Last Days of a Dog with Kidney Failure – Common Signs Common signs that a dog may be entering their final days include weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, decreased activity level, difficulty breathing or labored breathing, change in behavior or overall attitude, and confusion.
In time, these remaining nephrons will also fail. As the disease progresses prognosis worsens and survival time decreases with each stage. Median survival time for Stage 4 kidney disease ranges from 14 to 80 days, according to IRIS.
Is Dog Kidney Failure Painful? Kidney failure usually comes with a lot of pain. Most times we can see the signs; from the tremors to the vomiting and the loss of appetite. It is important that you prioritize your dogs' comfort.
When a dog's kidneys fail, toxins such as ammonia and nitrogen can build up in their bodies. This, in turn, can cause nausea, vomiting, and/or a decreased appetite. This condition is known as uremia, and it is directly related to kidney failure. Other symptoms of uremia.
The end stages of kidney disease occur when the kidneys no longer work, and the body is not responding to treatment. Your dog may become very lethargic, or sleepy, and have a hard time rising. They likely have lost a great deal of weight and their appetite is usually diminished.
Unfortunately, CKD is usually a progressive disease. However, progression is relatively slow, and pets with CKD often survive for many months to years with a good quality of life. It is important to recognize that in pets with advanced CKD, treatment will not reverse or stop the disease but will slow it down.
An older study gave a median survival time of >400 days for dogs with Stage 1 disease, 200 to 400 days for dogs with Stage 2 disease, 110 to 200 days for dogs with Stage 3 disease, and 14 to 80 days for dogs with Stage 4 disease (end stage kidney failure).
Management tips for dogs with CKD
A warm, comfortable place to sleep. Easy access to food and water. A palatable kidney prescription diet. Fluids administered under the skin, if directed by your veterinarian.
Bad breath - Breath that smells like an outhouse can be seen in the advanced stages of renal failure in dogs. This is a result of the toxins that build up in the blood.
The most prominent sign that you will notice is a complete relaxation of the body, your dog will no longer appear tense, rather they will “let go.” You will notice a slimming of the body as the air is expelled from their lungs for the last time and you may notice the lack of life in their eyes if they are still open.
Should your dog experience kidney failure or chronic kidney disease, his potassium levels may be low, leading to muscle weakness and tremors. Also known as hypoadrenocorticism, Addison's disease occurs due to a decrease in the secretion of corticosteroid from the dog's adrenal gland.
Chronic kidney failure can lead to tremors. So can neurological problems that may include inflammatory brain diseases. An Addisonian crisis, a condition related to an underactive adrenal gland, and demyelinating disorders may also lead to shaking in dogs.
It is estimated that more than half of pets suffering from acute kidney failure either die from the condition or are euthanized to prevent suffering. That said, if caught early and treated aggressively some dogs are able to recover from acute kidney failure.
ESRD almost always comes after chronic kidney disease. The kidneys may slowly stop working during a period of 10 to 20 years before end-stage disease results.
In addition to feeding a lower protein diet, you also need to avoid giving high protein treats such as meat, jerky treats, cheese, rawhides, pig ears, etc. High salt (sodium) diets may increase blood pressure and may worsen kidney damage, so diets designed for pets with kidney disease are low in sodium.
And as kidney disease progresses, you may notice the following symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, urinating either too much or too little.
Stage IV: Signs are at their worst because there are severe elevations of kidney values in bloodwork. Kidney failure can also cause painful ulcers in a dog's mouth and make them feel sick, nauseous and weak, leading to poor quality of life in the later stages.
The age of onset is often related to the size of the dog. For most small dogs, the early signs of kidney disease occur at about ten to fourteen years of age. However, large dogs have a shorter life span and may undergo kidney failure as early as seven years of age.
Chronic kidney failure in dogs cannot be cured or reversed, so early detection is vital. There are treatments available for dogs with kidney disease or long-term kidney failure. Your veterinarian will run tests to determine exactly what your dog is facing and the best treatment options.
You need to be part of all decisions that are made after diagnosis and regarding treatment. If your dog is in pain constantly, stops eating and drinking, or experiences incontinence due to complete kidney failure, you may need to consider putting your dog to sleep.
Many dogs will drink and urinate a lot at first. If acute renal failure worsens, the kidneys may stop working altogether and the dogs will not urinate at all. Bloodwork and urinalysis are commonly performed to diagnose kidney failure.
Pets with kidney disease may also have urinary incontinence, vomiting, diarrhea, bad breath, blindness, depression or lethargy — all of which may be signs that the kidneys' multitasking capacity is impaired.
Typically, green urine indicates late-stage kidney failure, cancer of the kidneys, or extremely severe urinary tract infection. Urine may turn green because bilirubin makes its way into the kidneys, where it is not supposed to be.