Juvenile Renal Dysplasia-
A recessive, genetic kidney disease. It affects puppies to young dogs and is devastating. Easiest to spot signs are excessive water drinking, frequent urination and colorless, odorless urine. You may notice that it is nearly impossible to housebreak your puppy as they seem to constantly need to urinate. Even if caught early, the damage is irreversible, but you may be able to extend your dog's life and keep them comfortable.

    If caught later some signs are vomiting, weight lose, lethargy and muscle weakness. Treatment may be a change of diet to a low protein prescription food, subcutaneous fluids and occasional IV fluids. Both parents have to carry the gene. It may not show itself more than once and is, gratefully, not common. The chances are slim, if the parents have been bred many times before with unaffected puppies. I am afraid litter mates of the affected dog are 66% likely to carry the gene and the parents are 50% likely to produce another affected dog. Not all puppies in a litter are uniformly affected. Moderately affected puppies (15-25% hypoplastic glomeruli) may appear normal until five or six months of age and then follow the same course, with chronic debilitation and death at nine to twelve months. Even aunts and uncles, or grandparents of an affected puppy are 50% likely to carry the gene. If not seen previously, chances are good. Once seen, expect to spay and neuter all related dogs.
The disease usually progresses in three stages, each of which may have a variable and independent time course. Stage one is the silent destruction and loss of nephrons over a period of months and years in the absence of symptoms. Stage two occurs when approximately 30% of functioning nephrons remain and clinical symptoms (excessive thirst and volume of urine, weight loss, lack of vigor, and intermittent loss of appetite) are first obvious. This stage may persist for months or years. In the final stage, vomiting, weakness, dehydration, and severe debilitation are added to second stage symptoms, and death from renal failure (uremia) is the eventual outcome.