Chronic Renal Disease- Help!

[Rococoms]

Just rescued a 7 year old TB gelding who was going to be put down for getting diagnosed with chronic renal disease. Had a 3 year history of weight loss (not terrible, but thin), then recently a mild, but unresolved colic. Abdominal radiographs and gastroscopy were normal (no ulcers, sand or stones) but when the chemistry panel was run they found a high Creatnine (4.2) after being on IV fluids (40 L in 48 hours, but off all fluids for 14 hours before the blood draw- fasting for gastroscopy). Due to the creat results, owners opted to euthanize rather than do further testing or treatment.

Based on the guys age (7), sweet nature, good appetite, attitude and his possible historical mismanagement of care (been kept on straw which he reportedly eats, and fed alfalfa), I opted to take this boy in for a while, and see what can be done for him. I can't spend a ton of money on diagnostics or treatment either, but from what I've been looking up and talking to my vets about, there really isn't a whole lot to do. My short term plan is to change his diet to low protein, try and get some weight on him, get him to drink as much water as possible, and recheck his chemistry in a few weeks, and see if a)he is indeed a chronic renal b)the test was a fluke, related either to the colic/drugs for colic/fasting etc or c)his condition continues to deteriorate, and he does in fact need to be put down.

I'd love to hear from people who have had horses with chronic renal issues, and what they've done to help them along, specifically dietary supplements, natural stuff, etc. I've read some conflicting stuff on adding salt to the diet, adding omega 3 fatty acids to the diet, etc. How about feed supplements that are good with renal horses- what have you found with a good low protien ratio?

Thanks in advance!

[mary syers]

Can this horse still concentrate urine? i.e. What's his urine concentration when deprived of water for a time? This can tell you how much kidney is left if he isn't totally over doing the water intake. Mary Syers

[BJ]

Just rescued a 7 year old TB gelding who was going to be put down for getting diagnosed with chronic renal disease. Had a 3 year history of weight loss (not terrible, but thin), then recently a mild, but unresolved colic. Abdominal radiographs and gastroscopy were normal (no ulcers, sand or stones) but when the chemistry panel was run they found a high Creatnine (4.2) after being on IV fluids (40 L in 48 hours, but off all fluids for 14 hours before the blood draw- fasting for gastroscopy). Due to the creat results, owners opted to euthanize rather than do further testing or treatment.

Based on the guys age (7), sweet nature, good appetite, attitude and his possible historical mismanagement of care (been kept on straw which he reportedly eats, and fed alfalfa), I opted to take this boy in for a while, and see what can be done for him. I can't spend a ton of money on diagnostics or treatment either, but from what I've been looking up and talking to my vets about, there really isn't a whole lot to do. My short term plan is to change his diet to low protein, try and get some weight on him, get him to drink as much water as possible, and recheck his chemistry in a few weeks, and see if a)he is indeed a chronic renal b)the test was a fluke, related either to the colic/drugs for colic/fasting etc or c)his condition continues to deteriorate, and he does in fact need to be put down.

I'd love to hear from people who have had horses with chronic renal issues, and what they've done to help them along, specifically dietary supplements, natural stuff, etc. I've read some conflicting stuff on adding salt to the diet, adding omega 3 fatty acids to the diet, etc. How about feed supplements that are good with renal horses- what have you found with a good low protien ratio?

Thanks in advance!

If you work at a Vet Hospital...don't they know the answers to your questions? I've only had experience with CRF in cats. For that Aluminum Hydroxide mixed with food binds the phosphorous so it passes through the intestines without filtering through the kidneys and the blood.

IT IS THE PHOSPHORUS that kills the kidneys and even starts to cause the body to absorb the calcium and the bones. There is a great web page for CRF in cats that may have some help for you to check with your Vets. Of course my Vet didn't tell me that, and just recommended the low protein diet, while my cat almost died. This page helped us to give her 5 more months of life after my Vet basically wrote her off. (total idiot that he was! )

www.felineCRF.org

[BJ]

Just rescued a 7 year old TB gelding who was going to be put down for getting diagnosed with chronic renal disease. Had a 3 year history of weight loss (not terrible, but thin), then recently a mild, but unresolved colic. Abdominal radiographs and gastroscopy were normal (no ulcers, sand or stones) but when the chemistry panel was run they found a high Creatnine (4.2) after being on IV fluids (40 L in 48 hours, but off all fluids for 14 hours before the blood draw- fasting for gastroscopy). Due to the creat results, owners opted to euthanize rather than do further testing or treatment.

Whatever happened to this guy? Is he o.k.? Did he have to be put down? What was his name? You can PM me, if you don't want to "publish". I'm starting a memorial web page for TB's.