Kidney Failure in Dogs Overview
Written by CristianStan on March 17, 2010 – 1:12 pm -As dogs get older, one of the diseases that sometimes affects them is dog kidney disease. Kidney failure can be a real problem as dogs advance in age. In some cases dogs will have to deal with a case of toxicity, while in other cases they just have problems functioning properly.
First of all, you need to find out what the possible causes for kidney problems are. As a dog advances in age, his resistance to illnesses drops, so they get parasites, fungal infections and viruses with ease. Another major cause for a dog’s vulnerability to diseases can be cancer, accidental poisoning, medications and toxic reactions. An autoimmune disorder will also cause some diseases, and kidney disease can be one of them. In some cases, the parents can be the source of a predisposition for this disease.
Wondering what are the symptoms of dog kidney disease? The symptoms that might indicate kidney disease are many, but most of them can also indicate other problems. As the dog ages, you should keep your eye on him, for changes in behavior and signs of illness. Usually, a dog that suffers from kidney disease will increase the water quantity he drinks, he will urinate less, vomit more, he will have decreased bladder control and he will lose weight. Being reluctant to move and losing energy suddenly are two potential consequences of kidney disease.
A dog kidney disease treatment will be different, depending on whether it’s ongoing or an emergency. Besides the regular treatment, you also have the fluid therapy, which means that the dog’s water consumption is encouraged and he is also monitored on the quantity of food he gets into the system daily. Usually the dog needs to get a diet with high quality proteins, so the kidneys are less stressed. One option would be to give your dog canned food, which can help you make sure anemia doesn’t set in.
Giving your dog more meals, but smaller, is one other option when you try to make a dog stronger, when he’s sick of kidney disease. His body will work less, so his kidney can heal faster. Some of the things you can use to make the dog eat are using yogurt, cottage cheese or eggs. If he still doesn’t want food, you can stimulate his appetite with the help of medication.
You should consider all the options when you want to treat your dog’s kidney disease. Treating his disease is doable and his life can be long, but you need to make sure his health is taken care of.
Read more about kidney failure in dogs, the common causes kidney failure in dogs and treatment for kidney failure in dogs at KidneyFailureInDogs.Org.