RBC lives for 120 days so an anemia of any kind other than hemorrhage indicates a long standing problem. In more reduced count, it may indicate hemorrhage, parasites, bone marrow disease, B-12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency or copper deficiency. Red Blood Cells (RBC) – responsible for carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. The major tests and some of the common vocabulary in lab reports are explained below.Ī Complete Blood Count indicates the number and type of cells in the dog’s blood.This standard test can identify anemia and leukemia, as well as the presence of many infections.Ī Serum Chemistry Profile includes a variety of tests that examine the functioning of organs, such as the liver and thyroid. What the results of a CBC, Chemistry Profile (CMP), and a Urinalysis mean…Ī wide variety of tests are used to certify good health or indicate the presence of infection or disease.

Posted on NovemNovemAuthor mom Categories Lab Normal Values Tags lab results, lab values, normal lab values dog Lab Results : what they mean Whether this is done once a day or once a week will depend on how poorly your dog is.Normal lab values for CBC and CMP (complete metabolic panel) for dogs and cats. Your vet will also probably show you have to give subcutaneous fluids at home which will continually “reboot” the kidneys. A potassium supplement will help to replace the nutrient loss and maintain kidney function. While Phosphorus may increase, Potassium levels can decrease with excess urine production, which in turn can further harm kidney function. Your vet may prescribe drugs which bind excess phosphates in the intestinal tract, meaning that do not pass into the blood. A reduced-protein diet decreases the strain on the kidneys.īecause phosphorous is not being removed efficiently by the damaged kidneys, the levels will start to rise in the blood resulting in lethargy and poor appetite. This will help to keep your dog’s BUN and creatinine levels as close to normal as possible, which will make him feel better. Your vet will be able to give you detailed information, but as a general guide you will need to feed a low-protein, low-phosphorus diet which is non-acidic. The second phase of treatment is aimed at keeping the kidneys functioning for as long as possible and revolves around diet and nutrition. Continuing treatment at home is essential or he will soon be back in in kidney failure. Ultimately, you must remember that if your dog has suffered kidney failure they will never be normal again. Sadly, there is no easy way to predict which of these three outcomes is likely. The worst possible outcome is that the restart does not work. If all goes well, the kidneys will start up again and may function for a few weeks to a few years, but it is possible that they will fail again and the usual symptoms of kidney failure in dogs will reappear as soon as treatment stops. In addition, your vet will administer drugs to control vomiting and diarrhoea as well as advising on proper nutrition. Fluid therapy also replaces necessary electrolytes, especially potassium. If there are enough functional kidney, they may be able to satisfy the body’s needs for waste removal. The aim of this process – properly known as diuresis – is to stimulate the kidney cells to function again. The first phase aims to “restart” the kidneys buy giving large amounts of intravenous fluids to “flush” them out.

There are two stages to treatment for chronic Kidney Failure. Because of this, he will become thirstier and you may notice his water bowl needs topping up much more often. His body’s reaction to this it to produce more and more urine to try to flush the toxins out. Smaller dogs are more likely to show the earliest signs of kidney disease at between 10 and 14 years.Īs your dog gets older his kidneys become less and less inefficient as a filter. One big factor is your dog’s size: the larger the dog, the sooner you may see signs of kidney failure, perhaps as soon as seven years old. In fact, the production of large quantities of urine is a potential sign that your dog’s kidneys may be under strain and the body’s wastes are not being eliminated effectively.Ĭhronic Kidney failure does not happen overnight and is often the result of old age: the kidneys have simply worn out. Kidney failure in dogs is the inability of the kidneys to clean the blood of waste products and toxins, and not the inability to make urine. Get the Facts About Kidney Failure in Dogs

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