Correlation of urine ammonia excretion with renal function in healthy dogs and dogs with chronic kidney disease.

Clinical Context

Peer-reviewed veterinary literature continues to shape everyday decision-making for canine patients, especially when new evidence clarifies diagnosis, treatment selection, monitoring, or clinical outcomes.

What the Study Evaluated

A study published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine in 2026 evaluated correlation of urine ammonia excretion with renal function in healthy dogs and dogs with chronic kidney disease..

Key Findings

Inadequate ammonia excretion is thought to drive the development of metabolic acidosis in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and correlates with worse clinical outcomes, such as faster progression to end-stage kidney disease and increased case fatality. To determine if urine ammonia-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) correlates with serum creatinine concentration as a renal function marker in healthy dogs and dogs with CKD and whether UACR is altered in the presence of CKD. The study group comprised 46 healthy and 50 stable International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) Stages 2, 3, and 4 CKD dogs. This was a prospective, single-time point study....

Why It Matters for Veterinary Professionals

For veterinary professionals, the practical value of this work lies in how the findings may support more structured clinical assessment, clearer monitoring, and more informed decisions for canine patients.

Practical Interpretation

The results should be interpreted in the context of the study design, population, inclusion criteria, and clinical setting. Application in practice should consider patient-specific risk factors, available diagnostics, local standards of care, and clinician judgment.

Clinical Takeaway

Overall, the study adds useful evidence for clinicians seeking to align daily practice with current veterinary research while maintaining a balanced, case-by-case approach.

• Read the full article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41742503/