Renal tubular diseases are disorders in which the glomeruli filter normally but the tubules fail to reclaim or secrete what they should. In dogs the important ones are Fanconi syndrome (inherited in Basenjis, or acquired from jerky treats, toxins, drugs and infections), primary renal glucosuria and renal tubular acidosis (RTA). They matter on exam day because glucose in the urine of a dog with a normal blood glucose is easily mistaken for diabetes, and because the acquired forms often reverse once the cause is found.
Key facts
Renal tubular disease at a glance- Species: dog; Basenjis are the classic breed for inherited Fanconi syndrome.
- System: urinary (renal tubules; mainly the proximal tubule).
- Causes: inherited (Basenji FAN1 deletion), or acquired from chicken jerky treats, copper storage disease, leptospirosis, gentamicin, lead and other toxins.
- Classic presentation: PU/PD and weight loss with glucosuria but a normal blood glucose; later a normal anion gap metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia and hypophosphatemia.
- Key test: blood glucose alongside urinalysis, then blood gas, electrolytes and a urine amino acid screen.
- Not zoonotic in itself, but leptospirosis, one of its causes, is.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 15 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
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