What is normal bun range4/22/2024 ![]() ![]() For this reason, excessive water consumption is an important early warning sign and should always be investigated. A pet with insufficient kidney function will not be able to make a concentrated urine and will need to drink extra water to process the body's waste chemicals. Similarly, if one drinks too much water, the kidney needs to efficiently remove this water to prevent dilution of the blood stream. This means that all the materials that the body needs to get rid of are still in need of removal but the kidney needs to manage this using the smallest amount of water possible. In times of dehydration, the kidney must respond by conserving water. Hydration of the body depends not only on water consumed but on water removed. So here is what your kidneys do for you (and for your pet), what they become unable to do in renal insufficiency, and some of the parameters your veterinarian will want to track: The chemicals to remove are dissolved in water and make up the fluid we all know as urine. Kidneys are made of millions of processing units called "nephrons." These tiny little processing units are responsible for separating the chemicals you want to keep in your body from the chemicals you need to dispose of. Kidney function goes far beyond simply making urine. WHAT OUR KIDNEYS DO/WHAT INSUFFICIENT KIDNEYS CANNOT DO:īefore reviewing what failing kidneys can no longer do, it is important to know what normal kidneys do. Obviously, the goal is to keep the pet feeling completely normal and slow or arrest the progression of the disease We will also review the stages of kidney failure as defined by the International Renal Interest Society so that you can know where your pet stands and how fast or slow your pet's condition is progressing. The purpose of this article is to review the terminology of chronic renal failure so that you will understand what your veterinarian is monitoring and why. From a practical standpoint, the terms "chronic renal failure," "renal insufficiency," "chronic kidney failure," and "kidney insufficiency" all mean the same thing. Renal insufficiency is one of those conditions where early intervention can make a big difference and normal life quality can be maintained for months or even years. Many clinicians prefer the term "renal insufficiency" or "insufficient kidneys" so as not to conjure up disturbing images when the patient is in a treatable state. In fact, the term "kidney failure" simply means that the kidneys are not able to do at least some of the tasks they are supposed to do as well as they are supposed to do them. It does not help that the term "kidney failure" sounds dramatic and evokes images of on-going sickness, expensive hospitalization, and doom. ![]() Whether the pet is brought in sick or whether the condition is discovered incidentally on routine lab work, the diagnosis of kidney failure can come as a shock. ( Photocredit: Claudio Matsuoka via Wikimedia Commons) ![]()
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