What happens to a dog when their kidneys shut down?

Dog Kidney Failure – When To Euthanize is something that you may eventually need to consider. The best way to keep your dog as healthy as possible is to recognize signs of illness – and get ailments treated as soon as you can. Canine kidney failure is a common problem found in older dogs – and can often go unnoticed for a long time before symptoms show. There are many treatments available when your dog has been diagnosed with this condition and once you’ve got all the facts about dog kidney failure – when to euthanize – you’ll know just what to expect.

Kidney failure

Chronic renal failure is the inability of the kidneys to efficiently filter the blood of waste products. Most dogs with kidney failure produce large quantities of urine but the toxic wastes aren’t being eliminated. The disease progresses slowly and typically stems from being poisoned or ingesting some kind of toxin – such as antifreeze.
Acute kidney problems can include decreased blood flow or oxygen delivery to the kidneys – as well as infection and urinary obstruction. Long-term kidney disease can cause kidney damage that isn’t reversible. Medications such as antibiotics or chemotherapy drugs, cysts in the kidney, and birth defects can all be factors.

Symptoms

One of the first symptoms of kidney failure is an increase in thirst alongside excessive urination – as the kidneys are damaged the body uses more fluids. Other noticeable symptoms include:

• Pale, dry gums – dull and dry to touch
• Mouth ulcers – that are raw and painful
• Bloodshot eyes – whites of the eyes are red
• Decreased appetite – loss of interest in food
• Weight loss – with gradual loss of fat and muscle mass
• Excessive shedding – with a dull, lacklustre coat
• Lethargy – with no interest in moving around
• Increased sleeping – with only brief periods of wakefulness
• Vomiting – unable to keep food down
• Breathing difficulties – unable to breathe normally
• Loss of balance – disoriented and clumsy
• Trembling – with periodic seizures that are a major sign of kidney failure
• There are other symptoms that your vet will be able to test for and these include:
• Uraemia – the build-up of waste products in the body
• Anaemia – the lack of iron in the blood
• High blood pressure – elevated due to the illness
• Slow heart rate – a faster rate will turn to slow down during the end stage of kidney failure

Treatments

The vet will initially recommend a change in diet – low sodium and low phosphorus may help in slowing down the progression of kidney failure. Natural supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil provide anti-inflammatory values that can reduce kidney inflammation – and Vitamin B and C complexes can help replenish lost vitamins and increase appetites.
Alternative medication includes anti-hypertensive options that include ACE inhibitors – reducing stress offers a better quality of life. Natural flower essences and regular acupuncture have proven to help slow the progression of kidney failure – both are safe to use alongside conventional treatments.

Keep your dog comfortable

Your vet will discuss with you how to keep your dog comfortable after diagnosis of end-stage kidney failure. You can: Make sure your dog’s bed is quiet, warm, and cosy with a blanket and toys Spend as much time with your dog as possible as this will bring company and calm Supervise interactions with others to ensure gentle play

Keep your dog clean and dry, washing and brushing regularly

When is the right time to euthanize?

After all treatments for kidney failure have been tried – and your dog is getting worse you may need to talk to your vet about Dog euthanasia. There are signs that your dog is really in distress – when the pain is constant when you are unable to soothe, and when eating and drinking stops. If your dog is suffering from incontinence and all the fight has gone you’ll know this is the right time.
If you still have doubts, you should look to the future and assess your dog’s quality of life. When the end is near, your care and attention will make all the difference to your dog. You can take comfort in the knowledge that you were there when your dog needed you most.

Gentle at-home euthanasia

You’ll need the advice and support of trained and qualified vets to get you through these last few days. Cloud 9 Vets will make sure you get all the help you need. With years of experience in helping families and their pets, they understand how anxious, guilty, and incredibly sad you may feel.
You’ll have comfort by the fact that your dog will be in familiar surroundings for the procedure, removing the of you taking your dog to the surgery. You’ll be able to hold your dog’s paw and provide comfort until the very end.

Dog euthanasia involves two injections – the first gentle pinprick will cause your dog to drift off to sleep within 15 minutes. The vet will administer the second injection either intravenously through a vein in the front leg – or by an intravenous catheter into the back leg.
You can ask your Cloud 9 Vet to take care of the cremation on your behalf – or you can make your own arrangements and contact the crematorium yourself. You will have time to decide on the type of service you want for your dog.

Dealing with the loss of your dog

If you get in touch with qualified bereavement counsellors after your dog has gone, you may find this helps. Grief affects everyone differently and you might need extra support to get your life back on track. Grieving is an important part of your recovery and even little things can trigger an emotional response. There isn’t an exact formula but you should prepare yourself to experience denial, anger, guilt, depression, and finally acceptance.
Creating a memorial to your dog can also be therapeutic. Discuss the options with your family and friends to see which works best for you. It’s important to do something that helps you remember your dog and process your grief.

