Dog has protein in urine and high blood pressure. What meds help?

Hello. Lisinopril is indicated for proteinuria in dogs, but I can not just tell you to give this to her. I do not know her overall health & this can make a tremendous difference when giving medications. Please talk to your veterinarian to see if Lisinopril is warranted to treat Roxy, & what the correct dose would be. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Poor girl. Depending on how much protein was found in the urine and her urine protein ratio, as well as clinical symptoms, a biopsy may not be needed. In addition, biopsies are indicated when there is detectable abnormal looking organs. So if the kidneys look abnormal on ultrasound, then a biopsy can be done to definitively diagnose the kidney condition. However, in some cases a biopsy isn't needed if it is obvious what the condition is. I would recommend starting with the ultrasound and also I would then consult with another vet who can go over all her lab findings and come up with a game plan for Dotty. If you wish you can also get all her medical records and then request a consultation with one of the experts here to go over her case more in detail. I hope that your pet Dotty has some improvement with her values soon. Best wishes and take care.

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!

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!

You are correct, Proin and DES are both medications that are commonly used to treat urinary incontinence in dogs. However, its possible that urinary tract infections, bladder stones, or bladder tumors could also cause these symptoms. Therefore, a visit to your vet for at least a urinalysis (urine test) is indicated. If no cause is found, then medication such as DES or Proin can be prescribed by your veterinarian. Antihistamines will have a significant effect on urination in dogs. If you feel that we haven't met your expectations, please contact customer service at customerservice@Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.com. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Buddy. I have used these medications together in dogs before when necessary. That being said, kidney values, blood pressure and the amount of protein in the urine needs to be closely monitored. I typically will recheck a blood pressure reading within the first week of starting benazapril. Then I will follow up by taking a blood sample several weeks later. Kidney values need followed not only for elevations above normal, but also trends upwards that are still in the normal range. With close monitoring, problems can be identified early and doses or medications can be changed if needed. I hope this information helps!