Acute Renal Kidney Failure in Dogs

Acute renal failure or ARF is characterized by a rapid onset of renal insufficiency/failure, reduction in glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow, and the clinical and biochemical aftermath of the excretory failure. This is a serious form of kidney disease where the dog's kidney quit working all of a sudden and that commonly leads to death. The kidneys have an abrupt decrease in the GFR due to a toxin or loss of adequate blood supply (called ischemia). The excretory failure is identified by rapid (hours to days) increases in BUN, serum creatinine and phosphate, and variable hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis. Acute renal failure is a tenuously reversible state, which must be diagnosed quickly and aggressively treated. Failure to initiate therapy may result in irreversible parenchymal damage or death. Acute renal failure is frequently a complication of other surgical or medical diseases and must be recognized within the clinical features of these associated disorders.

Common clinical signs of kidney failures in dogs are loss of appetite, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, very bad breath, pale gums and ulcers in the mouth. While the consistent signs of severe ARF include the sudden onset and rapid development of listlessness, depression, anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Oliguria and less frequently anuria were at one time considered signatures of ARF and discriminators for chronic renal failure. Some causes of ARF are due to low blood pressure or a decrease in blood volume, lack of blood supply to the kidneys, a urninary blockage or dogs in-take of some poisonous plants or toxins, most notably the antifreeze ( 95% ethylene glycol) which are catastrophic to the kidneys. Antifreeze is very sweet tasting and is readily licked by both dogs and cats if it spills on the ground when car antifreeze is changed. Ethylene glycol is converted in the liver and kidney to a toxic metabolite that changes the pH of the bloodstream and destroys the kidneys by depositing calcium oxalate crystals in the renal tubules. It is a medical emergency and requires specific and immediate measures if the kidneys are to be saved. Unfortunately, unless a pet owner actually observes their pet licking antifreeze, they don't bring their pet in for care until it is very ill.


Treatment of renal kidney disease is aimed at preventing or slowing further kidney damage. One phase to treat kidney is to "restart" it. The large quantities of intravenous fluids are given to "flush out" the kidneys. This flushing process, called diuresis, helps to stimulate the kidney cells to function again. If enough functional kidney cells remain, they may be able to adequately meet the body's needs for waste removal. Fluid therapy includes replacement of various electrolytes, especially potassium. Other important aspects of initial treatment include proper nutrition and drugs to control vomiting and diarrhea. The possible outcome of these treatment, the kidneys will resume functioning and continue to function for a few weeks to a few years. Also the kidneys will resume functioning during treatment but fail again as soon as treatment stops or maybe the kidney will not return. Another phase of treatment is to keep the kidneys functioning as soon as possible. First method, the dog will undergo a speical diet which the food contains low in protein, low in phosphorus, and not acidified. Another method is a phosphate binder where phosphorous is removed from the body by filtering through the kidneys and once the filtration process is impaired, phosphorous begins to accumulate in the blood. Another process is giving a drug to regulate the parathyroid gland and calcium levels. Calcium and phosphorus must remain at about a 2:1 ratio in the blood. The increase in blood phosphorus level stimulates the parathyroid gland to increase the blood calcium level by removing it from bones. Once the dog is stabilized, fluids can be given under the skin (subcutaneously). This serves to continually "restart" the kidneys as their function begins to fail again. This is done once daily to once weekly, depending on the degree of kidney failure.


Another option is kidney transplants and dialysis and becoming more accessible for pets today, but due to the high costs, aren’t practical for most pet owners. Many cases that the dogs with renal failure are successfully managed and live long happy lives. Common prevention of such dog diseases it to have a regular laboratory testing preformed with the yearly vet visit can help to detect early stages of renal failure before they appear, and starting early treatment can help to slow or halt loss of kidney function to improve the pet's quality of life.


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About Shiloh Shepherd

A resemble from German Shepherd, Shiloh Shepherd is a minorly recognized dog breed that has been developed in 1970. Comparing to German Shepherds, Shiloh tend to be bigger with better hips. The breed was well-known in excellence of their intelligence, temperament, pigment and conformation and really good companion. Shilohs are courageous and self-confident dog that will willingly protect its family, yet it is friendly and a good companion to its friends and family.

The Shiloh Shepherd portrays a distinct impression of nobility with a superior aura of intelligence that radiates a sense of regal wisdom and strength. Powerfully built with unsurpassed beauty and elegance; a picture of true balance; each part being in harmonious proportion to every other part, and to the whole. The Shiloh Shepherd is powerfully built and well-balanced and should have a proud carriage and smooth, effortless gait. The male Shiloh stands 30 inches (76 cm) or more in height with a minimum of 28 inches (71 cm); he weighs 140 to 160 pounds (63-72 kg) with a minimum of 120 pounds (54.5 kg). The female is smaller, standing 28 inches (71 cm) or more in height with a minimum of 26 inches (66 cm) and weighing 100 to 120 pounds (45-54.5 kg) with a minimum of 80 pounds (36 kg). With their even proportions, Shilohs should appear longer than they are tall.

Shilohs come in two distinct coat varieties: the smooth or double coat and the plush coat. The smooth coat should be of medium length and lie close to the body; the hair at the neck and on the back of the fore and hind legs may be longer and thicker than other areas. The outer coat will be dense, straight, and harsh. The plush coat is longer, with a soft undercoat and a distinctive "mane" which extends to the chest. Shiloh coat color may be bi or dual colored in black with tan, golden tan, reddish tan, silver, or cream. They also can be solid golden, silver, red, dark brown, dark grey, or black sable. Solid black and solid white are possible, but for show purposes, the nose, lips, and eye rims must be solid black. Blue and liver colors are possible but not bred since they are disqualifying faults.

