Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Serum SDMA levels linked to kidney function in dogs with heartworm
By Choi, Bom-Sul et al.·Published in Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire·2017·Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of serum symmetric dimethylarginine in dogs with heartworm infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 12 dogs with heartworm infection (HWD) showed varying levels of kidney function based on the severity of their symptoms. Dogs with moderate to severe signs had higher levels of a specific kidney marker (symmetric dimethylarginine, or SDMA) compared to those with mild symptoms. This suggests that even dogs with mild signs may have some kidney issues that need attention. Early detection of kidney problems is crucial for better management of heartworm disease.
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Abstract
This study evaluated the circulating levels of serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) in 12 dogs with different severities of heartworm disease (HWD) and assessed the biochemical renal markers (blood urea nitrogen, creatinine). Dogs were classified into 2 groups based on the severity of clinical signs. Group A - asymptomatic to mild clinical signs, group B - moderate to severe clinical signs. The serum SDMA levels were higher in dogs in group B. Although the serum SDMA levels in dogs in group A were also higher than those of the control dogs, the difference was not statistically significant. There was a good correlation between renal markers and severity of clinical signs. This study demonstrated that the glomerular filtration rate was significantly decreased in dogs in group A; therefore, earlier detection of renal impairment is required for successful management of dogs with HWD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28725114/