversible pathological changes in the renal tissue, when kidney function is not fully restored, acute renal failure passes into a chronic stage, which gradually develops and is characterized by progressive irreversible damage to the renal parenchyma. The terminal stage of chronic renal failure is acute renal failure, but it is irreversible and the prognosis in this case is unfavorable.

For patients with severe, unrecoverable electrolyte and other disorders, as well as for patients in the terminal stage of chronic renal failure, peritoneal dialysis is indicated. This procedure is carried out only in the clinic. For dialysis, an animal is placed in the abdominal cavity under general anesthesia, through which a special liquid is injected and left in the abdominal cavity for a certain time. During this period, harmful substances pass into this fluid from the body, and an exchange of electrolytes and water occurs. The fluid is then removed from the abdominal cavity. The process is periodically repeated.

Despite timely medical assistance and adequate treatment, patients often die from acute renal failure, due to the development of irreversible, life-incompatible disorders in the body.

Food

Animals with kidney failure must receive nutrients. If the animal feeds on its own, then all that is needed is to feed it with special therapeutic dietary feeds. The kidney failure diet is characterized by a reduced amount of protein, phosphorus and sodium in the dog's diet.

If there is no appetite, but there is no vomiting, then they resort to feeding through a tube. If vomiting is present, then parenteral nutrition is used (intravenous administration of solutions of amino acids, lipids and glucose).