Differentiation of stable kidney function versus progressive dysfunction in dogs.

Background: Circulating creatinine and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) are biomarkers of kidney function that have been used variously to define stable vs progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). Slope monitoring of inverse biomarker values (creatinine or SDMA ) has shown promise, but quantitative criteria to distinguish stable vs progressive CKD using this approach are lacking.

Objective: Assessment of creatinine and SDMA slope cutoffs to distinguish stable vs progressive CKD.

Urinary cystatin B differentiates progressive versus stable IRIS Stage 1 chronic kidney disease in dogs.

Background: Early identification of dogs with progressive vs stable chronic kidney disease (CKD) might afford opportunity for interventions that would slow progression. However, currently no surrogate biomarker reliably predicts CKD progression.

Hypothesis/objectives: Urinary cystatin B (uCysB), a novel kidney injury biomarker, predicts progressive disease in International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) CKD Stage 1.

Successful treatment of 5-fluorouracil toxicosis with hemodialysis.

Objective: To describe the successful treatment of lethal dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) toxicosis using hemodialysis.

Case Summary: A 4-month-old intact female Golden Retriever was presented to the emergency department after ingesting 20 g of 5% 5-FU cream. The puppy developed refractory seizures and became comatose with uncontrolled tonic-clonic convulsions.

Real-time Three-dimensional Echocardiography: From Diagnosis to Intervention.

Echocardiography is one of the most important diagnostic tools in veterinary cardiology, and one of the greatest recent developments is real-time three-dimensional imaging. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography is a new ultrasonography modality that provides comprehensive views of the cardiac valves and congenital heart defects. The main advantages of this technique, particularly real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography, are the ability to visualize the catheters, and balloons or other devices, and the ability to image the structure that is undergoing intervention with unprecedented quality.

Cardiorenal Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management.

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) has not been well characterized in veterinary medicine, yet an accurate appreciation of the kidney and the cardiovascular system and their interactions may have practical clinical implications. A consensus for cardiovascular-renal axis disorders of dogs and cats was recently attempted. The outcome of patients with CRS is likely to improve with the increasing awareness and ability to identify and understand the pathophysiologic characteristics of CRS.

Utilization of Feeding Tubes in the Management of Feline Chronic Kidney Disease.

Esophagostomy feeding tubes are useful, and in many cases essential, for the comprehensive management of cats with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). They should be considered a lifelong therapeutic appliance to facilitate the global management of cats with CKD thus providing improved therapeutic efficacy and quality-of-life. Esophagostomy tubes facilitate the maintenance of adequate hydration and increase owner compliance by facilitating the administration of medications.

Anticoagulation in intermittent hemodialysis: pathways, protocols, and pitfalls.

Several methods to prevent extracorporeal circuit clotting during hemodialysis have been used in human medicine. Unfractionated (UF) heparin remains the mainstay of anticoagulant therapy in both human and veterinary intermittent hemodialysis. Different UF heparin regimes may be used depending on the bleeding risk of the patient.

Nutritional considerations for animals with pulmonary disease.

Recent publications in the human and veterinary literature have indicated that patients with pulmonary disease require specific nutritional consideration to ensure that optimal benefit is derived with nutrition support. Although additional research is needed in this area, preliminary recommendations can be made using information from the scant studies performed thus far in veterinary medicine and from information extrapolated from the human literature. These recommendations are likely to provide significant clinical benefit to patients with pulmonary disease.