Quantitative urinalysis in healthy Beagle puppies from 9 to 27 weeks of age

Abstract

Objectives
—To evaluate indices of renal function in
healthy, growing Beagle puppies from 9 to 27 weeks
of age and to determine whether indices change with
age during this period.


Animals
—6 healthy Beagle puppies.


Procedure
—Urine collections were performed at
2-week intervals in puppies 9 to 27 weeks old. Daily
excretion of urinary creatinine, protein, sodium,
potassium, chloride, phosphorus, and calcium were
determined, as were quantitative urinalyses including
endogenous creatinine clearance, urine protein-tocreatinine
ratios (UPr/C), and fractional clearances of
sodium (FNa), potassium (FK), chloride (FCl), calcium
(FCa), and phosphorus (FP).


Results
—Significant differences among age groups
were detected for endogenous creatinine clearance,
and daily urinary protein, potassium, calcium,
and phosphorus excretion. Significant differences
also existed among age groups for UPr/C, FNa, FK,
FCl and FP. Age-related effects fit a linear regression
model for FNa, UPr/C, daily phosphorus excretion,
and daily protein excretion. Quadratic regression
models were judged most appropriate for
endogenous creatinine clearance, FK, daily chloride
excretion, and daily potassium excretion.
Endogenous creatinine clearance measurements
higher than adult reference ranges were observed
from 9 to 21 weeks of age. The FNa, FK, FCl, FCa,
and FP were slightly higher than those reported for
adult dogs.


Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
—Selected
results of quantitative urinalyses in healthy 9- to 27-week-old Beagle puppies differ with age and differ
from those measured in adult dogs. Diagnostic
measurements performed in puppies of this age
range should be compared with age-matched
results when possible. (
Am J Vet Res
2000;61:577–581)