The body produces creatinine as part of regular metabolism. Creatinine measurement provides an accurate assessment of how well the kidney filtration processes are functioning because the body almost exclusively eliminates creatinine through this process. Changes in the level of creatinine in the blood can result from anything that impairs the kidneys’ capacity to filter waste products effectively (such as dehydration).
In healthy pets, the creatinine level is frequently assessed during routine wellness exams or pre-surgery screenings because it is a crucial component of a blood test known as a chemistry panel. It is frequently assessed in conjunction with urine tests or other blood tests that look for kidney abnormalities. If your pet exhibits any of the illnesses listed below, your veterinarian may advise measuring your pet’s creatinine level because different illnesses can affect it:
Your pet’s veterinary team needs to take a small blood sample to check the creatinine level in your pet. Typically, this process is completed very quickly; if the patient is compliant, it may only take a few seconds. Your veterinary team might use a muzzle, towel, or another gentle restraint tool on patients who are extremely frightened or acting out. Sometimes it may be necessary to shave the hair from the area where blood will be drawn, such as in patients with extremely thick fur. The hair will regrow, and this is frequently a quick way to locate the vein.
Some veterinary practices have on-site blood analysis tools, enabling them to conduct the creatinine test in-house and receive results the same day. Some offices send blood samples to a third-party laboratory for the test. Results from an external laboratory are typically available in 1–2 days.
Tell your vet about any medications or dietary supplements your pet may be taking, as some can change the blood’s creatinine level.
Although variations in the creatinine level are frequently linked to kidney disease, the creatinine can also be impacted by a variety of other factors. For instance, some antibiotics can raise the creatinine level.
If your pet’s creatinine level is abnormal, your veterinarian will consider this information along with other crucial details about your pet to determine whether additional diagnostic testing is advised to look into the unusual result. A urinalysis (a screening test to assess components in the urine), radiographs (x-rays), or additional blood testing may be required as additional tests. Your vet may suggest medications or other management methods based on your pet’s general health.
Very few risks are associated with measuring the creatinine level. It only takes a few seconds to draw blood, and your veterinary team will take safety precautions to make sure your pet is not hurt while this process is being done. There is no chance of harm coming to your pet because all subsequent processing is done at the veterinary clinic or a diagnostic lab after blood has been drawn.
What are creatinine levels?
As a waste product of the creatinine used by a dog’s muscles to produce energy, creatinine is produced.
A blood test can reveal high creatinine levels in your dog’s blood, which are not commonly anticipated.
However, they might be a sign of a kidney issue in your dog, so you should have that looked at.
If your dog is eating bad food for their kidneys, lowering their creatinine levels may require a significant change in lifestyle. These are foods with a lot of processed protein and a lot of sodium.
The kidney may overwork itself by attempting to remove that much sodium and processed protein from the blood because your pet’s body is not designed to handle those amounts. Other toxic substances, like excessive amounts of creatinine, may remain in the blood once the kidney overworks.
The good news is that by making the necessary dietary adjustments, the aforementioned condition can be easily managed and your dog will continue to live a healthy life.
How to Interpret the Elevated Creatinine Level of the dog correctly?
There are two methods that commonly that are in use:
If you consider a high creatinine level to be a sign of kidney disease Therefore, it is crucial to correctly interpret the elevated creatinine level to prevent any discomfort.
Your veterinarian is your best resource to ensure the health and welfare of your pets, so you should always visit or contact them if you have any questions or concerns. Related symptoms:
Although creatinine is a useful test, it is insufficient to diagnose kidney disease when it can most benefit pets. Your cat or dog has already lost the majority of its kidney function by the time blood creatinine levels rise, and it might not be reversible. Learn more about kidney disease testing >.
There is a good chance that you will hear the phrase “creatinine levels” if you take your dog or cat to the vet frequently. The breakdown product of creatine phosphate, a normal component of muscle that is primarily removed from the blood by filtration through the kidneys, creatinine is what we test for, so what is it, and why do we do it? Creatinine levels are monitored by veterinarians because they aid in the detection of kidney issues. For a very long time, creatinine levels have been used to assess kidney disease. There are restrictions to the use of this test in canines and felines with muscle mass loss and in the early diagnosis of kidney disease. In order to support earlier and more accurate diagnosis of kidney disease in dogs and cats, a new test called symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) has recently been developed. In order to accurately assess how well your pet’s kidneys are functioning, your veterinarian will typically perform these tests simultaneously. The primary function of the kidneys is to remove waste chemicals from the body and expel them through urine, so what can creatinine tell us about the kidneys? To assess whether the kidneys are performing their function properly, veterinarians measure chemicals that should be properly removed by your kidneys. Because of this, kidney disease is typically identified and assessed by assessing the levels of specific chemicals in the blood or urine, such as creatinine. Low creatinine levels could mean a number of things, including weak muscles or severe liver disease. Increased metabolic conditions brought on by hyperthyroidism or extreme weight loss accompanied by muscle depletion can also lower creatinine levels. When pets are fed incredibly low-protein diets that result in poor muscle mass, lower-than-normal creatinine levels can happen. Increased levels of creatinine occur when the kidneys’ filtration rate is insufficient to remove this protein waste product, typically when more than 75% of their normal function has been lost, which indicates advanced kidney disease. SDMA usually increases earlier.
Since it can be influenced by factors other than kidney function, creatinine is also not entirely specific for kidney disease. Some dogs with large muscles and healthy kidneys have creatinine levels that are higher than the lab’s typical reference values. Additionally, a meaty meal may cause a dog’s creatinine to rise. Given that SDMA is less affected by factors other than kidney factors than creatinine, it is crucial to test your pet’s SDMA levels in addition to their creatinine levels. In a laboratory, creatinine is determined through chemical analysis and then translated. One particular blood level may not mean much to your veterinarian because normal creatinine levels are frequently quite low and increases can happen gradually over time. A more thorough evaluation of kidney function is frequently provided by interpreting variations in creatinine levels over time. Tests of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are the standard procedure for determining kidney function. Creatinine clearance, a measurement of how effectively a substance like creatinine is removed from the body, is used to determine how much blood the kidneys can filter in a 24-hour period. GFR tests are inconvenient and can be stressful for patients because multiple blood and/or urine samples must be taken over the course of a 24-hour period. Instead, a single measurement of creatinine and SDMA is used to calculate the GFR, a measure of kidney function.
FAQ
Can creatinine levels be reduced in dogs?
Increased metabolic conditions brought on by hyperthyroidism or extreme weight loss accompanied by muscle depletion can also lower creatinine levels. When pets are fed incredibly low-protein diets that result in poor muscle mass, lower-than-normal creatinine levels can happen.
What do you feed a dog with high creatinine?
Ideally, Dr. You would feed your dog fresh, cooked, moisture-rich, lean protein sources, such as chicken or turkey breasts or defatted beef, according to Mahaney. “.
What happens if creatinine is high in dogs?
Canine renal failure When a dog’s blood serum, urine, or even saliva test results show a high level of creatinine, the kidneys are not working properly. This means that the same thing that causes high creatinine levels in dogs also causes kidney damage.
Can high creatinine be cured in dogs?
There is no cure for CRF. However, with some adjustments and long-term management, the majority of dogs who experience kidney disease can live a relatively normal life if CRF is detected early and treated appropriately.