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home . pet health . pet health articles . new breakthrough products for kidney disease

New Breakthrough Products for Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is the most common form of kidney disease in dogs and cats. In North America, it is estimated that 2.4% of dogs over 10 years of age and 8% of cats over 10 years of age have CKD. It is a disease that is a challenge to manage for veterinarians as well as owners. It is often associated with other conditions such as hyperthyroidism in cats and heart disease in both species, and it can contribute or lead to conditions such as hypertension, anemia, anorexia, and gastrointestinal problems in both dogs and cats.

When CKD is present, there is a decrease in the rate of filtration of blood through the kidneys (called glomerular filtration rate or GFR), and the kidneys are unable to maintain a balance of proper amounts of material in the blood. This leads to azotemia, which is defined as an abnormal (elevated) concentration of urea (BUN), creatinine, and other non-protein nitrogenous substances in the blood. If azotemia levels are high enough, the body develops uremia, which is a toxic syndrome that occurs as a result of abnormal kidney functions.

Treatment for CKD in veterinary medicine has mostly relied on low protein diets, maintaining hydration with water, moist foods, and subcutaneous fluids to maximize GFR, and treatment of the secondary conditions of hypertension, anemia, GI problems, and anorexia. Until now, the only methods that can significantly lower uremia toxins are kidney transplants and dialysis, which are costly and relatively uncommon in veterinary medicine.

However, in 2006, Vetoquinol U.S.A. released AZODYL, a novel patented product based on the principle of Enteric Dialysis - the process by which beneficial bacteria consume uremia toxins or metabolites present in the large intestine. It has long been known that the intestinal wall allows small molecules (including BUN and creatinine) to pass from the intestine wall into the bloodstream, and vise versa. Azodyl contains live, non-pathogenic bacteria that are specifically screened and selected for their high affinity and capacity to metabolize uremia toxins. Under normal health conditions, some amount of uremic solutes flow into the large intestine by diffusion. In CKD, the toxic uremic solutes accumulate in the blood and continue to diffuse into the large intestine, although in dramatically higher quantities. The bacteria in Azodyl metabolizes the diffused toxins in the large intestine and sends them out of the body in the stool, effectively lowering uremic solutes in the blood.

Azodyl truly is a breakthrough product for CKD, and one of its great appeals is that it is very safe. All the bacteria used are normal enteric (gut) bacteria, just dosed in higher concentrations to remove the higher concentrations of uremic toxins. All of you owners of chronic kidney dogs and cats should contact your vet about starting Azodyl as soon as possible.

The other blood chemistry parameter that is often elevated in CKD is phosphorous. Phosphorous is not a nitrogenous waste product, but can be very toxic to the body with elevated blood levels. Until now, the only ways to lower phosphorous levels effectively have been with low phosphorous diets such as k/d and u/d, and with phosphate binders, such as aluminum hydroxide (Amphogel). Most pets find the aluminum hydroxide extremely unpalatable, to the point where it is very difficult to give to the pet.

Vetroquinol has also released a product to lower phosphorous as well. This product is called EPAKITIN, and it comes in the form of a scoopable powder that is mixed with the pet food. It is also a safe product, as it is a natural polysaccharide, extracted from crab and shrimp shells. Since it is from shellfish, it is very palatable and is obviously easier to administer since it goes on the food. Studies have shown that Epakitin can reduce uremia as well as phosphorous levels in animals with CKD. Studies have also shown that starting Epakitin in early stages of kidney disease will slow its progression and allow the patient to live longer.

Obviously, some patients with CKD may require Azodyl alone, others may require Epakitin alone, while many may benefit from both products. The good news is that we have both products, they both work, and they are safe! We recommend that you call you vet and discuss the use of Azodyl and/or Epakitin if your pet has CKD. Your pet will thank you for it!