Everything you need to know about Chronic Kidney Disease (Kidney Failure) in Pets
What kidneys do
Kidneys filter out water and toxins from the blood to form urine, and keep us hydrated. Chronic kidney disease, formerly known as Kidney Failure, are when the kidney values in the blood are too high and the urine is insufficiently concentrated (because the kidneys cannot hold on to water). By the time blood tests (BUN and creatinine) detect increases in kidney values, at least 75% of kidney function is lost.
Signs
Your pet will show increased urination and drinking, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, bad breath, and lethargy. As the disease progresses to the late stages, your pet will urinate less.
Diagnosis
Finding elevated kidney values and low urine specific gravity (dilute urine) in the blood. A newer SDMA test shows decreased kidney function of only 20%, allowing us to intervene earlier.
Causes
Kidney disease is associated with aging, but it is not a normal part of the aging process. This can be caused by stones obstructing the urinary tract, urinary tract infections (UTIs) reaching the kidneys, kidney tumors, toxins, and infections such as leptospirosis. Your vet may recommend abdominal ultrasound, X-rays, and leptospirosis titers to detect the cause.
Complications
Kidney disease can lead to high blood pressure, UTIs, high phosphorous, and strokes (associated with high blood pressure).
Treatment
Treatment aims to slow the disease’s progression through:
Hydration (IV fluids, fluids under the skin, or drinking water)
A “kidney friendly” diet that is lower in protein and phosphorous
Detecting UTIs and treating with antibiotics
Managing high blood pressure with medications
Treating anemia
Maintain low phosphorous
Ensuring the pet eats enough calories, which may require feeding tubes
Frequent blood work and physical examinations
Some dogs need to be hospitalized to bring their values down and rehydrate them.
Kidney transplants for cats are possible, but require finding a suitable donor cat.
Prognosis
Renal disease is progressive and irreversible, and will eventually be fatal, but the disease will progress at different rates depending on the pet. Some (especially cats) can do well for years. I suggest working closely with your vet to manage your pet’s medical needs and ensure they enjoy a good quality of life for as long as possible.