Kidney Failure

[Captain Cornflake]

Hello Everyone

I'm a newby on here from the UK. One of our beloved boys "Bobby" stopped eating and started bringing up bile a couple of weeks ago. Following some medication for nausea and antacids we had a blood test and the results we got on Friday 6th September were devastating.

Phosphorus levels were very high and he was taken straight in for fluids and flush to reduce these. Obviously I was straight on to Google which in hindsight, was totally wrong, as I've spent all weekend in tears with my partner Keri.

I was hoping you guys may offer any guidance to eliminate some of my concerns. We went to see him this afternoon and not tail wag, he was loving but subdued and still not eating.

Please tell me this isn't the end, he's only 10 and is still full of beans. Blood pressure and temperature are still normal which our Vets says is really good.

Hopefully you can help.

[Dawnspell]

Our first boy Barney had kidney failure at just over a year old brought on by an infection. We were told he may not last the weekend, he lived another 5 years but his kidneys failed in the end.

It all depends on what the vets says and how his blood levels are with the drip and how he reacts once off the fluids. They can live with kidney failure feeding a specific diet and medication but it all depends on how well the kidneys are working.

[zeta1454]

Hello Alan and welcome to the Forum.

So sorry to hear about Bobby’s diagnosis. If he has been treated with medications at the vets this could certainly cause him to be subdued and so it may not be anything to do specifically with his kidneys. Certain medications can affect appetite too so the fact that he is not yet eating may not necessarily be anything to worry about too much either. If Bobby was ‘full of beans’ before this and his blood pressure and temperature are normal, it sounds promising that he will bounce back

Diet can play a huge part in the management of kidney issues in dogs but most vets do not have any in-depth training in nutrition and are unlikely to be able to offer much guidance on this and many will try to sell ultra-processed foods (supposedly for renal issues) to clients from the companies that financially support them. The following link has several useful articles which can help explain more regarding this:

https://dogsfirst.ie/kidney-disease-in-dogs/

Good luck and hope that Bobby is soon back home with you. Being back with the family can really boost a dog after illness and they often improve quickly with the right care

[Dinkum]

I understand how tough it is dealing with kidney disease in our schnauzers. I went through something similar with my first schnauzer, Rupert, who had kidney issues and high phosphorus levels. I tried a low-phosphorus raw diet and medication, but at 13, with underlying Cushing’s disease, he struggled, and sadly, I had to put him to sleep in March. He was only on the new diet and medication for 2 months. My story won't bring you much comfort, but I know you will do what is best for Bobby. Wishing you all the best.