Introduction

• Accurate clinical evaluation of renal function can be accomplished by a series of diagnostic procedures.
• Physical examination and a complete history of the patient are important in the diagnosis of renal failure, although most signs are relatively non-specific.
  Important in differentiating acute from chronic disease.
• Examination of urine and blood samples is essential in the diagnostic process.
• Normal urine production is the total effect of glomerular and tubular function.
• Function tests will be discussed under glomerular and tubular function although there is some overlap since disease in one unit of this closely linked system ultimately affects the other.
• This approach is a guide to the investigation of renal disease and, although examples of tests are quoted, the lists are by no means complete.
• At present there is no specific or repeatable test that can quantify the effects of renal aging.

Is it likely that the patient has renal disease?

Laboratory investigation

Is the damage affecting the tubules or glomerulus?

Assessment of tubular function

Diagnostic imaging

Other tests

Prognostic indicators

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• O'Neill D G, Elliott J, Church D B et al (2013) Chronic Kidney Disease in Dogs in UK Veterinary Practices: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Survival. J Vet Intern Med 27 (4), 814-821 PubMed.
• Lee Y J, Chang C C, Chan J P et al (2011) Prognosis of acute kidney injury in dogs using RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss and End-stage renal failure)-like criteria. Vet Rec 168 (10), 264 PubMed.
• Jacob F, Polzin D J , Osborne C A et al (2005) Evaluation of the association between initial proteinuria and morbidity rate or death in dogs with naturally occurring chronic renal failure. JAVMA 226 (3), 393-400 PubMed.
• Brown S A, Finco D R, Boudinot F D et al (1996) Evaluation of a single injection method, using iohexol, for estimating glomerular filtration rate in cats and dogs. Am J Vet Res 57 (1), 105-110 PubMed.
• Gleadhill A & Michell A R (1996) Evaluation of iohexol as a marker for the clinical measurement of glomerular filtration rate in dogs. Res Vet Sci 60 (2), 117-121 PubMed.
• Gleadhill A, Peters A M, Michell A R (1995) A simple method for measuring glomerular filtration rate in dogs. Res Vet Sci 59 (2), 118-123 PubMed.
• Brown S A (1994) Evaluation of a single injection method for estimating glomerular filtration rate in dogs with reduced renal function. Am J Vet Res 55 (10), 1470-1473 PubMed.
• Finco D R, Tabaru H, Brown S A et al (1993) Endogenous creatinine clearance measurement of glomerular filtration rate in dogs. Am J Vet Res 54 (10), 1575-1578 PubMed.