Evaluation tests of early renal injury in dogs and cats

Abstract

The identification of kidney injury is an important measure that aims to prevent the installation of irreversible changes, such as chronic kidney disease, seen most frequently in dogs and cats. Serum urea and creatinine parameters are routinely assessed, when searching renal failure. However, these values are only changed when 66 to 75% of glomerular filtration rate has been lost. In many situations, an attack of this magnitude may be enough to cause the animal’s death. Evaluations that identify the aggression, even before the functions themselves are altered, have been studied and shown to be important early evaluators, signaling prior to possible irreversible damage. The quantification of urinary enzymes, urinary protein, fractional excretion of electrolytes, glomerular filtration rate and urinary sediment, have shown great value as sensitive tests of renal injury. There is the need of the use of tests that assists in early diagnosis and also determines the progression of disease and efficacy of the treatment. The present review aims to describe the laboratory tests that may be performed to evaluate early kidney injury in dogs and cats.