Where are the dog's kidneys: location, kidney function, kidney disease

Predisposing factors

As mentioned above, all these pathologies are especially characteristic of dogs that have already reached old age. They are much less common in young dogs. In acute cases, the animal’s condition quickly and suddenly deteriorates. The chronic course is characterized by a slow increase in the intensity of clinical signs and a gradual deterioration in your pet’s health.

The characteristics of the course of the disease largely depend on the causes that caused them.

Let's consider the main causes of kidney pathologies:

Age.
Viral, fungal or bacterial infections.
Parasites.
Cancer.
Amyloidosis. An extremely dangerous disease characterized by the accumulation of pathogenic protein in the kidney tissue.
Inflammatory reactions, including autoimmune diseases.
Injuries.
Poisoning.
Congenital and acquired anomalies of anatomical development.

The list is far from complete, but it clearly demonstrates the variety of predisposing factors.

Main symptoms

Symptoms are varied and not obvious in all cases. In particular, it is similar to that which manifests itself in the development of liver diseases, pancreatic pathologies, and blockage of the urinary tract. Because of this, high-quality and timely diagnosis becomes extremely important.

Let's list the main features:

Increased water consumption (polydipsia).
Increased volume of urination (polyuria).
Decreased urination (oliguria).
Lack of urination (anuria).
Spontaneous loss of urine during the night (nocturia).
Blood in the urine (hematuria).
Decreased appetite (anorexia).
Vomit.
Weight loss.
Apathetic state; in advanced cases, the dog may fall into a coma.
Diarrhea.
Lordosis (pathological arching of the back), reluctance to move and walk.
Many kidney diseases have a very bad effect on the condition of the coat.

What can be discovered during a medical examination?

Since it is extremely important for subsequent therapy to determine the exact type of disease, the veterinarian must pay great attention to conducting a thorough medical examination.

During its course, the following symptoms may be identified:

Pale mucous membranes (eg gums). This is caused by a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood (healthy kidneys secrete erythropoietin, which stimulates the production of the latter).
With deep palpation, an increase in the size of the kidneys or their decrease, as well as a change in the consistency of the organ, can be detected.
Mouth ulcers. They usually develop on the tongue, gums, and inner surface of the cheeks.
Bad breath, the appearance of which is caused by an increase in the concentration of under-oxidized decomposition products in the animal’s bloodstream.
Dehydration.
Swelling of the subcutaneous tissue and extremities.
Dropsy of the abdominal cavity (ascites).
High blood pressure.
Damage to the cornea and retina (again, due to high blood pressure).
Bone softening (rubber jaw) in young dogs with hereditary kidney disease. Fibrous osteodystrophy of other skeletal bones is also possible.

Causes of the disease

Nephritis is an inflammation of the kidney tissue, pyelitis is a purulent inflammation of the kidney structures. Often these processes occur together, which is why the infectious disease is called pyelonephritis.

It is caused by bacteria entering directly into the dog's kidney. In addition, any viral or fungal infections suffered by animals negatively affect the condition of the renal system.

If the dog's immunity is good and the number of bacteria is small, the animal's body has enough strength to prevent the growth of bacteria.

The situation changes radically when there are risk factors that create a favorable environment for the rapid proliferation of bacteria. These include:

hypothermia;
poisoning;
oncology;
diabetes;
inflammation of the bladder, prostate gland, uterus;
injuries in close proximity to the kidneys;
kidney pathologies;
low level of immunity;
overwork, stress.

Difficulties in diagnosis

Kidney diseases are “good” in that when they appear, a blood test will reveal some pathologies in almost 90% of cases, which is valuable from the point of view of all diagnosticians. In addition, a urine test is indicated. Together, these techniques can help not only with determining the type of pathology, but also with identifying how far the pathological process has developed.

The most valuable is a biochemical blood test. Its two main components are:

Determination of serum nitrogen (BUN) level. It should be taken into account that all protein structures that enter the animal’s body along with food are high-molecular compounds (in other words, they are large in size). To assimilate them, the digestive system breaks down proteins into their components, and in the process many nitrogenous bases are formed. The animal’s body not only does not need these substances, but is even harmful, and therefore they are released into the external environment by the kidneys. If for some reason the latter cannot perform their physiological function, the content of nitrogenous compounds in the blood increases. Please note that before sampling for this analysis, the dog must be kept on a twelve-hour fast.
Creatinine . Also an important “pointer” to the condition of the kidneys. The kidneys are the only organs of the excretory system capable of removing this substance from the body. If the blood serum creatinine level is elevated, this is a 100% indicator of kidney disease.

