When we talk about renal failure in dogs, symptoms and treatment, we mean a disease that can affect one or both kidneys and cause changes in their functioning, changes that can occur acutely, that is, sudden or chronic, when the kidney system gradually degenerates.
In this peritoAnimal article we will describe the causes of this failure, the symptoms it produces and can be observed in dogs, as well as the most appropriate veterinary treatment to maintain a good quality of life as soon as possible.Keep reading and find out, how to tell if your dog has kidney failure.
- The kidneys are responsible for filtering the blood and thus removing the residual substances through the urine.
- When there is a failure in this system.
- Which can occur for several reasons.
- The body will try to compensate it.
- So we will not notice any symptoms.
- Until the damage is already very advanced.
- So renal failure in dogs can manifest acutely or chronically.
- The most common symptoms.
- Polydipsia (increased water consumption) and polyuria (increased urination).
- Will occur in both cases.
- It is that in the manifestation of acute renal failure in dogs.
- Symptoms will appear suddenly.
- Causing a severe clinical picture; in chronics.
- Symptoms persist for months.
- During which the kidneys deteriorate until they can no longer.
- Affecting the entire body and eventually causing the animal to die.
Renal failure in dogs over 10 years has a significant impact, while it is rarer in young dogs; in older animals, the observed symptom may be that the dog starts urinating at home; behind this incontinence there may be an increase in urine removal because the kidney does not work well Kidney disease in older dogs is consequence of age Sometimes it is a heart problem that ends up affecting the kidneys It is important that dogs, from the age of 7, be taken to the hospital go to the hospital at least once a year for a thorough check , which will allow these diseases to be detected early.
When kidney disease occurs in young dogs, it can be the effect of another condition, which can also occur at any age, for example, kidney failure in dogs with leishmania occurs because it damages the kidneys, there are other possible causes such as infection, such as leptospirosis, intoxication, urinary obstruction or heat stroke; at other times, kidney failure is a side effect of some medications; In these cases, the root cause of the damage must be addressed.
Symptoms of kidney failure in dogs include
In short, all these symptoms of kidney failure in dogs are caused by the effects of a dysfunction of the kidney system and affect the whole body.If you notice any of these symptoms, take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Kidney disease in dogs can be diagnosed by urine and blood tests; in the first case, the value of urinary density is important because the sick animal will not concentrate it; the blood test checks the parameters to determine kidney function, such as creatinine and urea; it also determines if there is anemia or not and important parameters such as phosphorus or albumin are also evaluated. also affected by other parameters, such as muscle mass. Early diagnosis is essential to determine treatment. It is also convenient to measure blood pressure and abdominal x-rays or ultrasound can be done.
Read more about: Elevated creatinine in dogs: symptoms, causes and treatment
In cases where renal failure in dogs occurs acutely, intensive veterinary treatment, which usually includes admission and fluid therapy, as well as medicines that stabilize the animal and control symptoms, is essential.
In chronic cases, treatment of kidney disease in dogs usually includes:
In the market we find rations and cans specially formulated for the care of the kidney system, it is important that the food is nutritious and contain high quality proteins, in addition if the food is wet increases the consumption of water, which is very necessary for these animals And if you prefer a natural diet, you can make a homemade diet for the kidney failure of your dog.
We need to make sure that the dog drinks water properly. Veterinarians should assess the need for serum, whether oral, subcutaneous, or intravenous. To promote the comfort of the puppy, you should give him more chances to urinate if you increase the frequency of urination.
To control symptoms: these can be used to treat secondary symptoms of the disease, such as those given to control vomiting.
Maintenance drugs: those prescribed to promote the quality of life of the animal.There is scientific evidence on some of them that prove to be effective in prolonging the lives of sick dogs, such as ACE inhibitors.
It is advisable to repeat the tests two or more times a year, depending on the evolution of the disease, in addition, an intensive veterinary check can treat the symptoms that appear as soon as they appear, which will result in a better quality of life.
Acute renal failure in dogs is curable, although it is possible that irrecoverable lesions have occurred, which depending on their size will have more or less impact on the future life of the dog, chronic cases are incurable and progressive, so it is prescribed Treatment can only control symptoms and try to maintain the quality of life of the dog for as long as possible , that will be the purpose of the treatments we have discussed.
In some cases, this condition can lead to canine depression, especially in the case of an elderly dog, so it is important to take it to the veterinarian as soon as the first symptoms are diagnosed.
Veterinarians classify renal failure in dogs at different stages, depending on their severity, the milder the diagnostic phase of the dog, the greater the life expectancy, in general, since these phases correspond to the initial moments of the disease, in which early intervention is promoted.In this classification four stages are distinguished, I the mildest and the IV the most serious, in the last two will appear symptoms that complicate the condition and, therefore, worsen the prognosis, in these cases the life expectancy of a dog with renal failure can be a few months, so when deciding the treatments must be taken into account not only the amount of life , but preferably its quality.
Read also: How to tell if my dog is blind
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Degenerative Diseases section.