The frequency of Renal dysplasia in dogs is alarming and demands unwavering attention. Renal dysplasia is a progressive condition that characterizes the abnormal development of one or two of the kidneys of dogs before they’re born. It occurs due to abnormal coordination of cells in the renal parenchyma. In this regard, renal dysplasia in dogs can be congenital and neurological.
Studies show that renal dysplasia in dogs is rather breed-dependent, unlike many other diseases. This means that it occurs more often in some breeds than in others. This congenital disease is rampant in young dogs and can range from mild, moderate, and severe cases. In extreme cases in young dogs, it results in renal insufficiency, and these puppies do not exceed six months of age.
This article seeks to enlighten you on the possible causes, signs, symptoms, and ways to combat this to save the life of these charming creatures.
What Causes Kidney Dysplasia In Dogs?
Renal dysplasia in dogs results from abnormal nephrons with excessive mesenchymal stroma in the kidney. This causes the kidney to lose its function to filter and detoxify the blood circulating in the body.
Eventually, these piles of waste and unwanted excesses cause renal failure. This condition could come in two forms. Bilateral or unilateral.
- Bilateral Renal Dysplasia
This is the most severe case and demands emergency treatment. The two kidneys are critically affected here, and the dog won’t survive.
- Unilateral Renal Dysplasia
This ranges from mild to moderate cases as only one kidney function is affected. The other kidney still functions effectively but under much pressure.
Kidney dysplasia is manifested in cats, humans, and horses but most commonly in dogs. This is why you must observe your dogs and know when there’s the slightest change in their behavior.
Signs And Symptoms Of Canine Renal Dysplasia In Dogs
Dogs with mild or moderate cases of renal dysplasia usually do not show any signs or symptoms of discomfort until it results in kidney failure. Ordinarily, in milder forms, the adult dogs can live for years without canine renal dysplasia, but it’s strikingly noticeable in puppies.
Puppies with this condition are sick right from birth and may not survive within the next few months. Let’s look at the signs and symptoms to note.
#1. Heightened Thirst And Urination
Polydipsia is a medical condition characterized by increased thirst, which involves a high water intake. It is a condition that results in increased urination due to increased water intake.
During renal dysplasia in your dogs, you may notice that they drink more water than usual and urinate more frequently. Observe and monitor your dog’s drinking and urinating habits because this is the most likely and observable sign of renal dysplasia.
#2. Stunted Growth
This is yet another sign of renal dysplasia in dogs, predominantly in puppies. Dogs with this condition show slow, if not halted, growth regardless of their diets. One of the critical functions of the kidney is to reabsorb some necessary nutrients into the bloodstream constantly.
However, this primary function becomes significantly disturbed in renal dysplasia. As a result, the dogs lack growth factors, look skinny and malnourished, and lack much growth.
#3. Loss Of Appetite
Dogs diagnosed with renal dysplasia show a massive loss of appetite. Their eating ability reduces significantly. As owners, your dog not eating can be disturbing, but you can easily spot this, and it is most evident in puppies.
#4. Nausea And Vomiting
If your dog is constantly nauseous and vomiting, this issue might be one of the possible symptoms of renal dysplasia. In this situation, dogs lose weight and look sick almost all the time. Also, it fails to be energetic and active and shows slack movements. This is most evident after a long trip. They throw up at the slightest of things
#5. Bad Breath
If you’re not too distant from your dogs, you should be able to notice this easily. This is yet another observable symptom that your dog has renal dysplasia. When you smell their breath closely, it smells like urine or ammonia, almost choking and pungent.
Although there may be other causes of bad breath in dogs. However, there’s a higher chance of renal dysplasia when bad breath comes with the other symptoms above.
Renal dysplasia is breed-dependent. So, its frequency varies from one breed to another. The list below shows the most liable and commonly diagnosed breeds;
- Cocker Spaniels
- Doberman Pinschers
- Standard Poodles
- Samoyeds
- Great Dane
- Bulldog
- Chow Chow
Renal Dysplasia Diagnosis For Dogs
If you notice that your dog is developing renal dysplasia symptoms, do well to reach out to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Your vet will run a histologic examination, and physical examination, including renal biopsy, urinalysis, and some blood tests to check for any clinical signs and imbalances.
A histologic study of renal tissue obtained via renal biopsy is required for a conclusive diagnosis. The most reliable procedure is a wedge renal biopsy of the renal cortex, which gives a high number of glomeruli for evaluation.
Your vet will conduct an X-ray test to check the size, shape, and positions of the kidneys. A surgical biopsy may immediately follow this to confirm renal dysplasia.
