Chronic kidney disease in dogs – signs and care

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Chronic kidney disease is when a dog's kidneys slowly stop working over months or years.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet today.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.
Let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Chronic kidney disease is when the kidneys slowly stop working over a period of months or years.^[1] The damage already done to the kidneys cannot be reversed, so the condition cannot be cured; treatment aims to slow further damage and manage symptoms.^[1]

Signs

Drinking more
Peeing more
Going off food
Weight loss
Vomiting or nausea
Low energy
Constipation
Bad breath with a chemical smell
Twitching muscles
Mouth ulcers

Causes and risk factors

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
Kidney tumours (cancer)
Infections
Toxins
Glomerulonephritis

How a vet finds out

Urine tests
X-rays
Ultrasound
Biopsy
Blood pressure measurement

How vets treat it

Fluids/drip
Diet change
Medication
Antibiotics
Anti-sickness medication

What the experts say

“Overview. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is when the kidneys slowly stop working over a period of months or years. Symptoms can include increased thirst, peeing more, decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting, and low energy.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What is chronic kidney disease in dogs?

It is when the kidneys slowly stop working over a period of months or years.^[1]

What signs can chronic kidney disease cause?

Signs can include increased thirst, peeing more, decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting and low energy.^[1]

Can chronic kidney disease be cured?

The damage already done to the kidneys cannot be reversed, so chronic kidney disease cannot be cured.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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