Introduction
Chronic renal failure in dogs is a condition in which the kidneys begin to deteriorate over time. How badly a dog’s kidneys are affected by chronic renal failure depends on what caused the condition to develop and when the condition was diagnosed.
Age is the #1 Factor
There are a number of contributing factors which can result in chronic renal failure, but by far the number one cause of chronic renal failure in dogs is age; the majority of these cases are diagnosed in dogs over 7 years of age. Some older dogs develop this condition as a natural process of aging, and other dogs develop the condition as they age due to genetics.
Other Causes
Additional causes of chronic renal failure include exposure to poisons or toxins, structural problems within the kidneys themselves, kidney stones, chronic urinary obstruction often caused by a narrow urethra or bladder stones, as a side effect of some medications, and as a side effect of lymphoma cancer. All of these causes result in a gradual decline and deterioration of the kidneys, which result in chronic renal failure.
Often chronic renal failure has no identifiable cause at all; in many of these cases pet owners struggle with their own guilt, wondering if they could have somehow prevented the disease. The fact of the matter is that the majority of chronic renal failure cases could not be prevented; they can only be treated. As this condition occurs most often in dogs over 7, veterinarians now highly recommend that dogs age 7 and over receive a yearly blood screening test to check for kidney function. While chronic renal failure can not be prevented, early diagnosis and supportive treatment can limit the amount of damage to the kidneys.