Dogs are similar to humans, as they can get exposed to some chronic diseases. You have to know this list of unknown but deadly dog diseases every dog owner should know.
One of the examples is kidney failure. Just like humans, dogs also depend on their kidneys to filter waste from their systems. When the kidneys are damaged, malfunctioned or not performing as they are supposed to, then a dog may be diagnosed with kidney failure.
Kidney failure is defined by the inability of the kidneys to remove waste from blood effectively. As a result, this waste builds up and results in uremia and symptoms of kidney failure.
Kidney failure may occur gradually or even suddenly. There are two types of kidney failure: chronic and acute kidney failure. There are some causes of kidney failures, such as Lyme disease, hereditary and congenital conditions, heart conditions or even aging.
There are also some symptoms you can notice when a dog has kidney failure, such as increased thirst and urination, decreased urination, lethargy, bad breath, decreased appetite, diarrhea, weight loss and weakness.
As a dog owner, you don’t want this condition happen to your dogs, do you? Don’t worry, there are some ways you can do to prevent your dog from getting kidney failure. Here are preventions of kidney failure in dogs you can do.
- Healthy Diet
Your dog must be given a healthy, well-rounded and balanced diet. You can do this by making sure that your dog get all the high-quality foods which contain the necessary nutrients, moisture content and protein quality.
All these nutrients are needed for his body to function well. If you are not sure about this, you can consult with your vet to get a guide about what your dog needs.
Know what to feed your dog by reading these essential nutrients your pets should have.
- Avoid Dog from Poisons and Toxins
You have to be careful whenever you leave certain products as some products may contain toxic substances. You have to make sure that they don’t have access to household chemicals and cleaners.
Dogs are also chewers by nature, so make sure all the bottles of harmful chemicals or substances are kept in locked cabinets or up high in the place where the cannot reach.
- Avoid Exposure to Harmful Substances
Besides harmful chemicals such as household cleaners, you may also need to keep your dog away from medications or other food that are harmful for him. The items can include raisins, prescription and over-the-counter drugs (such as ibuprofen), grapes and contaminated water sources.
Spend time understanding and observing these poisonous food to your dogs. Make sure you don’t feed any to your lovely pup!
- Plenty of Water
Make sure that your dog drinks plenty of water, especially when he is physically active during the day.
- Dental Hygiene
You may start wondering how can dental hygiene is related to kidney failure. The fact is chronic kidney failure can occur from poor dental hygiene. So, one thing you can do to prevent kidney failure is keeping your dog’s teeth clean as it is important for long-term health.
Discuss with your vet about how often you should clean your dog’s teeth and about the food or treats that will be helpful to maintain dental hygiene in dogs.
- Routine Vet Visits
The last but also the most important is doing routine vet visits. Routine vet visits will make sure that your dog is healthy and there are no serious underlying issues.
- Have your Dog Vaccinated
There’s a bacteria that may cause kidney damage, called leptospirosis. This bacteria can cause kidney damage without any symptoms and the severe form of this disease may lead to acute kidney failure. You can prevent it by having your dog vaccinated. You can again consult with your vet about this.
Spend time reading about if vaccinated dogs are safe from rabies: here is the answer.
- Always Maintain His Health along the way
The possibility of getting kidney failures is more possible as your dog grows older. If your dog is still young, make sure to do some prevention as he is getting older, the chances of getting this disease is greater.
You can consult with your vet about how to make your dog comfortable and make sure that he is eating well. All these good habits and care will surely be the best prevention for kidney failure.
One of the best way to maintain your dog health is exercising. Get to know the complete guide about it in simple exercise for your dog to maintain its health.
Kidney failure can surely be prevented by applying good lifestyle on your dog. Do it while your dog is still young, never ever wait until your dog gets older as the risk becomes greater as he ages. Hopefully all those tips can be helpful for you!