Methods for visual monitoring of kidney condition

Analyzes are good for everyone, except for their “inertness”. Whatever one may say, they cannot show the condition of the kidneys in all cases.

For this purpose, visual inspection techniques are used:

Radiography. The method is simple, but capable of determining with high reliability the size of the affected organ. In particular, a decrease in kidney volume indicates a chronic disease (nephritis or nephrosis, as well as nephrosclerosis), while an increase is evidence of an acute course of the disease. Enlargement of the organ is quite typical for many forms of cancer.
Contrast urography, as well as intravenous pyelography (IVP). These are specialized types of x-rays. All these methods involve intravenous administration of special contrast agents that fluoresce under X-rays. The techniques are good for studying the internal structure of both the kidneys and the urinary tract. In particular, an experienced radiologist will be able to see even the approximate percentage of working renal tubules.
Ultraechography. A technique used to assess organ density.
Biopsy. The method is not entirely “visual”, since in this case it is necessary to take a sample of the kidney tissue, but it is very valuable in that it helps to accurately assess the condition of the kidneys and their “safety margin”.

Complementary Treatment for Dogs with Kidney Disease

Your veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics for your dog if he has an infection. However, antibiotics are rarely given to animals with severe renal failure. Antibiotics can build up in a dog's body when his kidney function is compromised.

Here are some other ways to treat your pet for kidney disease:

Subcutaneous fluids can be administered to correct any acid imbalances in dogs with kidney problems.
Vomiting may be induced to remove certain toxins from the body.
In some cases, anti-ulcer medications may be given during treatment.
When normal therapy is ineffective, the next course of treatment is kidney dialysis. It is also helpful when your dog has toxic toxins in his body or has suffered a urinary tract injury.
In rare cases, kidney transplants are performed and are only available at certain hospitals or animal clinics.

Treatment: general information

In the acute course of the disease, the clinical picture develops suddenly, and the animal’s condition quickly deteriorates. Classic symptoms include depression, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, and changes in daily urinary volume. When these signs appear, it is necessary to find out the root cause as quickly as possible, since otherwise the pet may fall into a renal coma and die. The main causes of kidney disease in cats are infections and poor quality nutrition . It is important to note that all research must be carried out strictly before the start of the research, since otherwise the administered drugs will inevitably make the test results biased! Now let’s look at the main therapeutic methods used in the treatment of kidney diseases.

First of all, it is necessary to cope with the consequences of dehydration and intoxication. Intravenous infusions of buffer compounds are best suited for this. This technique, by the way, is also necessary to check the condition of the kidneys: if after hydration the pet’s urine output increases sharply, then all is not lost. A slight increase in volume indicates severe morphofunctional damage to the organ. If the volume of urine excreted has not changed, it is necessary to prescribe diuretics (furosemide, for example). It should be taken into account that with long-term use of this type of medication, it is necessary to constantly monitor the levels of blood serum electrolytes, if necessary, maintaining their normal values.

Since the pet usually begins to feel much better after medicinal hydration, his appetite increases (or appears). If this is the case, the sick dog should be fed exclusively with high-quality commercial foods with reduced protein content.

Please note that a good way to prevent kidney disease in dogs is to feed them a diet with a reduced amount of protein.

Dogs aged six to seven years have almost no need for proteins, and you shouldn’t stuff them with fatty offal. Oddly enough, high-quality dry food is safer for them.

But in severe cases, natural feeding is not recommended at first: in such situations, the animal is provided with nutrients through parenteral feeding. The same applies to cases where a sick pet constantly vomits. If this is the case in your case, then, in addition to parenteral nutrition, the drugs Tagamet or chlorpromazine are prescribed. When the pet is not vomiting so much, feeding commercial medicinal diets can help, but the food is given in small portions, in fractions, spreading out the food throughout the day.

Simultaneously with the start of hydration, the elimination of the root cause of the disease should begin: for this purpose, antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs are prescribed, preparations are made for surgery for cancerous lesions of the kidneys, etc.

Reasons contributing to the “movement” of the kidneys

As we have already said, the kidneys are “windy” organs; their actual location can vary significantly, differing from the original anatomical norm:

In puppies under 3 months of age, the kidneys may be very downward. This is not a pathology, because At this time, the ligamentous apparatus of the organ strengthens and develops. As your pet grows, the organs move into their natural position under the spinal column.
Exhaustion. The ligamentous apparatus of the organs weakens, the fat layer “burns out,” and the kidneys find themselves in limbo.
Obesity. The same thing happens as described above, but the organs sag due to the large amount of fat accumulated on them.

