Kidney Disease?

[Guest laura150]

Ernie has been peeing a lot and drinking a ton of water in the last 2 weeks so we brought him to the vet and these test results came back:

 

BUN: 16 Normal)

Creatinine: 1.7 (normal for greyhounds is .8-1.6)

Urine concentration: 1.018

 

Some people have said that creatinine levels can go as high as 3 for greyhounds and they are still normal. I'm confused by this. If the greyhound blood work sheet says 1.6 is the highest normal level for a greyhound and Ernie is exhibiting symptoms of kidney disease, does he have kidney issues?

 

He's getting his blood pressure checked this week and then we'll start on meds and a kidney diet.

 

Can anyone offer any advice on these levels?

 

[macoduck]

Was the urine sample the first catch of the day?

[MaryJane]

Get a first morning specimen and recheck the specific gravity. If you are feeding a high protein diet, it might too much protein, switch to one that has about 20 to 22%. Also, a food allergy can sometimes cause these same symptoms (in addition to diarrhea).

[tbhounds]

Do not start a renal diet! Those are perfectly normal renal values for a gh. What I would do is submit a first a.m. urine sample (fasted overnight and before food or water in the a.m). Your vet will check the specific gravity-that will show how well his kidneys are concentrating the urine. Ideally, it should be around or above 1.030. Your vet should have suggested this.

Edited to add-my boys creatinine runs consistently between 2.2 and 2.3

Edited April 28, 2015 by tbhounds

[Guest laura150]

Thank you everyone!!!

 

So the issue with the water consumption and frequent urination-what else could this be from??

[Guest laura150]

He's also lost about 5 lbs since the beginning of April.

[sobesmom]

It doesn't sound like kidney disease with those levels. My grey was just diagnosed with it, with no symptoms that my vet or I notices, and her BUN is 66 and Creatinine is 4.6. Did you vet suggest that he has kidney disease?

 

I'm not sure what the excessive drinking and urination are a sign of. Is he stressed? How old? Any medications?

 

I stole this from pet.webmd:

 

Dehydration

Hot summer days, play, exercise, illness, infection -- all of these can lead to dehydration in dogs and trigger them to seek water. Along with increased thirst, signs that your pet may be dehydrated include: lethargy; dry gums and tongue; and thick rope-like saliva.

Dehydration can turn life threatening fast, so if you suspect your dog is very dehydrated, seek veterinary care right away. If your dog seems mildly dehydrated but is not vomiting, give your pet small amounts of water -- one teaspoon for a little dog, 1-2 tablespoons for larger dogs -- every ten minutes for a few hours.

Don't let your dog have free access to a lot of liquids when he is dehydrated, as drinking too much too fast could cause vomiting.

Illness

Many conditions can lead to excessive thirst or dehydration in your dog, including liver disease, diabetes, Cushing's disease, cancer, diarrhea, fever, infection, and kidney disease.

Sometimes, however, it may not be the condition itself causing your dog's excessive thirst, but the medication used to treat it. Talk to a vet about your dog's medication and its side effects; if drugs are behind your dog's thirst, the vet may be able to lower the dosage.

Medication

Just as with people, some drugs can lead to excessive thirst in your dog, including:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs like prednisone, which may be used to treat many conditions in dogs, including asthma, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease.
• Heart failure drugs, such as furosemide, lead to increased urine production and a compensatory increase in thirst.
• Seizure medications like phenobarbital may have side effects that include excessive thirst and urination, as well as excessive appetite.

Diet

A dry food diet -- which may be as little as 5%-10% water -- can also lead to noticeable thirst in your dog. High sodium foods will also cause your dog to drink more.

Large amounts of salt can be poisonous to your pet, so avoid sharing highly salty "people" food with your dog. Signs your dog may have eaten too many sodium-rich treats include tremors, diarrhea, depression, and vomiting.

Edited April 30, 2015 by sobesmom

[4My2Greys]

Thank you everyone!!!

 

So the issue with the water consumption and frequent urination-what else could this be from??

Ask your vet about the possibility of diabetes insipidus.

 

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/12/24/diabetes-insipidus.aspx

[JJNg]

Any updates? I wouldn't treat for kidney disease without more information. Any protein in the urine? Did you recheck the specific gravity on a first morning sample? How old Ernie?

 

Lots of things can cause increased drinking and urination, as mentioned above. Has his appetite changed? Have you changed anything with the type of food or how he's fed? The weight loss would make me more concerned that there might be a more serious underlying problem.