Your pet dog will show some specific signs and symptoms when he suffers from kidney problems. These are increase in water consumption, increase or decrease in urination, presence of blood in urine, decrease in appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of weight, poor hair coat and physical inactiveness. There are several factors that can be responsible for kidney problems in dogs.

What Causes Kidney Problems in Dogs

There can be numerous factors that can cause kidney problems in dogs. The foremost among them is age. As your pet dog grows in age, his kidney's capacity to perform its functions decreases. This slow down is more noticeable in some dogs. Secondly, the kidney may get infected with micro-organisms like virus, bacteria and fungi. An infected kidney often develops inflammation, which further affects its functionality. Like humans, a dog's body also provides shelter to parasites. Their activity is usually kept suppressed by the body's immune system. But when the immune system fails to do so, the parasites cause havoc in the body.

Your pet dog may ingest something that is toxic or allergic for his body, especially the kidney. Such a substance can be a medicine, floor cleansing agents, etc. There is a medical complication which involves the deposition of a certain kind of protein in the kidney. Amyloidosis is the medical term to describe the condition. Other causes of kidney problems in dogs are autoimmune, congenital, genetic diseases and trauma.

How is Kidney Problems in Dogs Treated

While suffering from kidney problems, a dog produces little or no urine. Such a condition is fatal for life. However, the problem of malfunctioning kidney can be cured by medical treatments.

In order to get your canine friend the effective treatment, you should take him to a veterinarian as early as possible. Veterinarians determines the underlying cause by conducting some diagnostic tests that include urine culture, ultrasound imaging, etc. He may use fluid therapy to improve the condition of your dog. It involves administration of intravenous fluids into your dog's body. This corrects dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities. Periodic administration of subcutaneous fluids may help in maintaining a hydrated state in your dog's body.

The veterinarian may prescribe either therapeutic or homemade dog foods that are easily digestible and low in proteins and phosphorus while your dog is under treatment. These foods are very effective in curing kidney problems because they reduce the amount of metabolic wastes that the kidney have to deal with. The vet may take help of antibiotics and antitoxins to treat kidney problems in your pet. Antibiotics will help the immune system of his body to fight the infection causing bacteria in case of kidney infection. Ethanol or medicines based on it are used as antitoxins to detoxify the kidneys.

Kidney problems in dogs are those dog health problems that need medical assistance for restoration. There is little that you can do at home to improve your dog's state. To keep him healthy, observe him for the signs of kidney problems given in the upper section of this article. If you notice the presence of such symptoms, take him immediately to a veterinarian for necessary assistance.