Background

Proteinuria in dogs with kidney disease can contribute to protein-energy wasting and malnutrition. Little is known about amino acid (AA) status in dogs with protein-losing nephropathy (PLN).

Objectives

The purpose of our study was to further elucidate AA status in PLN dogs, with the hypothesis that PLN dogs would have altered AA status as compared to healthy dogs.

Animals

Thirty client-owned PLN dogs were compared to 10 healthy control dogs.

Methods

Prospective observational study. Dogs with PLN that were presented to the teaching hospital were enrolled. Plasma AA profiles were measured using an automated high-performance liquid chromatography AA analyzer.

Results

Compared to control dogs, PLN dogs had significantly lower concentrations of leucine, threonine, histidine, glycine, proline, asparagine, tyrosine, o-hydroxyproline, and serine, as well as sums of both essential and nonessential AA (P < .05). Dogs with PLN had significantly lower ratios of tyrosine-to-phenylalanine and glycine-to-serine (P < .05), and a significantly greater ratio of valine-to-glycine (P < .05).

Conclusions and clinical importance

Dogs with PLN have altered AA status compared to healthy dogs. These findings could have therapeutic implications in determining optimal management of PLN dogs, such as providing AA supplementation along with other standard treatment.