Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kidney disease causing lethargy and appetite loss in Bullmastiffs
By Casal, M L et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2004·Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Familial glomerulonephropathy in the Bullmastiff.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of related Bullmastiff dogs, aged 2.5 to 11 years, showed signs of kidney disease, including lethargy and loss of appetite, which often occurred shortly before they died or were euthanized. Blood tests revealed high levels of waste products in the blood, indicating kidney dysfunction, and these issues were detected up to 2.75 years before the dogs passed away. Despite the kidneys looking mostly normal during examinations, the underlying issue was chronic glomerulonephropathy, a type of kidney disease. This condition appears to be inherited, affecting multiple dogs in the same family.
People also search for: Bullmastiff kidney disease symptoms · lethargy in dogs · chronic glomerulonephropathy treatment · dog blood test results · Bullmastiff health issues
Abstract
Glomerular disease was diagnosed by histopathologic examination in 11 related Bullmastiff dogs, and clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively. Four female and seven male dogs between the ages of 2.5 and 11 years were affected. Clinical signs, including lethargy and anorexia, were nonspecific and occurred shortly before death or euthanasia. In five affected dogs serial blood samples were obtained, and dramatically elevated blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels were demonstrated up to 2.75 years before death. Protein-creatinine ratios were elevated in six of six dogs and were above normal 3.5 years before death in one dog. The kidneys appeared grossly normal to slightly smaller than normal at necropsy. Histologic abnormalities of the kidneys were consistent with chronic glomerulonephropathy with sclerosis. Examination of the pedigrees of related affected dogs yielded evidence supporting an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15232131/