Absence of hypertension in dogs with renal insufficiency

Dogs have provided classic models of induced hypertension. This paper shows that despite being susceptible to hypertension, they are naturally resistant to its development even when renal function is severely compromised. The proportion of hypertensive dogs was almost as low among those with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (9%) as those with normal GFR (6%). Dogs with GFR less than 33% of the normal lower limit (with an average GFR equivalent to 10 mL min-1 in a 70-kg patient) had arterial pressures not significantly above normal. Only dogs with a GFR 33-75% of the lower limit of normal had significantly elevated systolic pressure, though none was actually hypertensive. Since there was no correlation between arterial pressure and GFR below 33% of lower limit, the dogs in the 33-75% range may be showing an effect of increased pressure, rather than a cause. In humans with GFR less than 33% of normal, the majority are hypertensive. Since various aspects of canine cardiovascular and renal function are comparable with humans, the question is why dogs, despite being capable of developing hypertension, are resistant to it, even when they have chronic renal insufficiency.