Familial Kidney Disease in Dogs

Should your dog have familial kidney disease, you may observe that he drinks and urinates more. In really young dogs, it may look like the dog is not picking up on housetraining. As the kidney function decreases, other symptoms may become apparent to include:

• Lack of appetite
• Weight loss
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Gums are pale (as a result of anemia)

In familial kidney disease, kidney dysfunction will usually be present before the dog is one year of age; kidney failure will typically occur before the dog reaches five years old. Should the dog be affected prior to five months of age, his growth may be significantly stunted.

Types

There are multiple types of familial kidney disease to include:

• Familial glomerulonephritis - Occurs in Bernese mountain dogs and is thought to be autosomal recessive

• Familial glomerulonephropathy -  Occurs in Doberman pinschers and inheritance is unknown

• Renal dysplasia -  Occurs in Golden Retrievers, Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers, Lhasa Apso and Shih Tzu and is thought to be autosomal recessive; in Rottweilers, the disease occurs though its inheritance is unknown.

• Familial nephropathy -  Occurs in Norwegian Elkhounds and its mode of inheritance is unknown

• Renal Telangiectasia - Seen in the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and its mode of inheritance is unknown

• Juvenile nephropathy - Occurs in the Miniature Schnauzer and its mode of inheritance is unknown

• Renal amyloidosis - Seen in the Shar-Pei and its mode of inheritance is unknown

• Polycystic kidney disease - When it occurs in Bull Terriers, dogs may not show symptoms until they are two years old or older

If you see concerning symptoms in your dog, it is a good idea to take him to your veterinarian for an examination. Your veterinarian will ask you for details regarding the symptoms you have observed, when you first noticed them and any changes that have occurred. 

The symptoms of familial kidney disease can result from multiple causes, which your veterinarian will have to rule out. After conducting a physical examination, your veterinarian will conduct blood and urine tests. When a dog has a form of kidney disease, high levels of nitrogen-containing compounds will typically be seen in their blood, as well as high levels of phosphate in their serum.

Their urine will often show that it has not been concentrated by the kidneys and nonregenerative anemia will be seen. An abnormally high amount of protein will point to hereditary nephritis and may occur before symptoms are seen. A renal biopsy is typically necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Regular monitoring of your dog will be recommended by your veterinarian. This will allow your veterinarian to keep an eye on progression of the kidney disease in your dog and make any necessary treatment changes. Your veterinarian will also help you in determining the time when your dog’s kidney function has deteriorated to where euthanasia is the most humane choice for him.

It is recommended that a dog with a familial kidney disease not be bred, nor should their parents. If you are looking to breed a dog that is related to the dog that has kidney disease, the dog should be tested for protein in his or her urine, as this is an early indication of kidney disease.