Renal Dysplasia Treatment Options For Dogs
Unfortunately, there’s currently no cure for renal dysplasia in dogs. Like chronic renal failure, it can only be managed but not treated. This way, your pet can still live a healthy everyday life. However, whether or not healthy living is possible depends on the situation.
For cases of bilateral dysplasia, given that it’s severe, euthanasia might be one’s only option due to the poor health of your pet. In bilateral dysplasia, the condition is severe, and you can barely manage it. This means treatment doesn’t affect it.
In cases of unilateral dysplasia, you can manage it and sustain your pet’s life. If treatments are religiously adhered to, your dog can still live a normal healthy life.
You may also need to reduce the level of protein intake. As the kidney is impaired, high protein intake will put much pressure on the kidney. Instead, reduce the protein intake so you don’t worsen the condition.
Other Treatments For Renal Dysplasia Includes
- Administering antiemetics: This procedure targets the issue of vomiting and nausea. Be careful not to do this yourself unless under your veterinarian’s prescription. Ordinarily, the vet will administer 0.1 – 0.2g of drug dosage within six to eight hours. The pet doctor does this either through the mouth, intravenously, or subcutaneously.
- Subcutaneous fluid therapy: The animal doctor administers this to your pet by inserting a needle between the shoulder blades. Initially, it may cause a lump to appear at the injection site. But after a few minutes to a few hours, it’ll go back to normal.
- Potassium supplement: Dogs diagnosed with renal dysplasia should have potassium supplements in their diets. Renal dysplasia causes the wasting of nutrients. As a result, nutrients such as potassium are deficient in the blood.
To avoid further worsening the issue, use potassium supplements to make up for this in your pet. Your doggy needs potassium for proper nervous coordination, enzymatic actions, and muscular contractions.
- Oral bicarbonate: Oral bicarbonate is an excellent remedy to control indigestion and vomiting in dogs. Puppies with renal dysplasia are often administered bicarbonate as a treatment to correct metabolic acidosis and lactic acidosis. Oral bicarbonate is an excellent option to explore because it requires less professional help.
Traditionally, you can do this by mixing half a teaspoon of baking soda with a half cup of water. Then give it to your dogs every two hours. Be sure not to mix an excess of it.
- Treatment for hypertension: This requires professional help and advice. So, it would be best if you left it to your veterinarian unless they’ve prescribed them for your dogs. Hypertension can be treated effectively in dogs by administering certain hypertensive drugs.
Some of these are angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), among others.
- Intake of phosphate binders: You must ensure to administer phosphate binders to your pets. What this practice does is prevent your body from absorbing phosphorus. In that regard, it is gotten rid of from the body.
This practice aims to prevent chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) which leads to weakness in bones and damage to blood vessels.
- Appetite stimulants: As the name suggests, these are drugs given to dogs to stimulate their appetite. It reverses the effect of ghrelin, which is the hormone responsible for hunger. It takes about an hour to two hours for the effect to set in.
Your veterinarian will provide you with the drugs and doses and instructions on how and when to use them. Traditionally, some herbs are beneficial in such cases—for example, peppermint, ginger, chamomile, and celery seed.
Diets For Dogs With Renal Dysplasia
Dieting can be a tough decision for owners of puppies with renal dysplasia. While some reduce the disorder, others increase it. Therefore the need to know what to feed your pets isn’t overemphasized.
This doesn’t suggest you don’t refer to your veterinarian; it only provides an alternative when you can’t reach a professional. Below are some of the instructions;
- Studies suggest that omega -3 fatty acids from cod liver oil, mackerel, and fish oil play a significant role in managing this condition. To slow down the disease, you should add a moderate amount of food sources containing omega-3 fatty acids to your pet’s diet.
- It will help if you avoid a high salt diet at all costs. So, avoid foods containing so much salt because they increase blood pressure which consequently worsens the condition
- You must ensure that foods prepared for them are non-acidifying. During renal dysplasia in dogs, their bodies become greatly acidic. So, it would help if you took measures to correct this by providing non-acidifying foods or administering oral bicarbonates to nullify the effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
The incidence of renal dysplasia in dogs has indeed been excessive these days. It demands unblinking attention if we’re determined to save the lives of these lovely creatures. As renal dysplasia is a degenerative disease, providing adequate care can maintain the quality of life of your pet.
Similarly, you may have to euthanize your dog when the quality of health deteriorates. This targets preventing further suffering.
*photo by macniak – depositphotos