We love our dogs deeply and never want to see them suffer. Kidney Disease in dogs is common and can sometimes become serious.
Are Pomeranains prone to Kidney Disease?
Is Kidney Failure Common In Pomeranians
Pomeranians are pretty healthy dogs overall usually living long healthy lives.
Kidney failure is a possibility in Pomeranains as it is with many other dogs.
Making sure that your dog has routine checkups with your vet and watching your dog for any changes in behavior is the best way to find any possible health concerns before they become serious.
Kidney disease is more common among older dogs that affect up to 10% of dogs as they age.
Is Kidney Failure Fatal In Pomeranains
Kidney failure is extremely serious and can often lead to a fatal outcome.
If you notice anything that doesn’t seem right with your dog discuss it with your vet as soon as possible.
Early detection is always the best chance for a positive outcome.
Types Of Kidney Disease In Dogs
There are two types of kidney disease that a dog may experience acute and chronic.
Acute Kidney Disease
Acute kidney disease develops and shows symptoms within a short period of time, usually within days.
Causes of acute kidney failure may be poisoning or infections.
Luckily, if caught soon enough most cases of acute kidney failure can be treated successfully.
Chronic Kidney Faliure
Chronic Kidney Failure on the other hand occurs over a long period of time usually, months and years.
In many cases, there will not be a cure for the degeneration of the kidneys but, treatments can improve the quality if life and give your dog more time, sometimes years.
What Causes Kidney Disease In Dogs
- Kidney Infection
- Kidney Stones
- Kidney Blockage
- Bacterial Infection
- Damage To Kidney Filters (glomerular disease)
- Damage To Kidney Tubules
- Protein Issues
- Toxins
- Cancer
- Hereditary
- Dental Disease
Kidney Infections
A kidney infection can be caused by both a viral or bacterial source.
Luckily, if your dog has this type of kidney infection and is caught early, your vet has many options to treat it with positive outcomes for your dog.
Kidney Stones
Kidney Stones can often be the result of a chronic bacterial infection.
Some dogs also may have a genetic disposition making them vulnerable to kidney stones
Diseases that affect the blood or urine can also contribute to the formation of kidney stones in your dog.
Kidney stones may or may not cause your dog pain but, if they start to form a blockage within the kidneys or ducts they may become more serious.
Kidney Blockage
A possible result of having kidney stones is a more serious condition when a stone blocks the flow of urine from your dog’s kidneys into its bladder.
The kidneys can start to swell and build up pressure causing pain and possible long-term damage.
Bacterial Infection
If your dog contracts a bacterial infection with leptospirosis it can cause sudden and acute injury to your dog’s kidneys.
This bacteria can also be spread to humans and other pets putting us all at risk.
Luckily, there are antibiotics available for treatments to kill the bacteria as well as some vaccines against the leptospira bacteria.
As with anything getting diagnosed as early as possible leads to the best outcome.
Damage To The Kidney Filters
The Kidney’s entire job is to filter toxins, if the filtration system is damaged there will be negative side effects.
Glomerular Disease often doesn’t have any symptoms in the early stages but, can get more serious over time.
As time goes on the inflammation of the tissues will spread within and outside of the kidneys creating chronic kidney disease that can make your dog very sick.
Damage To Kidney Tubules
Damage to your dog’s Kidney Tubules can be hard to detect and treat.
Inflammation and damage to the kidney tubules leads to chronic kidney disease.
Protein Issues
Some dogs will have protein issues where the protein deposits start to replace healthy tissues.
This can be caused by genetics or chronic inflammation that is affecting other parts of the dog’s body.
Unfortunately, once this damage has been done there isn’t a way to repair it making the prognosis not good.
Toxins
Unfortunately, dogs can get into many household toxins that can do some major damage.
Some normal items that everyone has in their homes like grapes, onions, medications, and cleaners can cause kidney disease in dogs.
Cancer
Luckily, Kidney Cancer is very rare in dogs.
If only one of your dog’s kidneys has been affected by cancer, it can be removed leaving your dog with one healthy kidney.
If cancer has spread to both kidneys or other parts of the body, treatments and cures are very limited.
Genetics
Unfortunately, there are many purebred dogs that pass on genetic risks for kidney disease.
Some dogs can show signs of developing kidney disease at a young age whereas others may not develop it until later in life.
Dental Disease
Dental disease can lead to kidney failure in dogs by releasing toxins from the mouth and gums into the bloodstream and organs.
Over time your dog’s organs can be severely damaged.
What Are The Signs Of Kidney Failure In Dogs
Some of the signs of kidney disease and kidney failure include.
- Weight Loss
- Loss Of Appetite
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Pale Gums
- Lethargy/Lack Of Energy
- Loss Of Balance/Stumbling
- Mouth Ulcers
- Blood In Urine
- Urinating More Often Or Less
- More Or Less Water Consumption
- Seizures
If you notice any or a combination of the symptoms in your dog, please seek vet attention.
What Can Do For A Dog that Has Kidney Failure
The treatment of kidney failure will depend on many factors including the type of disease, cause, age, and overall health of your dog.
If your dog is experiencing acute kidney failure there will most likely be treatment options available to correct and eliminate the current condition and its causes.
On the other hand, if your dog has chronic kidney failure the focus of treatment may be on extending the length and quality of life for your dog.
How To Prevent Kidney Failure In Dogs
There are some ways to prevent kidney failure in dogs.
In order to prevent acute kidney failure make sure that your dog doesn’t ingest anything that could be considered toxic like medications, cleaners, tainted food, and human foods that are toxic.
Chronic kidney disease often stems from age and genetics making it hard to prevent. The best way to prevent and catch kidney disease in your dog is to bring your dog to the vet for regular checkups as well as b
Are Pomeranians Prone To Kidney Stones
Unfortunately, Pomeranians are one of many small breeds that are at a higher risk to develop kidney and bladder stones.
Is Kidney Failure The Same As Kidney Stones
Kidney failure and kidney stones are two different things, kidney stones are one of many different conditions that can lead to kidney failure.
Dog Breeds That Are Prone To Kidney Disease
Some dog breeds are at a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease in comparison to other breeds.
- Shar Pei
- Bull Terrier
- English Cocker Spaniel
- West Highland White Terrier
- Boxer
- German Shepherds
- Samoyeds
- Poodles
- Rottweilers
Final Thoughts
Sometimes we can’t prevent our dogs from damaging diseases like kidney failure.
Making sure that our dogs are diagnosed and receive the care they need is the best thing we can do to give our fluffy friends the best life possible.
Since there are many different causes of kidney failure in dogs there are also many different treatment options.
Some treatments will completely correct the condition whereas others will improve and prolong your dog’s life.
