“Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.”
—Roger Caras, former President ASPCA

“A meow massages the heart.”
—Stuart McMillan

Kidney Infections

Definition

The major function of the kidneys is to eliminate wastes and toxins from the body. When the kidneys are not working properly, these substances will accumulate and affect your pet's health. Each kidney is made up of about one million filtering units called nephrons. This is far in excess of the number required for the kidneys to perform their normal function, so there is plenty of "reserve" capacity. They maintain normal concentrations of salt and water in the body; help control blood pressure, aid in metabolizing calcium and sustain phosphorous levels. They also manufacture a hormone that encourages red-blood cell production. When kidneys don't function properly, toxins build up in the blood and the dog or cat will become ill.

If your dog or cat develops a kidney infection, it can still maintain normal kidney function until this "reserve" capacity is used up. This means that most kidney infections can go undetected for sometime until it is fairly advanced.

Bacteria can make itself at home anywhere in the urinary tract…bladder, kidneys, or urethra (the tube through which urine flows). When the bacteria multiplies to large enough numbers, painful infections can occur. Cystitis is a bacterial infection of the lining of the bladder. If left untreated, a kidney infection may develop. If your animal does have a kidney infection, your veterinarian will most likely prescribe oral antibiotics which will relieve the infection in 1-2 weeks. Encouraging your pet to drink more fluids will help flush the bacteria out of the urinary tract.

Symptoms

• “Squatting” numerous times but not urinating
• Pain when the kidney area is palpitated
• Appearing listless or depressed
• Loss of interest in food
• Weight loss
• Blood in the urine

How using ThePetCheckup regularly can help

If you notice any changes in your pet's normal urinary habits, bring him/her to your veterinarian for a checkup. But in-between routine veterinary visits, using ThePetCheckup at home (we recommend every month) will help you to catch a kidney infection when it is still small and much more easily treatable. As with any infection, prompt treatment is needed to keep the infection from getting any worse. If left untreated, a kidney infection can turn into quite a serious health problem.