Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Early signs of familial kidney disease in English cocker spaniels
By Lees, G E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1998·Department of Small Animal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Early diagnosis of familial nephropathy in English cocker spaniels.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three puppies from litters of English cocker spaniels were diagnosed with familial nephropathy, a kidney disease that can be inherited. The first sign noticed was protein in their urine, which appeared when they were just five to eight months old. As the disease progressed, the puppies showed slowed growth and worsening kidney function over a few months. While routine tests didn't confirm the disease, a specialized kidney biopsy revealed specific damage to the kidney's filtering structures. Early screening for protein in the urine can help catch this condition in at-risk dogs before it worsens.
People also search for: English cocker spaniel kidney disease symptoms · puppy protein in urine · familial nephropathy in dogs · kidney biopsy for dogs · early signs of kidney disease in puppies
Abstract
Two litters of English cocker spaniels (ECSs) produced by familial nephropathy (FN) carriers were evaluated to characterize the early features of this disease. Three puppies developed FN. Proteinuria, which began when these puppies were five-to-eight months old, was the first abnormality detected. Proteinuria persisted while each puppy's growth rate slowed, and renal function gradually deteriorated. The interval from onset of proteinuria to development of azotemia was two-to-nine months. Characteristic glomerular capillary basement membrane (GCBM) lesions were seen with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of renal biopsy specimens obtained during this interval. Ultrastructural GCBM lesions progressed substantially during the interval from biopsy to necropsy. However, routine light microscopic findings did not allow definitive diagnosis of FN in either biopsy or necropsy specimens. Detection of FN can be accomplished by screening at-risk ECSs for proteinuria. Renal biopsies are required to confirm the diagnosis in dogs for which proteinuria cannot be explained otherwise. Percutaneous needle biopsy specimens sufficient for TEM must be used to examine the GCBM to make a definitive diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9590445/