Kidney failure

[Toolman94]

I would like to hear everyone thoughts
I’m starting to lose the really good dogs to Kidney Failure before they are 5 years old. Not just me but other Bear, Cat, fox hunters in the Eastern NC are losing more dogs in their prime to Kidney failure. I remember growing up you would lose a handful of dogs to Kidney failure when they were 8 to 9 years old. Most of the guys that are losing dogs hunt 3 to 4 days a week even when the temperatures reach the 90’s June, July, August. My thoughts maybe the dogs getting to hunt, high protein dog food, medications, let me know if anyone else is having any problems with hounds and their thoughts on what could be causing it.


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[Toolman94]

Too hot and not hunt


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[LarryBeggs]

Make sure they are getting plenty of water. Some guys around here where there is water everywhere for the dogs were having some problems. Started keeping water in front of the dogs instead of just what they could get in the woods and the problem got better. They make some nice spill proof water bowls you can buy online and keep in the dog boxes.

[Cowboyvon]

Do you use Ivomec?

[Toolman94]

My Dogs get a lot more water now then they ever did growing up only water that was in the ditches or woods and we fox hunted at least 3 days in the summer. Now I have 15 gallon water tank on my dog box with two 5 gallon buckets that are inside the box so they are able to get water at any time. Yes I use ivermectin 1/4 cc per 10 pounds every month.


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[Rossco]

I think you are going way overboard on the ivormec. Unless you cut it with something that is way too much. I can't remember off the top of my head the name of what it's cut with. I personally worm with equimax, just a little over the amount of about a pencil eraser. Or will do straight ivormec, 0.3 ML max. Sometimes a little less for smaller dogs

[macedonia mule man]

How do you know for sure it’s kidney failure? I’ve had dogs for 60 yrs and can’t say I’ve had one to die from kidney failure. Most of the dogs I’ve lost, were fine one day and dead the next, I asked the vet one day And he said MABY kidney failure, he said most dogs die with heart problems.

[Toolman94]

Blood work from the vet. All the dogs starting having problems eating and not gaining weight about 1 year before they died. I took them off High Protein dog food per Vets recommendation and he mention I could prolong their life by taking them to NC State Vet School and they would do dialysis but there’s is no telling how much it would have cost. I had 3 die in 2 years and I know about 4 more guys locally that have 2 to 3 dogs die from kidney failure in the same about of time. Sounds like no one else is having the issue with Kidney failure except in are area could be something in the theses drainage canals that are around theses pulp woods. Probably a combination of many things but I guess I could rule the high protein dog food out of the equation.


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[Toolman94]

Thanks for the info on the ivermectin we have been using the same dosage for at least 30 years or longer with no problem but I will probably cut back the dosage because that has been on my mind. But on the other hand they give a dog with Mange 1 cc a day for a month and that is a lot of ivermectin. But I’m still going to lower my dosage to your rate. Thanks


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[al baldwin]

Are you line breeding?

[Toolman94]

No


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[dwalton]

Line breeding or inbreeding is a good way to eliminate problems with dogs but it will not show a problem that is not there already. Dewey

[perk]

Toolman,
Running hard in that heat, lack of water, high protein feed, and diff medications probably all leading to that kidney failure, also illness such as lepto can damage the kidneys. Getting one dehydrated is bad on kidneys, i lose most of my hounds to it, but later in life than 4-5, some early like that but most 7 or later. Believe some of it is in the breeding , some stocks are way more resilient.
Being in Carolina I'm assuming you or your buddies run alot of crops, might be some of the chemical sprayed in the crops, or even the chemical residue from when they spray the under brush in the pine thickets.
All of these things may cause a little damage and over a period of time that injury to the kidney may add up to total kidney failure. Humans can have renal failure and live without dialysis, depending on severity, I know stage 3 advanced renal failure doesn’t mean you will need dialysis. So our hounds could be living with different stages of renal failure, without us seeing signs and our hunting/lifestyle continuing to damage the kidney.
I know over past 20 yrs I've lost enough to know the symptoms of kidney failure and once it starts its irreversible. Been to vet plenty to have failure confirmed thru blood work. If you luckily bring one back to health 1st hard race will kill him more than likely. 1st sign I notice is advanced water consumption, hey her water bowl looks like she been drinking a lot more.
Some of my better ones when see early signs I begin to baby more to prolong my time hunting them, like days off, mix feed to make sure they eat, give fluids under skin time to time to keep fully hydrated.

[perk]

Another question I meant to propose, are you or your buddies using cattle tags or admire on yalls dogs?

[Toolman94]

Have used some of both but for the last 4 maybe 5 years I’ve been using Bravecto


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