Kidney Failure-Acute

Overview

Acute kidney disease is characterized by a sudden onset of kidney malfunction. This is different from chronic kidney disease in that if found quickly and treated, it can be reversed.

Causes

There are many causes of acute kidney failure and the most common ones are listed: heatstroke, prolonged anesthesia, antifreeze toxicity, grape/raisin ingestion, snake bites, lily ingestion, leptospirosis, lymphosarcoma, and hypotension.

Symptoms

There is usually a sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, halitosis, and possible seizures. Some pets will have oral ulcers. The kidneys become swollen and painful. There may be a recent history of toxin ingestion or anesthesia.

Treatment

Hospitalization with IV fluids and electrolyte supplementation is imperative. Vomiting and diarrhea needs to be controlled, and urination must be monitored. If a patient is known to have ingested a toxin, activated charcoal is usually given. Leptospirosis is treated accordingly if that is suspected. These patients are generally hospitalized many days, sometimes over a week. Prognosis becomes poor if a cause can not be found or if the patient does not produce any urine. Dialysis is available at many specialty hospitals and can increase chance of recovery.