Bred as companions, Shilohs have loyal and outgoing personalities. They were developed to be gentle and loving, able to work with animals and children, while still possessing a trainable drive for working applications, such as assistive service, obedience, or herding. Shilohs extremely versatile and easily trained companion loves to swim, carry packs for the mountain climber, endure long trail rides, or pull heavy sleds. His excellent Air Scenting ability can be utilized in various ways.

Shilohs may experience problems with bloat. Small intestine bacterial overgrowth syndrome has also been reported and can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain and difficulty absorbing nutrients from food. Shilohs are susceptible to hip dysplasia and other skeletal disorders. Rare cases of osteochondritis have also been reported. Panosteitis may occur during a Shiloh's growth stages.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - Heart Failure In Dogs

Cardiomyopathy refers to disease of the heart muscle (the myocardium) without malformation of the heart or its valves. The term cardiomyopathy literally means "sick heart muscle." There is a breed predisposition to dilated cardiomyopathy in giant breeds, as well as in Doberman pinschers and boxers. Dilated cardiomyopathy is not the most common cause of heart failure in dogs in general. However, this is the most common cause of heart failure in large breeds of dogs. Small breeds are only occasionally affected. The most commonly affected breeds are Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, and Great danes. Occasionally, medium sized breeds, notably Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels, are also affected. Cardiomyopathy can also develop as a result of some toxins or infections. Heart failure occurs when the blood returning to the heart from the rest of the body cannot be pumped out fast enough to meet the demands of body tissues. Heart muscle disease is one of the potential causes of heart failure. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition characterized by a variety of changes in the heart muscle that result in pump failure. As the name implies, the heart chambers are usually dilated or enlarged, and the heart muscle itself is usually thin and weak, contracting with much less vigor than normal. The heart works harder to compensate for the loss of contractility, eventually leading to congestive heart failure. The abnormalities in the heart muscle cells give rise to irregular heart rhythms which may cause sudden death so proper petsafe is necessary.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is by far the most common type in the dog. There is dilation of the chambers of the ventricles of the heart with some increase (hypertrophy) in the heart muscle mass, and a loss of the normal contracting abilities of the ventricles. Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, occurs when the heart muscle is thin, weak, and does not contract properly. DCM most commonly affects large or giant purebred dogs, but it also can be seen in smaller breeds such as cocker spaniels, and in mixed breed dogs. The condition can lead to congestive heart failure, in which fluid accumulates in the lungs, the chest or abdominal cavities, or under the skin. Because of reduced blood flow to the rest of the body, DCM also can result in weakness, fainting, and exercise intolerance. Abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, frequently accompany DCM, and can complicate the treatment of dogs with this disease. It is also common for dogs with DCM to show signs of both right and left heart failure. These signs can include weakness and exercise intolerance, and difficulty breathing with increased activity. Weight loss is common in dogs with DCM that do not retain fluid. Some animals exhibit signs due to reduced blood flow to tissues, including pale mucous membranes, bluish color to the mucous membranes, and cold feet and legs. Fainting may occur if abnormal heart rhythms are present, or if the heart's output is severely reduced. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a form of cardiomyopathy, there is a tremendous increase in the mass of the heart muscle in the ventricles, with a resultant decrease in chamber size. Relatively few cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in dogs have been reported, and no significant breed predisposition has been identified. Most of the dogs affected have been male.



Blood and urine tests do not give direct information about heart function, but they allow an understanding of other disorders in the body that may impact on heart function and treatment of heart disease. Chest radiographs (x-rays) provide the best look at the lungs and a view of the size and shape of the heart. In most cases, dilated cardiomyopathy causes tremendous enlargement of the heart. These changes are usually very apparent on x-rays.lectrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is an assessment of the electrical activity of the heart. It accurately determines the heart rate and to more accurately identify any arrhythmias which might be present. Ultrasound examination (Sonogram, Echocardiogram) uses sound waves which bounce off the structures of the heart and are read on a TV-like monitor. It gives the most accurate determination of the size of each heart chamber, and permits measurement of the thickness of the heart walls. This is seen on the monitor in actual time so the contractions of the heart can be evaluated. Certain measurements can be taken which allow the actual strength of the heart's contraction to be measured as a number and compared to the normal animal. Ultrasound may not be available in all private veterinary practices because of the additional training needed to learn how to perform the examination and because of the cost of the equipment.



If the dog has a sudden onset of heart failure, rapid administration of the proper drugs is essential to survival. The following drugs may be used at various stages of treatment. Diuretics drugs stimulate the kidneys to remove excess fluid from the body. Furosemide is most commonly used, although others will be selected in certain circumstances. Nitroglycerin drug is called a venodilator; it dilates the veins throughout the body, especially the ones going to the heart muscle. It decreases the amount of blood returning to the heart by allowing some of it to pool in the veins. This takes some of the workload off the heart. This drug can be very useful for treating pulmonary edema, but it is only effective for a few days. Digitalis drug improves heart function in several ways. It regulates excess hormones that have been released, slows the heart rate, and strengthens each contraction of the heart. Enzyme blockers is a relatively new class of drugs which can directly block the compensation system that has gotten out of control. Vasodilators drugs dilate the arteries and/or the veins of the body so that the heart doesn't have to generate as much pressure to eject blood. They may be used long-term because they continue to be effective, as opposed to the short-term effects of nitroglycerin. Dogs treated with these drugs should be carefully watched for toxity and needs enough rest on dog crates. Loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy should be reported to the veterinarian immediately.