Juvenile nephropathy in 37 boxer dogs.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to review and characterise the clinical presentation of young boxer dogs with chronic kidney disease referred to the authors' institutions.


METHODS
Records were collected retrospectively from 37 boxer dogs, less than five years of age, which had presented with azotaemia, inappropriately low urine concentrating ability, and ultrasound or radiographic evidence of abnormal kidneys.


RESULTS
Clinicopathological findings included azotaemia, hyperphosphataemia, anaemia, isosthenuria and proteinuria. Ultrasonographic findings included hyperechoic renal cortices, loss of corticomedullary junction definition, dilated pelves and irregularly shaped small kidneys. Renal histopathological findings included pericapsular and interstitial fibrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, dilated tubules, sclerotic glomeruli and dystrophic calcification. Survival time of the dogs varied from zero to over five years after diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper documents features of the presentation and progression of juvenile nephropathy in boxer dogs. While juvenile nephropathy has been reported in individual cases of boxer dogs previously, this is the first reported case series.
Chandler
M L
ML
Hospital for Small Animals, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Elwood
C
C
Murphy
K F
KF
Gajanayake
I
I
Syme
H M
HM
D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography