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Creatinine in the dog: a review.
J P Braun1, H P Lefebvre, A D J Watson
1Département des Sciences Biologiques et Fonctionnelles & UMR 181 ENV-INRA Physiopathologie & Toxicologie Expérimentales, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse 3, France. jp.braun@envt.fr
Veterinary Clinical Pathology
|December 5, 2003
Summary
This review details creatinine metabolism, measurement, and diagnostic significance in dogs. Creatinine clearance, not just plasma creatinine, is crucial for accurately assessing kidney function and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in canine patients.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Clinical Chemistry
- Renal Physiology
- Diagnostic Biomarkers
Background:
- Creatinine is a key indicator of kidney function, commonly measured in clinical labs.
- Existing reviews focus on human medicine, leaving a gap in veterinary literature.
- Understanding canine creatinine metabolism and measurement is vital for accurate diagnostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review creatinine metabolism, measurement techniques, and diagnostic importance in dogs.
- To highlight challenges in creatinine assay accuracy and interlaboratory comparisons.
- To explore factors affecting plasma creatinine and their impact on GFR estimation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific data on canine creatinine.
- Analysis of creatinine's origin, clearance pathways (glomerular filtration), and measurement methods (Jaffé, enzymatic).
- Evaluation of preanalytical (age, breed) and intraindividual (dehydration, drugs) factors influencing plasma creatinine.
Main Results:
- Plasma creatinine originates from muscle and food, cleared primarily by glomerular filtration.
- Assay inaccuracies limit interlaboratory comparison; preanalytical factors like age and breed matter.
- Plasma creatinine increases with renal failure but is insensitive to moderate GFR changes; clearance rates offer better sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Creatinine clearance is a more reliable GFR estimate than plasma creatinine alone in dogs.
- Newer methods for determining creatinine clearance without urine collection show promise for canine diagnostics.
- Accurate assessment of canine kidney function requires careful consideration of measurement limitations and clearance rates.