Please Help , Dogs Kidneys

[Jdefrank]

I have a 13 year old boxer who was taken in on Monday , his CRE was 6.1 and his BUN was 85. Along with white blood count  26.48 and red blood count 4.24 . He is on Ivy fluids , vitamins , Clyndamicine antibiotic .
I really want my buddy to get better , today is the first day he hasn't ate and I cant get any medicine down him!
This is so hard , please any information would help. Does my dog have a chance to beat this and live ? I really hope so :(

[tonyb286]

I can't really respond much more unless you reply to my prior questions. Sorry. The answers are crucial to me helping further.

You might find this is useful, so please read it:

http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Diet_Affects_Dogs_with_Chronic_Kidney_Disease

Tony

[Jdefrank]

Hes really tired, does not want to be bothered , sleeping a ton , gets up to drink water go bathroom as needed ...he was eating and did eat yesterday morning and last night some.. he just seems like he doesn't want to be bothered right now , he literally snapped at me

[Jdefrank]

I'm not sure about that ? I do know he just gt really mad at me for bothering him sleeping ? But I haven't got all his pills down him so he is eating ice I'm going to try freeze the solution in the ice and hope he eats it .

[Jdefrank]

I'm not sure about that ? I do know he just gt really mad at me for bothering him sleeping ? But I haven't got all his pills down him so he is eating ice I'm going to try freeze the solution in the ice and hope he eats it .

[tonyb286]

Ok. Sorry to keep asking, but it is important ... has the vet said whether this is ACUTE or CHRONIC kidney failure? If he hasn't said which it is, you need to ask him for an answer. The type of management and treatment depends on it.

Also, have you got him some anti-nausea medication from the vet?

Tony

[Jdefrank]

but today he has not ate yet although it's only 9:50 am ....Any Ideas?

[Jdefrank]

he has ate everyday something , such as broiled chicken because he don't the KD ..so we give him anything low on sodium and healthy as we can

[Jdefrank]

He has given him antibiotics , fluids through ivy I give him and other medicine..Sometimes it's difficult to get medicine down him cause he don't want to eat at certrain times. On a positive , he is still urinating fine , drinking water , he looks like hes resting peacefully , he pooped brown but loose , he's not throwing up ...He's just really tired and doesn't have a appetite at the moment .

[Jdefrank]

Well , I never give up and I believe he will make it through this . Thanks

[tonyb286]

Hi. It's interesting you should say that about the abscessed tooth. There is some evidence to suggest dental decay is the number one cause of chronic kidney failure in dogs, due entirely to the bacteria travelling from the mouth to the digestive system and - eventually - going through the kidneys. The infection should be resolved with the antibiotic fairly quickly, and certainly within a matter of another few days. The kidney disease cannot be cured. If it is acute (your vet should diagnose either acute or chronic kidney disease), then it is important to resolve the underlying problem - presumably the tooth infection. Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease is ongoing - just like human kidney failure - and will ultimately become fatal. How long this takes depends on the interventions made - and the condition of the kidneys when treatment and management begins. It also depends on the resolve of each individual dog.

Without treatment, chronic kidney disease will normally lead to death within a few weeks, and sometimes even within a few days. With intervention and good management, a dog can survive for a year or two, usually with a good quality of life.

Tony    

[Jdefrank]

I think the infection may be from an absessed tooth ..He's been sick for around 5 days now , has his ups and downs ...Is this a lengthly process?

[tonyb286]

Hi. Has your vet indicated what the actual diagnosis is? The Creatinine (I am assuming the level is for blood, not urine) is particularly high. The first thought is certainly kidney disease. However, it is also possible there is a blockage in the urinary tract, which can impede the flow and increase creatinine.

The BUN is another indicator of kidney disease, because the ratio of BUN and Creatinine are raised in a similar degree. If the high BUN and Creatinine were out of synch (one much higher than the other) then it would indicate something other than the kidneys.

The red blood count is relatively within normal limits, but the white blood count is very high. This suggests an infection is present, which is almost certainly why your vet has prescribed the antibiotic. Unfortunately, solving the infection may not solve the kidney problem, as I suspect there is kidney damage.

I can only suggest at this stage that you continue with the regime your vet has started. Once the infection is under control, you will be able to find out the extent of kidney damage and then proceed from there. There is the slight possibility that this is an acute renal problem, rather than chronic kidney failure, but only time will tell.

I would emphasise the importance of the IV fluids - this will help remove toxins and give your dog a better chance at improving. I'm sure your vet has already explained that there is no cure for chronic kidney failure, although with good management you can gain several months to one or two years of good quality health. Much depends on whether your dog rallies in the coming days and weeks.

I would certainly suggest you start your dog a a specific renal diet (tinned variety), as this type of food is much better for CKF dogs, having all the right nutrients and none of the things that could make matters much worse.

I would also suggest you join our special User Group on MedHelp ... the Chronic Kidney Failure in Dogs User Group. The people there are well informed and very supportive. If you join this Group, please start by describing what has happened and ask any pertinent questions you may have.

Hope this helps.

Tony