Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Protein in urine common in healthy elderly dogs and how urine test
By Marynissen, S J J et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2017·Department of Medicine and Clinical Biology of Small Animals·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Proteinuria in Apparently Healthy Elderly Dogs: Persistency and Comparison Between Free Catch and Cystocentesis Urine.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 100 elderly dogs were tested for protein in their urine, a sign that could indicate kidney issues. The owners collected urine samples, and it was found that 11% of the dogs had high levels of protein, while 14% had borderline levels. After retesting some of the dogs, 19% showed persistently high protein levels, which could suggest underlying health problems. This study highlights the importance of checking for protein in the urine as part of regular health checks for older dogs, and it found that collecting urine samples at home can be just as effective as a vet procedure.
People also search for: dog protein in urine · elderly dog health check · signs of kidney problems in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Up to 25% of elderly humans have proteinuria, often associated with underlying lesions. Data concerning the presence of proteinuria in elderly dogs is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To describe the presence and persistence of proteinuria and to compare urinary protein : creatinine ratio (UPC) between free catch and cystocentesis urine samples in apparently healthy elderly dogs. ANIMALS: Hundred apparently healthy elderly dogs. METHODS: Prospective study. Owners of 100 elderly dogs were asked to collect 2 free catch urine samples. Dogs were considered healthy based on owner's perception and an age chart, based on ideal bodyweight, was used to define dogs as senior or geriatric. UPC of urine collected by free catch and cystocentesis were compared. Overt proteinuria and borderline proteinuria were defined as UPC >0.5 and between 0.2 and 0.5, respectively, if examination of sediment did not explain proteinuria. Proteinuria was considered persistent if present at both sampling times. RESULTS: At baseline, 71 owners succeeded in collecting urine. Eleven percent of dogs had overt proteinuria, 14% were borderline proteinuric, and 75% nonproteinuric. Thirty-seven repeated urine samples, with a median time interval of 31 days (range 10-90), were available. Nineteen percent of dogs had a persistently increased UPC (>0.2), with persistent overt proteinuria present in 8%. A strong correlation (ρ = 0.88) was found between UPC of urine collected by free catch and cystocentesis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: As 19% of study dogs had persistent proteinuria, our findings emphasize that measurement of proteinuria should be part of geriatric health screening. For UPC in dogs, free catch urine provides a good alternative to cystocentesis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28019038/