Kidney Disease Dogs.

Kidney Disease Dogs.
Kidney disease, besides occurring in human beings as commonly known, has also been discovered to occur in dogs. It therefore is important to know about kidney disease in dogs, especially for those people who would like to rear dogs, or have one or several dogs already. As they grow older, kidney disease in dogs is a real threat, and may often lead to kidney failure, just as it is known to be in humans.

There are several causes of kidney disease in dogs. Old age of a dog renders it more vulnerable to kidney failure. A dog is also more prone to kidney failure if it is infected with cancer, as well as if it has been exposed to, and consumed poisoned substances. However, kidney problems can also be caused by other factors too, such as viruses, fungal infections and parasites. Some dogs may also develop kidney disease due to hereditary reasons, particularly if their parents had a predisposition towards the condition.

There are several symptoms that a dog may exhibit to indicate that it might have kidney disease. It is important to note on the onset that these symptoms may be indications of a totally different condition as well, and they are not exclusive to kidney disease in dogs. It would be necessary to watch the dog carefully and scrutinize its behavior patterns, to determine whether it has kidney disease or not, particularly when the dog gets older. Some of the common indicators of kidney disease in dogs include increased water intake while at the same time there is decreased urination, vomiting, poor bladder control and weight loss. In addition, if the dog seems to suddenly become lethargic, one should be on the alert. Generally, the safest bet would be to consult a vet once a dog owner suspects that his dog may be having kidney problems.

Among the common treatment of kidney disease in dogs is fluid therapy. This is where the dog is encouraged to get more water into its system. While at it, the dog should also be monitored, and put on high quality protein diet to help reduce stress on the kidneys. The other way is to ensure that the dog is fed a small number of small meals. This may include things like eggs, cheese and yoghurt. In case the dog has no appetite, it can be given appetite enhancing medication.

Health And Kidney Disease

Health And Kidney Disease
The Kidneys are one of the vital organs of the human body. The Kidneys complete the excretory functions of the body and help in effective removal of the toxic substances and waste products out of the body.

The importance of the kidneys cannot be stressed, because the human body is designed in such a way that each of the processes in the human body, be it respiration, digestion, circulation, creates a lot of waste products or toxic substances.

These waste products are highly harmful to health, and can even cause death and mortality, if left unremoved. The Kidneys bear the brunt of all the processes going on in the body, and effectively filter out all the unwanted matter out of the body through the renal system. The filtration is so effective that the quantities of the waste matter are in micro units.

Other than the basic function of Excretion, Kidneys perform other vital functions like maintenance of the water content of the body and tonicity of body fluids. About 2/3 rd of the filtered water is again reabsorbed in the proximal tubules of the kidneys and thus the hydration of the body is maintained.

The Kidneys also maintain the normal electrolyte balance of the body. The electrolytes like Sodium-Na? and Potassium- K? are very important in effective functioning of the heart and any disturbance in the normal levels of these electrolytes in the circulation can even cause sudden death, as the heart muscles are very sensitive to the concentration of these electrolytes.

The Kidneys also maintain a normal acid-base balance in the body. The basic mechanism is to regulate the excretion of hydrogen ion- H? and re-absorption and regeneration of the base bicarbonate-HCO??.

The Kidneys secrete a hormone called Renin, which helps in regulation of the blood pressure. The cells of the Kidney are sensitive and respond to the incoming arterial pressure, the changes in the composition of the tubular fluid and any change in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

The kidneys also secrete Erythropoietin which plays an important role in production of red blood cells.

Thus it is clear that Kidneys play a pivotal role in maintaining optimum health. Any disease affecting the Kidneys can immediately affect the health in a profound way.

The common Kidney diseases are Glomerulonephritis, Benign familial Haematuria, Alport's disease, Adult polycystic disease, Kidney stones, Diabetic Nephropathy, Good Pasteur's syndrome, Chronic renal Failure, Bright's disease, Nephro calcinosis, Renal Carcinoma etc.