Continuous renal replacement therapy in dogs and cats

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Nephrology
• Critical Care

Background:

• Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious condition in veterinary medicine.
• Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an emerging extracorporeal blood purification technique.
• CRRT is increasingly adopted for treating AKI in companion animals like cats and dogs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the applications and benefits of CRRT in veterinary medicine.
• To highlight CRRT as a treatment for various conditions causing kidney injury in animals.
• To compare CRRT with intermittent hemodialysis (IHD).

Main Methods:

• CRRT involves slow, continuous blood purification.
• Therapy continues until renal function is restored, or patients are transitioned to IHD or euthanized.
• CRRT employs both diffusive and convective mechanisms for blood purification.

Main Results:

• CRRT has been used successfully for leptospirosis, tumor lysis syndrome, heatstroke, and toxicities in animals.
• It provides pre- and postsurgical support for ureteral obstructions.
• CRRT is fluid-efficient, using prepackaged fluids and eliminating the need for water purification systems.

Conclusions:

• CRRT is a versatile and effective treatment for acute kidney injury and related conditions in cats and dogs.
• Its convective and diffusive properties, along with fluid efficiency, make it advantageous over IHD.
• CRRT represents a significant advancement in critical care for veterinary patients with renal dysfunction.