Clinico-demographic distribution of acute and chronic renal failure in dogs

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the clinico-demographic distribution of renal failure in dogs, with special emphasis on acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Out of 8,722 dogs presented during 2023-2024, 71 cases (0.81%) were confirmed as renal failure. Chronic kidney disease (54.93%) was more prevalent than acute kidney injury (45.07%). Dogs aged above 6-8 years showed the highest overall incidence of renal failure, while CKD predominated in dogs over 10 years of age. Breed-wise analysis revealed Labradors as the most affected breed, followed by Pomeranians, Rottweilers, and Golden Retrievers. Male dogs showed a higher predisposition in both AKI and CKD. Clinically, inappetence, dullness, vomiting, dehydration, and pale mucous membranes were common findings in both conditions. However, CKD cases exhibited a higher prevalence of gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhoea, melena, haematemesis, halitosis, and ascites, whereas AKI cases were more frequently associated with fever, congested mucous membranes, and oliguria or anuria. These findings underscore distinct clinical patterns between AKI and CKD, which may aid clinicians in differential diagnosis and case management.