My dog has kidney failure. Should he fast for kidney function tests?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm so sorry to hear Smudge was diagnosed with kidney issues. Unfortunately, a complete blood chemistry panel that includes a urinalysis is very accurate for kidney disease. If you have concerns about Smudge's diagnosis, I would recommend you reach out to Smudge's veterinarian to discuss what the findings were, and what steps may need to be taken. Good luck.

There are a few tests that require testing but most do not. A basic panel of bloodwork just as a routine screening does not typically require fasting. If she needed to be fasted your vet probably would have let you know. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It really depends on the exact blood work that is being done. If it is just a routine CBC and Chemistry profile then he probably doesn't need to be fasted. If the blood-work is being done the same day as the procedure then he should be fasted because of the procedure. You should probably call your vet for specific instructions. I am sure it is worrisome to put your dog under anesthesia but the benefits of cleaning the teeth and extracting the diseased teeth outweighs the risks of the anesthesia. As long as he is healthy, the risk is minimal.

I'm so very sorry to hear about your loss of Bobo. Unfortunately, it is very common for renal failure to progress very quickly. Our bloodwork tests do not become abnormal until at least 75% of the kidneys are affected, so by the time a dog is sick from renal failure, their kidneys have been damaged for quite a while. We normally do not know what caused the damage and are unable to determine the damage until it is too late. So, unfortunately, there isn't any treatment for us to do except give IV fluids and often dogs do not respond to that. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss of Bobo. I hope that was helpful and answered your question.

Hello. Your blood work should have indicated if there were any kidney problems, so if nothing was said, I would rule this out. If she did well on antibiotics, but then regressed, she may need to stay on antibiotics longer. Some dogs remain on antibiotics for 6-8 weeks. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Those lab tests look great! Yes, in some cases acute renal failure can be completely reversible with IV fluids and supportive care. This usually happens within a few days to a few weeks, so yes - this time frame would certainly fit. I'm very happy to see that things have improved so much for Tahnee! :)

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Technically, we have to have a urine concentration to know for sure if the kidneys are affected. Those values (urea and creat) could have been caused by mild dehydration. If so, the kidneys are fine. If the urine is dilute and watery, then yes I am worried more about kidney damage. Talk to your vet about checking the concentration (USG) of the first urine of the morning. Best of luck to you and Max!