Kidney Failure in Dogs – What You Should Know About Kidney Failure in Dogs
Kidney failure in dogs can be a devastating experience both for you and your furry friends. The thought of possibly losing your beloved pet is enough to make you frustrated and depressed. But how can you find out if your dog has a failing kidney, and what are the ways of treating this chronic illness?
Symptoms
Kidney failure is a common disease not only in dogs, but in cats as well. It mostly occurs in aging animals. Early signs may be an increase in water consumption, and an increase in urine production. However, most animals don’t show these symptoms – not until 70% to 75% of their kidney function has failed. For more advanced kidney problems, your dog may show loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, ulcers in the mouth, and a very bad breath.
Treatments of Dog Kidney Problems
For pet owners, kidney failure in dogs is a serious condition. With the proper treatment and care, you can help your dog lengthen its life for a longer time.
Dogs’ kidneys may also be ‘restarted’ through intravenous fluids to flush out the kidneys. Diuresis, as this process is called, may help to make the kidney cells function once more. If there would be enough kidney cells to function, they can help waste removal from the body again. Electrolytes, dextrose and potassium may also help. Proper nutrition and high-quality food are used during dieresis to control diarrhea and vomiting.
Diuresis may resume kidney functions for a few weeks to a few years, or they may function again, but fail as soon as the treatment ceases. There’s also the possibility of kidney functions not returning anymore.
Animals with kidney problems usually undergo a low-protein, low-sodium and low-phosphorus diet. This diet reduces mineral deposits in the kidneys, and generates less nitrogenous excesses, which can cause vomiting at high levels. Low-protein diets mean a decrease of workload on the kidneys. In addition, phosphorus is filtered out of the body through the kidneys, so a low-phosphorus diet can help a lot. A high level of phosphorus in the body leads to poor appetite, so certain medications which help bind phosphates inside the intestines can also help your dog.
Fluids should be continuously given subcutaneously (under the skin.) This process helps the kidney to restart itself, and should be done once a day or once a week. The frequency depends on the degree of the kidney failure.
Make use of medicines and drugs to stimulate the bone marrow so that it would give out new red blood cells to your dog’s body. Since the kidneys manufacture erythropoietin, that hormone stimulates the production of red blood cells through the bone marrow. Most dogs with kidney failure have anemia because this hormone isn’t being produced by the kidney, thereby it cannot stimulate the bone marrow, as well. There are some artificial or synthetic forms of erythropoietin which may mimic the real hormone to help produce red blood cells. However, some dogs may consider this synthetic hormone as a foreign body and make antibodies to battle it.
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Dog Kidney Problems: How Can You Help with Dog Kidney Problems?
Dog kidney problems might sound like a nightmare to dog owners and dog lovers. An impaired set of kidneys means that your dog won’t be able to remove his wastes, and can lead to his untimely death. While other owners don’t seem to know what to do, there are some who take this seriously and do everything that they can to help their dogs.
But how do you know if your dog has a kidney disease? Although signs may not show until about 70% of your dog’s kidney functions has ceased, there are still some observable symptoms that might help you determine if he has failing kidneys. Here is a simple list of symptoms and signs that you might observe.
* Your dog might increase his water intake.
* Your dog might have an increase in his urine production.
* Your dog might have a very bad breath.
* Mouth ulcers can be seen.
* Vomiting, diarrhea and nausea may occur.
* Your dog may have a sudden loss of appetite.
If you see some of these symptoms in your dog, bring him to a veterinarian immediately. However, if you have confirmed that your dog has kidney problems, then here are some things that you and his veterinarian can do to help ease the pain and maybe even lengthen his life.
* Restart your dogs’ kidneys. You can stimulate his kidneys to produce functioning kidney cells which can help his waste removal. This is done by ‘diuresis,’ or inserting fluids into the veins to flush out the kidneys. Although there is no assurance that it can really bring back your dogs’ kidney functions, it still brings hope. Your dog might have a functioning kidney for a few weeks or years after the process, he might have enough functioning kidney cells after dieresis but fail again after, or he might not recover his kidneys at all.
* Medications which bind phosphorus can help your dog regain his appetite. Because kidneys are responsible for the removal of phosphate in his body, he might have mineral deposits in his body which leads him to loss of appetite. Switching your dog to a low-phosphate diet can help lighten his kidney workload.
* Dog kidney problems impair the production of a hormone called erythropoietin which stimulates his bone marrow to produce new red blood cells. The result maybe dog anemia, which can be fatal as well. Synthetic forms of erythropoietin maybe administered, although they might be rejected by his body if he does not tolerate it. He might develop antibodies against this synthetic hormone.
* Electrolytes and potassium can help your dog with his kidney problems. Fluids sent under the skin, or subcutaneously, will help keep him hydrated and help the kidney to restart. The frequency of this process depends on how serious his kidney problems are.
* A low-protein diet further lessens the workload of your dog’s kidneys.
* Moral support and love from you can help your dog fight this serious illness, and hopefully add more years to his life.
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Dog Kidney Problems – The Role Of Protector Is Mutual
History shows that dogs have always been an integral part of our world and in these modern times dog kidney problems have become an emotional and financial stress for many households.
For those early hunter/gatherers, it is easy to see why the dogs were important. The dogs were faster, more agile and had sharper senses. Our family dog, even as an old boy, can hear the lid of the biscuit tin open, smell the delicious contents, vault the sofa and gallop down the hall to the kitchen, before any of the children get a chance to say custard cream. Though dogs are still used as hunting and herding companions, it is their other early roll, as protector, that has developed over the many years to win them their rightful place as family member. The role of protector is now mutual, as well as providing them with food, shelter and love we must also watch out for kidney problems in dogs.
Taking our pets to the vet for regular check ups and screening for kidney problems in dogs if the same as taking our children for their annual health checks. Everyone gets very anxious when sickness strikes any family member. When one of the children had chicken pox, the dog sat a bedside vigil. If we were to miss the early signs of kidney failure in our dog, the whole family would be distressed by his suffering and ultimately his passing.
It is easy to miss the symptoms of dog kidney problems, so often the news of this fast acting kidney failure in dogs, leaves the family feeling helpless and guilty that they ought to have acted sooner. Even if you have spotted some sort of problem, it can frequently be misdiagnosed. The outcome is much sunnier for an early diagnosis, as the initial damage is less.
Veterinary bills can be crushing. Initial costs include blood tests, consultations and kidney flushing. You may well find yourself facing a further period of anywhere from a few weeks to several years paying for treatment, even if your dog does respond well at this stage.
At the end of each month, you have the gruelling choice of what to spend, what little money you have left, on? More kidney flushing, more medication, or new toys, books or game consoles? Explaining this terrible choice to the children can be beneficial and increase their compassion, but it’s heartbreaking all the same. Our income already only stretches so far. A kidney transplant is probably out of the question unless you have good pet insurance, which is usually low on the priority list for most families trying to make ends meet.
Perhaps the best plan of action is to PREVENT these kidney problems by following research into its causes. Research is beginning to show links with diet, specifically in the dried dog food arena and although we have always believed that kidney problems in dogs are usually symptoms of old age, more young animals are being diagnosed with related problems., blaming toxins, bacteria and GMO’s to name but a few. Research into these causal links will hopefully make dog kidney problems a thing of the past.
Time is of the essence, as kidney problems in dogs can escalate very quickly. You can find a well researched ebook called ‘The Truth About Kidney Failure in Dogs’ here:- www.Kidney-Failure-In-Dogs.com It may just save your dog’s life!