Laboratory diagnosis of renal diseases in small animal practice

Common tests for evaluating renal function include the measurement of urea and creatinine. However, indirect markers for the determination of GFR, such as Cystatin C and Symmetrical Dimethyl Arginine, are in developing. In the next step, for diagnosis and treatment, azotomia should be classified into one of the pre-renal, renal and post-renal groups. In the next step, it is necessary of categorizing the disorder to acute or chronic failure. Diagnosis of chronic or acute illness is done based on the history of the patient and physical examination. Weight loss and non-regenerative anemia may be signs of patients with CKD.Another useful test is urine analysis. A urine test prepared valuable information about azotemia and its causes. Additional tests are also available to diagnose kidney failure such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, acid-base status, cholesterol, urine albumin, and GGT to urine creatinine ratio. Newbiomarkers such as Cystatin C, a Kidney injury molecule, and Neutrophil gelatinase-associated Lipocalinare also being studied and commercialized for early diagnosis of kidney disease, but they have not yet been clinically available for veterinary use.