A pathology in which the kidneys acquire excessive “mobility” is called nephroptosis. This condition, of course, is not fatal, but it contributes to the development of much more dangerous ailments (including pyelonephritis, nephritis and others).

Chronic renal failure (CRF)

Chronic renal failure (and it often develops as a result of the pathologies we describe) is characterized by irreversible damage to the organs of the urinary system. In more than 83% of cases, it is diagnosed in fairly old dogs. Unfortunately, very often there is no talk of a complete recovery: only partial stabilization of their condition can be achieved. If renal failure is prerenal (in this case, the root cause of the deterioration of the animal’s condition is some “side” diseases), or postrenal (for example, resulting from an increase in urine pressure due to obstruction of the urinary tract), then with correctly and timely prescribed treatment it will reversible (at least partially).

If nothing is done, the kidneys inevitably degrade, as a result of which the animal does not live long. In some cases, the pathological process lasts for several months or even years, but the end result is always the same. In order to prolong a pet’s life as much as possible and at the same time maintain an acceptable quality of life, timely and high-quality supportive therapy is necessary.

Main symptoms

One of the first and most severe clinical signs is a sharply increased thirst: a pet, who previously drank no more than a bowl of water a day, can suddenly “suck out” almost a bucket. In addition to polydipsia, polyuria develops. In some cases, the volume of urine produced is so large that the pet develops bedwetting.

Other signs of chronic kidney failure include:

Progressive weight loss.
Deterioration of the coat condition.
Apathetic state.
Decreased appetite, the appearance of severe pickiness in food, and sometimes the appearance of food perversions is observed.

As the disease progresses, more and more pronounced clinical signs appear. Their occurrence increases the likelihood of making an accurate diagnosis, but significantly reduces the possibility of full recovery.

Treatment

Firstly, if renal failure recurs, it is urgent to replace fluid loss. A sick dog's body releases too much water into the external environment, so if there is not enough water, the pet will quickly develop serious dehydration. In the early stages, it is enough just to increase the volume of fluid given to the pet. In more serious situations, the situation will be saved only by intravenous or subcutaneous infusions of buffer compounds and drugs that stop the development of intoxication (Ringer's or Ringer-Locke solution, for example). It is advisable to add multivitamin and mineral mixtures to animal food to help normalize the level of electrolytes in the blood plasma. This is very important, since a decrease in potassium content, for example, is fraught with severe muscle weakness and interruptions in heart function.

Your pet should always have free access to fresh, clean water. Remember that the dog should be able to drink at night, since refusal to drink at night can lead to a deterioration in the animal’s condition, even to the point of being critical. It is advisable to consult a veterinarian and find out how much water your pet should normally drink. If for some reason he drinks less, it is necessary to make up for what is missing through intravenous and subcutaneous infusions of Ringer's solution and similar compounds. It is very important to monitor the body weight of a sick pet weekly: if it decreases, there is a possibility that the pathological process will worsen.

How to feed a dog with kidney failure?

Choosing the right diet for kidney failure is not an easy task. The animal's food should be of the highest quality, nutritious, but with the most reduced amount of protein. It is almost impossible to choose such a diet yourself. No, of course, some owners have a veterinary education and extensive work experience - but all the above advice does not apply to them. We would strongly advise “ordinary” breeders to use medicinal food specially designed for dogs with renal failure.

But even in this case, it is necessary to regularly bring your pet for a veterinary examination. It's all about the same proteins: each case of renal failure is strictly individual. Perhaps your pet still lacks protein. If this circumstance is not identified in a timely manner, everything will end badly. It is for this reason that a sick animal is checked weekly for anemia and hypoalbuminemia . If at least one of these pathologies has been identified, it is necessary to urgently adjust the amount of protein in the dog’s diet.

Prevention measures (diet)

The main preventive measures include:

avoiding hypothermia of the animal;
placing the dog in a warm and dry place;
if signs of a disease of the genitourinary system are identified, treat them promptly;
annual medical examination of the pet, especially when it reaches the age of eight years;
free access to clean water;
absence of stressful situations.

Veterinarians attribute 70% of success to the selection of proper balanced nutrition: the dog’s menu should include food that is balanced in terms of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Feed manufacturers produce medicinal brands. To choose a suitable line of food for your pet, it is better to consult a competent doctor.

If for any reason the use of ready-made food is not suitable, then you can take into account the following recommendations for the use of products in the diet of dogs:

Small quantities of meat such as rabbit, chicken, beef.
You can use high-quality offal in your diet (good liver, heart and kidneys).
Cereals should be limited due to their high carbohydrate content.
It is important to obtain fats: directly pressed vegetable oil (vitamin E), chicken or rabbit fat.
Vegetables put through a blender with the addition of chicken or rabbit broth.

