My dog has high protein in urine. What are kidney treatment options?

Hi, thanks for writing. Sounds like your dog has a protein-losing nephropathy, which we abbreviate PLE. Food alone doesn't do much, unfortunately, and we really have to treat the underlying cause. There are a huge list of things that can cause a PLE. Many breeds of dogs can pass this on genetically - Bernese mountain dogs, beagles, soft-coated wheaten terriers, cocker spaniels to name a few. All of these dogs have a specific kind of dysfunction in their kidney that causes the protein loss, and the only way you can tell which one it is is by doing a biopsy of the kidney. Infectious diseases can cause PLE's too - chronic bacterial infections, fungal disease, tick borne disease (like Lyme disease). Cancer can cause it, as well as drugs like steroids and other diseases like diabetes. What I'm trying to get at is that protein in the urine isn't a diagnosis - it's a sign of another disease. In order to treat it you have to figure out what's causing it. If you want to do a consult I'd be happy to talk more with you about this - it's a complicated problem.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oaklee. That particular diet is great for skin disease and is worth a try if you have not had luck with her previous treatments. The protein in the urine is unlikely related to the skin disease. It can mean several things. First, if she has a urinary tract infection, that will increase the protein level in the urine. If this is not the case based on the urinalysis, then I recommend a test known as a urine protein creatinine ratio to measure the exact amount of protein in the urine. If this ratio comes back elevated, then she will need treatment to help limit the protein loss in the urine as it is an indicator of kidney disease in a dog. I typically will measure blood pressure next and run bloodwork if it has not been done recently. Then I will start a medication. I hope this information helps!

It doesn't look like Pitambar received a urinalysis. This test needs to be run to help stage the renal disease or if dehydration is present and causing the increase in the renal values. Talk with your veterinarian about having this test run asap: https://www.petcoach.co/article/urinalysis-testing-a-urine-sample/ There is another test called an SDMA which will help stage renal disease: https://www.idexx.com/en/veterinary/reference-laboratories/sdma/ Pitambar should also have a urine protein:creatine ratio run to check for protein loss and the need to medication to control that if it is present. This website discusses how renal disease is staged: https://www.idexx.com/en/veterinary/reference-laboratories/sdma/sdma-iris/ Kidney disease is serious and if caught early, many pets will respond to easy treatment and this will not only slow down disease process but will also increase the life expectancy. Often the first step is changing the diet to a prescription diet meant for pets who have kidney disease. These diets have lower protein, phosphorus and high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, higher amounts of antioxidants and have a higher calorie amount. Supplementing with an additional omega 3 fatty acid can also help. Pitambar will need followup bloodwork and a urinalysis 4-6 weeks after starting treatment. As things progress, other treatments will be needed. https://www.petcoach.co/article/kidney-disease-causes-signs-diagnosis-and-treatment/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Having trace albumin (protein) in a dogs urine is pretty normal. We only get concerned about kidney damage when the albumin is moderate-severe and also when CREA is high. High BUN can indicate a GI bleed or a high protein diet in most cases. I don't see a complete cell count (CBC) analysis in the records you sent. Swelling of the limb can indicate edema, a musculoskeletal injury or even a seroma. I would suggest doing a urinalysis to rule out a UTI or stones causing the bloody discharge you are seeing, and a radiograph of the leg (if medical management with an anti-inflammatory hasn't shown improvement with this already). I hope this helps and best wishes with Scooby moving forward. Take care.

If a UTI has been ruled out by urine culture, then protein losing nephropathy can be suspected as the cause, and an ACEI such as enalapril or benazepril can be used. I believe there is a newer medication on the US market for this purpose in dogs, but I can't remember it now! I just learned about it at a lecture a few months ago. I don't typically treat borderline high BP, but if the PLN is real then the ACEI will certain help lower the BP to decrease protein loss. Beta blockers would be the next step, but I haven't needed to use them personally. Here is an article you may find helpful on canine hypertension: https://www.dvm360.com/view/diagnosing-and-treating-hypertension-proceedings-0 And another for PLN: https://www.dvm360.com/view/protein-losing-nephropathy-proceedings

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Whether or not I would be worried would depend on how the urine sample was collected. Did the vet use a needle and go directly into the bladder to get the sample (cystocentesis) or was it done as a "free catch" sample where you or a member of the vet team walked Kiwi and caught the urine in a container. If you are unsure of how the sample was obtained then you should call your vet to ask. It really does not sound to me like anything to be concerned about at this time but I do not have access to all her records and I have not examined her myself so I cannot really say for sure. If you can get more information as to how the sample was collected you are welcome to post again or ask for a private consultation with me or one of the other veterinarians. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Linda. I would stop feeding any treats and keep her strictly on the kidney diet. She should have her blood pressure checked and a urinalysis done to look for extra protein in the urine. Both are common with kidney disease. There are medications that she can take that will help both conditions if necessary. This will slow further progression of her disease. Depending on her results, I will add a potassium supplement (if her potassium is low) or a phosphate binder (if her phosphorus is high). These things will help her to feel good for as long as possible. Always ensure she drinks plenty of water. I hope this information helps!