Mary Allen
In your heart, your dog is a member of the family. You’ve done everything you can to keep your dog healthy, but being diagnosed with kidney failure can be devastating. Dogs with early stages of kidney failure can often be rescued, allowing you to enjoy your pet for many years to come. Knowing the stages of canine kidney failure can help you better prepare for what’s to come and possibly find some comfort during this horrible time.
STAGE OF KIDNEY FAILURE IN DOGS
From the time of diagnosis until death, dogs with kidney failure go through four stages. These stages do not have to occur sequentially. A dog can go through them over the course of a few months or even years. Urine is tested for signs of kidney dysfunction and blood is tested for levels of symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA), which vets can use to assess the stage of your dog’s kidney disease.
HOW LONG CAN A DOG WITH STAGE 4 KIDNEY FAILURE LIVE?
The prognosis depends on the severity of the disease. Studies have shown that the median survival time is shorter in dogs with higher IRIS stages. In IRIS stage 1 dogs, median survival was over 400 days, stage 2 200 to 400 days, stage 3 110 to 200 days, and stage 4 14 to 80 days.
END-STAGE RENAL FAILURE IN DOGS: SYMPTOMS
The following are the most common symptoms of kidney failure in dogs:
- The smell of ammonia that comes with uremia is easy to spot because the body has a tendency to store waste.
- Gums are paler and feel drier than normal.
- Uremia leads to painful, raw canker sores as a result.
- A bloodshot white of the eyes is a warning sign.
- Increased thirst: A dog with this condition will drink a lot of water.
- The dog is dehydrated despite its increased fluid intake.
- As a result, the dog’s desire to eat decreases.
- Losing Weight: The dog continues to lose weight.
- Wasting is possible due to the gradual loss of fat and muscle mass.
- Poorly groomed hair: The hair falls out constantly, making the animal look unkempt.
- The dog makes a sluggish impression and lacks the urge to move.
- The dog can only be observed for a few brief moments of excitement during the day and at night.
- A dog that vomits frequently is unable to keep food down.
- Anemia can occur in dogs.
- High Blood Pressure: The dog’s blood pressure is elevated.
- Incontinence: A dog’s inability to regulate its urge to urinate is called incontinence.
- Shortness of breath: The dog can no longer breathe independently due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.
- Heartbeat slows down in end-stage kidney failure: A faster heartbeat is common in kidney failure.
- Your dog seems depressed and unresponsive to his favorite things.
- The dog in question appears unconcerned or uninterested in what is going on around him.
- The dog appears to be disoriented at times.
- Disorientation: The dog appears shaky and unsteady on its hind legs.
- It happens that the dog trembles or shakes uncontrollably.
- End-stage renal failure is manifested by periodic seizures in the dog.
IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO LET YOUR DOG DIE OF NATURAL DEATH?
The body’s job is to keep heart rate, blood flow, and blood pressure constant. Letting your pet die at home may seem “quiet,” but unless there is severe, acute bleeding, it is not a quiet death (where the body bleeds to death quickly and the patient loses consciousness).
DO DOGS WITH KIDNEY FAILURE DIE IN THEIR SLEEP?
What is the patient’s outlook? Despite all the advances in the treatment of acute kidney failure, it remains a dangerous disease that kills a significant number of patients. It is estimated that around 60% of dogs and cats suffering from this disease die or are killed.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A DOG TO DIE FROM KIDNEY FAILURE?
Some pets die within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, suggesting that the disease can progress from mild to severe in some cases very quickly. In some pets, the disease can be caused by a smoldering, chronic kidney infection that progresses from mild to severe over several weeks or months.