# kidney BUN results and raw feeding question



## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

is it normal for a raw fed dog to have a little higher test results, Babs is 13 years old, the vet said normal range is between 6-31 (big difference) Babs is at 34. 
since my Max passed suddenly from kidney failure I am a little worried.


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

My dog's BUN was 37 at his last visit. His phosphorus also showed a little high. I am not freaked out - the vet suggested "low protein." LOL! I told her it's hard to take the protein out of meat, and I'm not gonna put him on sawdust and corn.

I'm giving him a little lighter diet and more liquid. I'm watching it but not freaked - it's gone up and down before. I find it interesting that in Dogs Naturally they list a higher BUN as normal for a raw fed dog - but their "normal" is much lower than what my vet said, which was also 31 on the high end. 

Normal Blood Values And Raw Fed Dogs | Dogs Naturally Magazine


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

Oh, and dehydration can also cause a higher BUN. Is that possible with your dog? It doesn't take much, I don't think, to affect the value.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

FBarnes said:


> Oh, and dehydration can also cause a higher BUN. Is that possible with your dog? It doesn't take much, I don't think, to affect the value.


since being raw fed she doesn't drink as much as she use too, she had a complete check up w/the blood work vet said she was and extremely healthy & energetic 13 year old. I would think if she were dehydrated he would have notice


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

Hopefully he would notice. I know my dog was slightly dehydrated BUT the reason I took him in is he was drinking tons of water, so he was probably alot more dehydrated before that. 

Is your vet asking you to come back in a couple of weeks to re-test? I know you are concerned but I think if you go back and get a second blood test maybe it will show better results. Tests are also not always 100% accurate, also.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

I wouldn't worry about it at all, especially with that small of a difference. I've heard eggs are supposed to be pretty good for dogs with kidney issues if you're worried about it, so you could always increase the amount of eggs you feed. Of course eggs are great anyway, so it's not like it would hurt anything to increase the amount you feed anyway!


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## Roo (Oct 17, 2010)

The creatinine number is more of a concern than the BUN, if the creatinine is in normal range, the dog is probably ok with just a slightly high BUN value (at least that's what my raw supportive vet says). My vet is fascinated by raw fed dog's blood work, he's looking at submitting some papers on it, he said it's interesting to see how nutrient dense the diet is, and how it's reflected in the blood work. Not fasting a dog before blood work can also effect the numbers some too, making them slightly weird or off.

If you are concerned about it though, you can lower the phos by feeding more lower phos foods like eggs, tripe, etc. you can also feed calcium from ground egg shells to replace some of the calcium from bones, which can be fairly high in phos. Also as suggested above, consider going back and retest the numbers in a couple months just to make sure everything is ok.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

FBarnes said:


> Hopefully he would notice. I know my dog was slightly dehydrated BUT the reason I took him in is he was drinking tons of water, so he was probably alot more dehydrated before that.
> 
> Is your vet asking you to come back in a couple of weeks to re-test? I know you are concerned but I think if you go back and get a second blood test maybe it will show better results. Tests are also not always 100% accurate, also.


he wants a morning urine from her, and see what that says and then go back and check blodd again, he did say that tests are not always accurate.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

There is one that reads higher in raw fed dogs, and I'm pretty sure its the BUN. Yours seems to be about what other raw fed dogs are, so I don't think I would be too concerned about it.


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

Creatinine and hematocrit levels also read higher, I believe. If you feed eggs, be sure and feed the shell also unless you are feeding a very high bone content. An egg is perfectly balanced in calcium/phosphorus, as is tripe.

Understanding that raw fed dogs have skewed numbers at times compared to kibble fed dogs, you do have to be watchful. My dog's BUN has always ranged from 31-34. Suddenly it is 37. Could be nothing, could be something. But if something ranges out of normal for YOUR dog, you have every right be to concerned. That's why it's always good to have a baseline, and regular bloodwork done. I get a full senior panel once a year, and a less extensive test once a year. Plus bloodwork if my dog isn't acting right.


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