Chronic Renal Failure in Dogs
Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) in Dogs Guide: Here you'll find in-depth information on CRF in dogs including its causes, symptoms, and treatments.
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Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a progressive disease involving long-term insult to the kidneys which, over time, damages their ability to concentrate urine and remove nitrogenous waste products from the blood. The primary waste product that builds up with kidney failure is blood urea nitrogen, or “BUN.” After many months or even years, the increase in circulating toxins ultimately causes signs of uremic poisoning. Unfortunately, the symptoms of chronic renal failure usually are not apparent
Chronic renal failure (CRF) in dogs is caused by primary kidney (renal) disease that has persisted for months to years, resulting in inadequately concentrated urine and abnormally elevated levels of urea nitrogen in the dog’s blood. CRF can be present without overt clinical signs; this form usually is called renal insufficiency rather than failure. Overt CRF, with clinical signs, reflects uremia and severe, irreversible kidney damage.The precise causes of most cases of CRF are never
Chronic renal failure (CRF) can be present without obvious symptoms for a very long time. When kidney disease is asymptomatic, it usually is called renal “insufficiency,” rather than renal “failure”. Unfortunately, once overt signs appear, the kidneys probably have lost over 75% of their ability to perform their normal functions of filtering toxins from the blood, excreting the end-products of metabolism in the urine and regulating the concentrations of hydrogen, sodium, potassium, phosphate and other
Chronic renal failure (CRF) can be tricky to diagnose, because many of the signs of this disease are the same as those caused by other diseases or disorders. However, given time and a willing owner, veterinarians have the skills and the tools to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.Dogs with CRF that is severe enough to cause symptoms usually arrive at the veterinary clinic weak, lethargic, depressed, underweight and disheveled, with a history of vomiting, stumbling,
Chronic renal failure can be present for a long, long time before a dog shows any symptoms of illness. Unfortunately, by the time an owner suspects that something is wrong, enough kidney tissue usually has been damaged to make the condition irreversible. Nevertheless, there are a number of management techniques and supportive treatments that may help delay progression of renal failure and enhance the dog’s quality of life.The goals of treating chronic renal failure are