Kidney disease in dogs and cats can have many different causes but the end result is the same. Kidney disease leads to a decreased ability to filter the body's waste products leading to an increase of those waste products in the blood stream of the dog or cat.
Diagnosing Canine or Feline Kidney Disease Starts with a Physical Examination and History
The first thing your veterinarian will want to do is conduct a thorough physical examination. Your pet will examined from head to toe, looking for any abnormal changes.
Your veterinarian will also likely ask you some important questions about your dog or cat's history. Some questions to be prepared to answer include:
- Have you noticed a change in your pet's water consumption? Is he drinking more water or less water than previously?
- Have your dog or cat's urinary habits changed? Is your dog going outside to urinate more often? Is your cat visiting the litter box more frequently?
- Has there been a change in your pet's appetite?
- Has your pet been vomiting or had any diarrhea?
Blood Tests Commonly Used to Diagnose Kidney Disease in Dogs and Cats
There are a number of different blood tests that your veterinarian will want to look at to help evaluate your pet's kidneys. These are some of the most common.
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is one of the most commonly used tests in diagnosing kidney disease. Kidney disease in both dogs and cats typically causes an increase in the BUN. However, BUN can be elevated in diseases or conditions other than kidney disease as well.
- Creatinine is another test that is commonly used. Like the BUN, creatinine is a measure of the amount of a specific nitrogenous waste product found in the blood. The creatinine value will be elevated in kidney disease. However, other canine and feline diseases can cause an increase in creatinine. As a result, though an increase in either the BUN or creatinine, or both, may be indicative of kidney disease, elevations of these values alone does not prove a pet has kidney disease.
- Phosphorus blood levels are usually measured as well and are typically increased in kidney disease.
- Calcium blood levels, particularly ionized calcium levels, are usually monitored. Calcium levels in kidney disease may be increased, decreased or normal depending on the dog or cat's individual circumstances.
- Potassium levels in the blood may be increased or decreased, depending on whether the kidney disease is acute or chronic in nature.
- In addition, red blood cell values are an important consideration in kidney disease. Dogs and cats with kidney disease frequently suffer from anemia and red blood cell values may be lower than normal.
Urine Testing in a Dog or Cat with Kidney Disease
Abnormalities in the urine are common in dogs and cats suffering from kidney disease also. These are some of the most common urine tests performed to detect kidney disease.
- Urine specific value is a measure of how well your pet is able to concentrate his urine. In kidney disease, urine specific gravity is lower than normal because of the loss of increased volumes of fluid through the kidneys. Urine specific gravity should be evaluated in conjunction with the BUN and creatinine values to reach a diagnosis of kidney disease. Other diseases can affect the specific gravity of the urine as well.
- UPC (urine protein:creatinine ratio) is a measure of the amount of protein present in your dog or cat's urine. In kidney disease, increased amounts of protein may be lost through the kidneys. However, there are other diseases than can cause protein in the urine besides kidney disease.
There is no one test alone that can accurately evaluate the kidneys of a dog or cat. There are many different tests that need to be considered to reach a diagnosis of kidney disease. However, routine blood and urine testing can lead to an early diagnosis of kidney disease in many cases. When this is the case, instituting treatment for kidney disease earlier in its course may increase your pet's survival time or even save his life.
Join the Conversation