Overview
Suppose your veterinary surgeon told you they remark protein in your firedog ’s urine . What does that mean on the nose ? Does it think there is a problem with yourdog ’s kidney ? And is protein in andiron urine grave ?
In this clause , we will take an in - profundity look at what causes protein in frank urine , the symptom of too much protein in a frump ’s urine , and what veterinarians recommend for treatment .
Protein in Dog Urine: What is it?
Typically , a healthy dog ’s weewee should have very short to no protein in it . Protein is a treasured resource in a healthy body and must be keep up . When rip is filtered through the kidney , the kidneys reabsorb protein , vitamins , and minerals back into the bloodstream . At the same fourth dimension , these critical organs pass metabolic by - products , toxins , and excess water system into urine , to be get rid of from the body . If thekidneys are n’t play correctlyor there is bleeding or inflammation anywhere in the urinary or procreative tract , that can be plunk up on a piddle run as protein in the urine , also sleep together as proteinuria in dogs .
A double-dyed urinalysis is one of the most common laboratory tests endure in veterinary hospitals . This is a dog pee test to ascertain the health of the urinary organization and other related body systems . A veterinarian may run this test during routine annual examination or when a dog is grim . It is normally a paper airstrip dip in urine and then value for things likesugar in the weewee , blood , infections , etc . The test also jibe for protein in the urine .
If proteinuria is observe on the screening test , your veterinarian will examine the weewee under a microscope for grounds of ruby-red blood cellular phone or aurinary tract contagion , which can falsely raise protein reading on urinalysis dipstick tests .
Your veterinarian may also commend a more specific test called a piddle protein : creatinine proportion ( UPC ) to accurately determine how much protein is in your cad ’s pee . Here is how UPC ratios are measured :
These ratios can vary , and most veterinarians will reprise a UPC a few times over a few weeks to regulate persistent albuminuria before moving on to more examination or treatment .
Causes of Protein in Dog Urine
There are many causa of albuminuria in dogs , and it is n’t alwayskidney disease . Proteinuria is grouped into three main categories : pre - nephritic ( caused before the kidneys ) , nephritic ( kidney in stock ) , and post - renal ( make after the kidney ) .
Pre - nephritic case of albuminuria in dogs admit :
In all these conditions , the kidney is overwhelmed by protein and filters excessive protein from the line into the urine .
Renal ( kidney ) crusade of proteinuria in cad include kidney disease of any kind . Kidney disease impair the kidney glomeruli , which are the thousands of mini - filtration apparatus in the kidney that filter the blood and make urine . This legal injury may be two-sided if caught early but often create permanent scarring . If the glomeruli are damaged , microscopical pickle are punched in the filter , which let protein escape into the urine .
Kidney disease in dogs can be due to :
Post - renal causes of proteinuria in dogs include :
Inflammation in the low urinary tract will be detected as protein on the urine test .
If your dog has proteinuria , it is considered unnatural , and it will be authoritative to sour with your veterinary surgeon to determine the campaign and eliminate it if possible .
Symptomsof Proteinuria in Dogs
restrained to wicked proteinuria can cause the follow symptoms :
Dogs that have proteinuria due to kidney disease often have the following symptoms :
If you notice any of the symptom in either of the above tilt , make an appointment to have your dog seen by a veterinarian as soon as potential .
Mild to moderate proteinuria does not unremarkably cause clinical symptoms in dogs unless they have clinical signs associated with the underlying case . For example , dogs with proteinuria due to a urinary piece of land infection may also have blinking water , increased urge to urinate , and may be straining to piss . These Canis familiaris need to be seen by a veterinarian .
Diagnosingthe Cause of Excess Protein in Dog’s Urine
If your dog has had a support diagnosis of rarefied urine protein by multiple UPCs or if your dog is sick and has an elevated UPC , then it is time to lead some additional tests to determine the causal agent of albuminuria . These tests can include :
Protein in Dog UrineTreatment
Treatment of excess protein in bounder urine vary depending on the underlying lawsuit . For example , if the cause is pre - renal ( fever , heating system solidus , Cushing ’s Syndrome , etc . ) , treatment focuses on fixing those progeny . If the cause is post - renal ( urinary piece of ground rubor ) , the treatment can be antibiotics for infections or surgery , orfood therapyfor urinary stones and crystal . Proteinuria should resolve once the fundamental cause is key and eliminated , and no further treatment should be necessary .
albuminuria due to kidney disease has a range of treatments that may include :
The prognosis for dogs with kidney disease depart . While it is usually not cured by treatment , there are report of spontaneous remitment . If your dog is diagnose with kidney disease , it is important to work closely with a veterinary surgeon you trust , succeed their recommendation , and give medications as prescribed .
How to PreventProtein in Dog Urine
Because mild to moderate albuminuria often has no come with symptom , it can be helpful to have your frankfurter ’s piddle tested each twelvemonth by your vet , as most diseases associated with proteinuria have a better prognosis if caught too soon .
