Kidney Disease

[Guest millieb]

Hi Folks,

 

This is my first posting. We have adopted two x-racing greyhounds, a male and a female.

We had them for a year since this July. We feed 4 times a day, (husband is retired). Our

female decided that she no longer wants to eat in the morning, and sometimes has to be coaxed

to eat in the afternoon. Evening meals she's OK.

 

Took her to the Vet and the diagnosis is claimed to be Kidney Disease. Basically the vet

vet decided this because when we had her teeth cleaned, we paid to had blood work done.

Her Creatinine level then was 1.9, (february 09). This time her Creatinine level was 1.8, (June,09).

I am not convince she has KD, as her BUN level is normal, and there is no blood in her Urine,

which I checked myself,(I'm a lab tech). All other chemistries look good.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this and how can I go about educating my Vet on the

health of Greyhounds, they haven't seen many out here in North Dakota.

 

Thanks for any input from Millie, Bob, LiL Ruby, and Maximus

[ahicks51]

Welcome to GT.

 

If you Google up 'greyhound kidney values,' the first two hits will be from Dr. Feeman, who has written on the subject. The third hit may be more useful:

 

http://www.recycledracers.org/FAQ/greyhoun...html#creatinine

 

Greyhound norms for creatinine is 0.8 to 1.6, but that probably depends upon the norms for the test. So, a 1.8 is a touch higher than normal, and reason to monitor, but probably not actionable unless BUN goes out of whack, too.

 

Something you can do is pick up a box of urine test strips, the 10SG stuff off Amazon or eBay or whatever. MUCH less expensive than at the local pharmacy!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Multistix-Generic-Ur...E/dp/B0006U307O

 

And then do your own dipstick tests every now and again to put your mind at rest.

[Fudge]

Hope had a 1.8 creatinine level when she was 8. Vet recommended feeding her special kidney diets. She would not eat any. So, back to her normal food. There is another test they can do, I'm sorry can't remember what it is called but it

is more accurate to test for kidney disease. Her values were then normal for a greyhound.

 

Hope lived to be 14. She did not pass away from kidney disease.

 

 

[Batmom]

You're correct, if the BUN is normal and urinalysis is normal, your dog almost certainly does not have kidney disease.

 

How is dog's weight? Is it possible she's not hungry because she doesn't need as much food now that she's settled in to retired life?

[Guest ss556]

Alan had kidney disease - glomerular nephritis or protein losing nephropathy. The test that was important in his case was a Urine Protein Creatinine Ratio test. You may want to ask your vet about that. (He did not pass away from that either).

[Guest Energy11]

Agree with everyone else. Values are pretty much normal. Don't be afraid to give that printout of the normal blood values for greyhounds, to your vet. I did. Mine here isn't greyhound savvy, either. Good Luck!

[CaliforniaGreys]

Agree with the others, those #'s do not indicate KD

[Guest millieb]

Thank you folks for all your information, and support! I am going to give my vet those normal blood values for

Greyhounds, and hope she won't be offended, and take it as education. Otherwise I think I will be Vet shopping for my Greys. I think it's important that they are aware of the differences in these dogs.

 

Wishing you all a Greyt Day!

Millie, Bob, Maxine and LiL Ruby

[Guest Energy11]

Thank you folks for all your information, and support! I am going to give my vet those normal blood values for

Greyhounds, and hope she won't be offended, and take it as education. Otherwise I think I will be Vet shopping for my Greys. I think it's important that they are aware of the differences in these dogs.

 

Wishing you all a Greyt Day!

Millie, Bob, Maxine and LiL Ruby

Your vet shouldn't be offended, mine wasn't. It is just that, there ARE still many vets who have never treated a greyhound, and they are VERY different. I also shared the Ohio State University website with my vet, as Dr. Couto and his staff ARE THE greyhound experts! Good Luck!

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/GHWP.htm

[ahicks51]

The best vets are always willing to learn from their clients- be they human, canine, feline, or whatever. I know there are some out there that claim to know everything, but have yet to meet one personally who does.

[dmswartzfager]

Just consulted with Ohio State regarding Blitz's kidney values. They were not at all concerned about the 1.9 creatinine value, and only mildly concerned about his BUN, which was 57, I think. Their recommendation was a urinalysis and blood pressure screening before they will say it is kidney disease.