Dog Kidney Failure – When To Euthanize

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The kidneys perform many vital functions. One of those is the removal of toxins from the body that build up simply from cell function causing production of waste products. Kidney failure means that the kidneys cannot remove these toxins. "Acute" kidney failure means that the problem developed over a few days.

Many different things can cause acute kidney failure. Certain poisons are well known for their ability to damage the kidney. These poisons include the following:

1. Antifreeze (radiator fluid, ethylene glycol)
2. Lily plants (cats only)
3. Raisins
4. Certain drugs, including pain pills such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil)

Severe infections in the kidney from bacteria can cause sudden kidney failure. Although kidney infections can occur spontaneously, usually some reason exists why the cat or dog cannot fight off infection as easily (such as kidney stones or partial urine blockage). Leptospires are a group of bacteria that can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. Dogs get leptospirosis from urine or water contaminated by infected animals (deer, cattle, rats, raccoons, mice, dogs, other animals).

Anything that decreases blood flow through the kidney can cause kidney failure. This includes dehydration from any cause (such as severe vomiting and diarrhea). Heatstroke or other disorder causing massive damage to blood vessels, such as bee stings or snakebites, can lead to kidney failure.

What are symptoms of acute kidney failure?

Dogs or cats with acute kidney failure may have a variety of problems. Symptoms of kidney failure include excessive thirst and an excessive volume of urine in the early stages. Later symptoms of acute kidney failure include lethargy, poor appetite, and vomiting. In severe kidney failure, the amount of urine may actually decrease, or the pet may stop making urine altogether. Other signs as things get worse include digested blood in the stool making the stool look black and tarry, or vomiting digested blood, which looks like coffee grounds.

What tests are needed?

Blood and urine tests are used to determine if kidney failure is present, and if it is, how severe it is. Other tests, such as x-rays, sonogram (ultrasound), and special blood tests are usually necessary to tell what caused the kidney failure. Sometimes a biopsy of the kidney is recommended. The cause of kidney failure is not always easily discernable.

What treatment is available?

The initial treatment for acute kidney failure is usually intravenous fluids (IV). These fluids are used to restore good hydration and to flush out the substances that the kidneys are supposed to be removing from the bloodstream. Urine production is monitored throughout the IV fluid therapy as a decrease in urine can indicate the need for other therapies. Diuretics (water pills) are the most common medications used when attempting to increase urine output.

In addition to fluid treatment, other medications are commonly used. Antacids such as Pepcid or Zantac are given because kidney failure frequently causes stomach ulcers. If ulcers are bleeding, medications to coat the ulcer may be prescribed. Antibiotics are given if the cause of the kidney failure is known or suspected to be infection. Because kidney failure is a big drain on the body's resources and because pets with kidney failure frequently refuse to eat, a temporary tube may be recommended.

The condition of dogs and cats with acute kidney failure can change rapidly, and careful monitoring is necessary. This may include repeatedly checking blood pressure, body weight, electrocardiogram, and blood tests. It may be necessary to place a urinary catheter to measure urine volume. Potassium is an electrolyte normally found in the blood in low levels. With acute kidney failure, potassium levels may increase to dangerous levels, unlike in chronic kidney failure when levels tend to decrease. The increased potassium level slows the heartbeat and can cause the heart to stop. Very high blood pressure may develop because of the kidney failure, and blood pressure medicines are frequently needed. High blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the eye or brain to burst. This may manifest itself as bloating in the belly, swollen legs, or as shortness of breath, if the fluid builds up in the lungs.

Not all animals with acute kidney failure will respond to IV fluids. Advanced renal therapies (e.g., peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis) may be necessary. Signs that indicate these therapies should be considered include a dangerously high potassium level, fluid in the lungs, or lack of improvement in laboratory results while one receives IV fluids. Peritoneal dialysis involves putting a tube directly into the belly cavity, putting fluid into the belly, and then draining it out after an hour to a few hours. This flushes out many of the toxins that the kidneys are failing to remove. It requires having a doctor or nurse by the patient 24 hours a day initially to keep flushing the fluid in and out. Unfortunately, even in the best of circumstances, complications such as infection around the tube and clogging of the tube are frequent after only a few days.

Hemodialysis involves putting a very large IV catheter in a vein and using the catheter to remove part of the blood at a time. The blood is sent through a machine that cleans the blood. Hemodialysis is effective, but only a handful of veterinary hospitals are equipped to do hemodialysis. Both peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis are generally very expensive.

What is the prognosis?

Despite all the advances in treatment of acute kidney failure, it is such a serious disease that many patients die from it. About 60% of dogs and cats with this disease either die or are put to sleep because of it. Dialysis is usually reserved for those patients in which medical treatment has failed and the chance of death without dialysis is almost 100%. In those patients, dialysis may allow up to half of them to recover, depending on the underlying cause of kidney failure. Of the ones that recover, some may recover completely, or they recover partially and end up with long-lasting kidney damage that can be treated at home.

Client handout reference from Ettinger: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 7th Edition