Nephritis and nephrosis

Unlike the previous one, these pathologies can develop with equal probability in both old and very young dogs.

In most cases, nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) and nephrosis (inflammatory-degenerative process) are a consequence of infectious diseases and/or poisoning.

The clinical picture for these diseases is as follows:

When examining urine, a huge amount of protein is detected.
Taking into account the previous circumstance, in advanced cases of the disease the animal will steadily lose weight, since its body will lack nutrients.
Swelling of the limbs and lower abdominal wall, as well as (in the most severe situations) dropsy of the abdominal cavity (also known as ascites).
Interestingly, one of the most characteristic signs of kidney damage is... sudden onset glaucoma. This is due to the fact that with diseases of these organs, blood pressure rises sharply, and this is very harmful to eye health.
The kidney area is painful on palpation. Deep palpation can reveal changes in the size of organs.

Symptoms

Since in most cases the kidneys do not become inflamed “just like that,” but as a result of the action of pathogenic microflora, the animal is prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs. Cephalosporins have proven themselves especially well: they have a detrimental effect on most causative agents of kidney infections and have (almost) no nephrotoxicity. It is strictly not recommended to use tetracycline antibiotics for kidney diseases (especially doxycillin), since they have a bad effect on the condition of these organs. The removal of intoxication and the need for medicinal hydration of the body of a sick animal has already been written above.

As for diet, if you have nephritis, there is no need to restrict protein foods : the dog already loses too much protein, which leaves the body along with urine. Moreover, a low-protein diet can easily kill an animal.

Possible complications

Pyelonephritis in dogs is a disease whose symptoms will progress until they lead to disability or death of the animal. To save a dog, treatment is carried out only in a specialized clinic.

Timely treatment will help stop the disease.

In an advanced state, the disease progresses, initiating serious irreversible destruction of the renal system and the occurrence of abscesses, the removal of which is only possible through surgery. In other words, a pet’s direct path to disability.

Renal amyloidosis in dogs

Let us immediately note that this pathology is rare in dogs... But this does not cause any less problems. The disease is characterized by the replacement of normal kidney tissue with amyloid, a pathological protein similar in molecular structure to starch. The disease is incurable and irreversible, little is known about the causes. Most likely, the matter is in the initial genetic predisposition of some breeds and autoimmune pathologies.

If you do not start treating it in the early stages, the sick dog will not live long (unless you take him for constant hemodialysis, which is unrealistic). The only reliable diagnostic method is renal biopsy. There are no specific clinical manifestations. Like all kidney diseases in dogs, amyloidosis is characterized by a fairly standard clinical picture:

The animal gradually develops exhaustion and the condition of its coat deteriorates.
Increased thirst appears due to a sharp increase in daily urine volumes.
The amount of protein in urine itself increases greatly. In advanced cases, urine is almost identical in composition to blood plasma, because There are no more working renal tubules left.
The phenomena of intoxication increase, since a maximum amount of under-oxidized nitrogenous bases accumulates in the blood.

Treatment

As such, there is no specific therapy; you can only alleviate the condition of the sick pet and try to maintain a reasonable quality of life. And proper nutrition plays a major role in this difficult task. To stimulate the immune system, the dog is first “dropped” by intravenously injecting solutions to relieve intoxication . Subsequently, the animal should receive only high-quality food with an average amount of protein: there is no need to overdo it with protein, as this can worsen the course of the pathological process, but you should not be “greedy” either, since the dog’s body still needs protein.

Considering that in advanced cases of amyloidosis the kidneys practically fail, it is necessary to constantly monitor the dog’s blood pressure. Without medications to treat hypertension, your dog may very well go blind from sudden onset glaucoma . If an animal vomits due to the gradual accumulation of decay products in the blood, Tagamet or chlorpromazine is useful. By the way, you can fight nausea by feeding your dog small portions at regular intervals.

Some sources of veterinary periodicals also contain information that the development of the disease can be stopped for some time by prescribing anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. But this technique only works in cases where the pathology was identified and diagnosed in time.

A Quick Look at Normal Kidney Function

The kidneys are a paired organ located in the abdominal cavity. They have several important functions. They filter the blood to remove waste products such as urea and ammonia, which are removed through channels called ureters into the bladder. The kidneys produce several important hormones, such as erythropoietin, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells. In addition, they regulate blood pressure by maintaining salt and water balance, as well as acid-base balance. The kidneys are made up of numerous structures called nephrons, each of which filters and produces urine.

With kidney disease, these functions can be impaired, resulting in a characteristic set of symptoms.