Glomerulopathy in the dog

This webinar aims to provide practicing veterinarians with a thorough understanding of glomerulopathy in dogs, a condition that affects the glomeruli of the kidneys. The glomeruli play a crucial role in filtering the blood and regulating the composition of urine. When the glomeruli become damaged, this can lead to impaired kidney function.

There are several causes of glomerulopathy, including genetic factors, immune-mediated diseases, infections, inflammation, and certain systemic disorders. Damage to the glomeruli can result in the loss of important proteins in the urine, leading to proteinuria. In addition, glomerulopathy may lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) and progressive deterioration of renal function.

In dogs, different forms of glomerulopathy can occur, including primary glomerulopathies, in which the kidneys are directly affected, and secondary glomerulopathies, which develop as a consequence of underlying diseases such as infections or immune-mediated disorders.

Using a clinical case as a starting point, this training will address questions such as:

• What are the possible causes of proteinuria?
• How can we determine whether an animal has a glomerular disease?
• Which additional diagnostic tests are recommended in animals with suspected glomerulopathy?
• When is a renal biopsy indicated, and what are the contraindications for performing a renal biopsy?
• How should animals with glomerulopathy be treated?
• When are immunosuppressive drugs indicated? Which immunosuppressive agents are recommended? What dosages should be used? How long should treatment be continued, and how should it be tapered?

The training lasts 1.5 hours and consists of several short videos of a prerecorded presentation. Participants will receive handouts of the complete lecture. You will also receive a practical protocol for monitoring animals treated with an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker.