The kidneys play an important part in filtering and removing waste from the body. They regulate essential mineral blood concentration and help to control blood pressure and red blood cell production. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, this causes toxins to build up and makes your pet feel ill.
Scooby is a Maltese-poodle X just shy of his 13th birthday. In the summer of 2017, he was showing signs of illness. He was losing weight, not interested in eating and intermittent vomiting. Around the age of 7, most pets are entering their senior years. 6-month examinations and blood screenings are recommended to closely monitor your pets as they age. At the age of 12, Scooby had his first ever blood test. The results came back and Scooby was diagnosed with CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease). Creatinine is a breakdown product of muscle removed by the kidneys; an indicator of kidney functions, which is used to determine which stage of CKD your pet is in. Scooby’s values were 258 (early stage 3) in August of 2017. After only 28 days starting on the new Royal Canin Renal diet and a new lifestyle, he went down to stage 2 with a value of 163. The Royal Canin renal support diets offer a variety of different wet and dry foods to stimulate your dog’s appetite and slow down disease progression. After only a month his owners could see the improvement in his health.
Scooby’s owner declined his 6-month senior exam since he was doing so well and not due for his annual medication monitoring blood work until August of 2018. In only a matter of 10 months, Scooby started showing very similar symptoms to when he was first diagnosed. Another blood test was done and Scooby had entered end-stage renal failure (Stage 4). His creatinine level reached 537. His owner’s biggest regret was not doing blood work sooner in his lifetime, as well as declining his 6-month exam with his veterinarian.
Since entering Stage 4, Scooby has been hospitalized on IV fluids over a course of a few days to help with his hydration and placed on a new medication to help with his anemia. Regular blood pressure testing and blood tests are being done to monitor his progression of the disease. Scooby’s appetite has been slowly decreasing. His owners are doing everything they can to ensure his quality of life is still good in his final days.
Written by: Ashley Toporowski
