Fanconi Syndrome is a defect of the renal tubules of the kidneys, but is NOT renal failure, and it has an entirely different mode of treatment from renal failure. Renal Failure is the failure of the kidneys to adequately process and remove biological waste products from the body, while Fanconi disease, caught early, has NO such problems.
With Fanconi Syndrome, the dog loses buffers (the bicarbonate that keeps the blood from becoming too acidic and damaging internal organs), protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids from the defective kidneys, spilling them out in the dog’s copious urination. Treated by supplementation to replace these losses, the dog can live a long and relatively healthy life. Without treatment, the dog will die.
Ages four through eight is the usual age range when Fanconi Syndrome is diagnosed in dogs, but Fanconi has been found as early as age 1- 1/2and as late as age 16. Overt symptoms of frequent urination and copious drinking usually occur later than glucose (sugar) spilling in the urine; hence the usefulness of the “early warning” glucose strip testing. Fanconi can occur in ANY breed of dog, in fact, in any mammal (including humans). It is especially common in the Basenji dog, but is being seen more and more in other breeds.
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
Diabetic Test Strip
Probably you have found that your dog is spilling glucose (sugar) in the urine during your monthly testing with an inexpensive diabetic glucose test strip, which you can find and purchase from the diabetic section of most drugstores. To test: Wet one of the strips in the dog’s urine stream and wait for the amount of time listed on the package—usually 30 seconds. If this is positive (turns color), the dog is spilling sugar, and this should be reported to your veterinarian.
Blood Glucose Test
Have your veterinarian do a blood glucose (sugar) reading. If the blood glucose reading is normal-to-low, and glucose is already spilling in the urine, this is Fanconi Syndrome by definition in most cases--especially in the Basenji breed.
FURTHER TESTING FOR TREATMENT
NOTE: It is important to get and keep copies of all tests done in order to follow trends and have a complete record of results of treatment. Simply ask your veterinarian to send copies of all tests to you. Make a notation on them what supplements are being given at the time of testing, as well.
Full Blood Panel
Have your veterinarian do a full blood panel, including electrolytes and kidney function tests (BUN and Creatinine). This blood panel will contain the levels for potassium, calcium and phosphorus, which most often are the ones needing supplementation. The BUN and creatinine levels show the general health of the kidneys.
Venous Blood Gas
Absolutely necessary to gauge the severity of, and to treat, Fanconi Syndrome. An abnormal VENOUS blood gas, combined with glucose (sugar) spilling in the urine and a normal-to-low blood glucose, confirm the diagnosis of Fanconi Syndrome.
Correcting the bicarbonate imbalance—which is only measurable on a venous blood gas—is KEY to the successful management of Fanconi Syndrome. You will need to find a place to get venous blood gasses done. Ask your veterinarian. Many large veterinary centers now have the I-STAT, IRMA-SL or other hand-held blood gas counters.
Urinalysis
Additionally, it is useful to get a urinalysis to make sure that there are no urinary tract infections present. Sugary urine is a good place for bacteria to grow. If left untreated, urinary tract infections can ascend into the kidneys and may cause kidney infections, which can ultimately contribute to kidney failure (an entirely different problem from Fanconi Syndrome, with a different mode of treatment—see notes under “High Protein food”).
NOTE:Even if the urinalysis is negative, if the dog has SIGNS and SYMPTOMS of a urinary tract infection (i.e., urgency, “accidents,” lack of appetite, throwing up, pain, etc.), the dog should be treated with antibiotics as if it were a renal infection. The thickened architecture of a Fanconi kidney can cause even tiny infections to “loculate” or “wall off,” and, while they are easy to treat with antibiotics, in this very vascular tissue, they can cause many problems if left untreated.
BEGINNING SUPPLEMENTS, FOOD AND WATER can be given as soon as Fanconi is discovered
Pet-Tabs Plus
Give one Pet-Tabs Plus daily. (TWO daily if the dog is already drinking a lot and urinating a lot.)
Pet-Cal or Dicalcium Phosphate Powder
Give one Pet-Cal daily (you can get this from your vet or from pet supply catalogs or stores). Give TWO Pet-Cal or 2 teaspoons of powder daily if the dog is drinking a lot and urinating a lot. You can substitute dicalcium phosphate powder for Pet-Cal tablets—use one teaspoon instead of each Pet-Cal tablet and mix into the food daily. One source on the internet is PetVetSupply.
Water
Give unlimited water. If you occasionally crate, hang a pail on an “S-hook” on the side of the crate.
High Protein Food
Feed a HIGH protein food. Fanconi dogs are losing protein in the urine. “High protein” translates to at least 25% protein for dry, and 8 to 10% protein for canned, wet food
NOTE: If the BUN and creatinine blood levels are HIGH, the dog MAY NOT need the Pet-Cal (check calcium and phosphorus blood levels on the blood panel) and may need to be on the Modified Renal Failure Protocol....with a protein-restricted diet and increased Amino Fuel frequency—as much as 1/2 tablet of Amino Fuel twice a day in very emaciated dogs.
Amino Fuel
Give one Amino Fuel (found in health food and body building sections of health food stores) routinely every week for amino acids that they may be losing in the urine.
Centrum Vitamins
Give one Centrum (regular “people”) vitamin weekly for trace vitamins and minerals that they may be losing in the urine.
NOTE: Once testing is complete, ask your veterinarian to follow the instructions on the Fanconi Protocol for Veterinarians for any needed bicarbonate tablets or other supplements, and for further follow-up testing.
INFORMATION AND SUPPORT
Gonto Fanconi Protocol For Veterinarians
Copy the Protocol for your veterinarian and for yourself.
Fanconi Articles
Read the article on Fanconi Syndrome in the Health & Safety section of the Basenji Companions’ web site.
E-Mail Support Group
Contact fanconidogs-owner@yahoogroups.com to get on the Fanconidogs’ e-mail support group for owners of Fanconi-afflicted dogs of any breed.
Best of luck if your “furkid” is one of the “special needs” dogs who has developed Fanconi Syndrome!
Article copyright © 2002 by Betsy Polglase.
All rights reserved.