Usefulness of Urinary Creatinine/Urea Nitrogen Ratio as Indicator of Body Protein Catabolism in Dogs Fed Low Protein Diets.

Low protein diets (LPs) constitute a reportedly effective form of nutritional therapy for canine chronic kidney disease and cirrhosis. These diets have long been feared to result in reduced muscle mass due to protein catabolism. This adverse effect, however, remains largely unrecognized in veterinary medicine as there are no easily applicable catabolism indicators.