Proteinuria in Dogs with Pyoderma

Abstract

Agarose gel electrophoresis was used for fractionation of urine proteins obtained from 39 dogs with pyoderma. Thirty dogs (77%) had earlier on tested positive for proteinuria by reagent strips. Eighteen of the 30 dogs (46.2%) showed electrophoretic patterns consistent with albuminuria and was similar to patterns demonstrated in dogs with histologically confirmed glomerulonephritis. Three dogs (7.7%), showed albuminuria and increases in globulins thus giving a pattern resembling physiologic proteinuria. This was considered to be a variant form of glomerular proteinuria. Eight dogs (20.5%) had an electrophoretic pattern characterized by low albumin and high beta globulins as well as some increase in alpha 2 globulins thus resembling tubular proteinuria in humans. These findings indicate presence of glomerulonephrotic lesions in a high proportion of dogs with pyodema. It was concluded that kidney function tests are worthwhile in dogs with pyoderma.