Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pyelonephritis in dogs - signs and diagnosis from 47 cases
By Bouillon, J et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pyelonephritis in Dogs: Retrospective Study of 47 Histologically Diagnosed Cases (2005-2015).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 47 dogs diagnosed with pyelonephritis (a kidney infection) showed symptoms like not wanting to eat, being unusually tired, vomiting, and dehydration. Most of these dogs also had other health issues, and the most common bacteria found was E. coli. The study found that diagnosing pyelonephritis before death can be difficult because the symptoms are not specific and can vary widely. Treatment options weren't detailed in the study, but recognizing these symptoms early and consulting a veterinarian is crucial for managing the condition effectively.
People also search for: dog kidney infection symptoms · why is my dog vomiting and lethargic · treatment for dog dehydration · E. coli in dogs · dog not eating and tired
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The clinicopathologic aspects of pyelonephritis have not been reported in companion animals. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of pyelonephritis diagnosed in dogs in a academic referral population, describe the clinical signs and the diagnostic test results in dogs with pyelonephritis, and identify concurrent disorders in order to determine potential risk factors for pyelonephritis. ANIMALS: Forty-seven dogs with a histopathologic diagnosis of pyelonephritis from the teaching hospitals of three Canadian veterinary colleges. METHODS: Retrospective case series. Review of medical records and renal histologic sections. RESULTS: Pyelonephritis was diagnosed in 0.4-1.3% of the cases at necropsy. Clinical signs included anorexia or inappetence (n = 27, 57%), lethargy (n = 24, 51%), vomiting (n = 17, 36%), and dehydration (n = 12, 25%). Thirty-five dogs (75%) had concomitant disease(s). Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen isolated (37%). Pyelonephritis was classified as acute (n = 12, 26%), subacute (n = 9, 19%), and chronic (n = 26, 55%) disease; and mild (n = 7, 15%), moderate (n = 11, 24%), and severe (n = 28, 61%). Fever was significantly associated with histopathologically subacute pyelonephritis (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In referral hospitals, pyelonephritis has a very low prevalence at necropsy. Nonspecific clinical presentation, concomitant diseases, and high variability in the diagnostic tests results make the antemortem diagnosis of pyelonephritis challenging. Neither the histopathologic stage nor the severity of the pyelonephritis was associated with fever, lumbar pain, or signs of a urinary tract infection (ie, lower urinary tract infection, upper urinary tract infection, or both) except for subacute pyelonephritis which was associated with fever.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29197113/