Protein Losing Nephropathy (PLN)
- This condition affects the kidneys and leads to stones, bloody urine or loss of blood components. PLN largely affects large breed dogs and is characterised by protein and blood serum entering the urine, and usually leads to fatal kidney failure when not caught and treated quickly.
- Affected Breeds: Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Fanconi Syndrome
- This is a condition where the proximal renal tubules of the kidneys don’t properly absorb electrolytes and nutrients back into the body. Symptoms include excessive water drinking, excessive urine volume, and glucose in the urine. Left untreated, the dog’s condition will worsen. Dogs are usually affected between 4 and 8 years of age. As it has a later onset, it’s often passed onto offspring as it wasn’t know the parent was affected.
- Affected Breeds: Basenji
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
- PKD is a slowly progressing, irreversible kidney disease. It’s defined by the growth of cysts in the kidneys (usually in the functional areas). With the cyst growing and replacing the kidney tissue, the kidney’s ability to function decreases, ending in chronic renal failure. This usually happens in middle-aged to old age dogs. This disease affects both kidneys, and signs don’t appear in the early stages of the disease, but as the disease progresses. Symptoms are excessive water drinking, loss of appetite, frequent urination, weight loss, sporadic vomiting and depression.
- Affected Breeds: Bull Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier.
Cystinuria (CU)
- CU is a disorder of the kidneys. In an unaffected dog, cystine is filtered in the kidney and then reabsorbed in the tubules, resulting in little cystine in the dog’s urine. Meanwhile affected dogs, the cystine is not reabsorbed properly in the kidney tubules (along with other amino acids), resulting in high levels of cystine in the dog’s urine. As cystine is insoluble (doesn’t dissolve) in neutral pH or acidic urine, it leads to excessive cystine in the urine, resulting in crystals forming in the kidney and or bladder. Affected dogs will repeatedly suffer from urinary tract infections and are at risk of urinary blockage. This, left untreated promptly, can lead to kidney failure, bladder rupture and even death. The average age dogs start showing signs is 4.8 years, but in Newfoundland’s it can start as early as 6 months to a year old, as the breed suffers from a more severe form of the condition.
- Affected Breeds: American Bulldog, American Bully, Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Cobberdog, Australian Labradoodle, Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Bulldog, French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Landseer, Mastiff, Miniature Pinscher, Miniature Smoothhaired Dachshund, Newfoundland.
