Escherichia coli Pyometra Induces Transient Glomerular and Tubular Dysfunction in Dogs

Abstract

Background: Pyometra in dogs has been associated with renal injury.Hypothesis: Examine pyometra-related nephropathy by evaluating novel renal biomarkers.Animals: Twenty-five dogs with Escherichia coli pyometra. Fourteen clinically healthy bitches of comparable age.Methods: Prospective study. Urinary biomarkers determined by immunoassays (uIgG, uCRP, uAlb, uRBP, uTXB2) or colorimetric test (uNAG) with results normalized to urine creatinine concentration. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon's signed-rank test used to compare healthy dogs and dogs with pyometra, and dogs with pyometra at initial and follow-up examination.Results: Urinary biomarkers (median, range) significantly increased in dogs with pyometra (uIgG/Cr: 169.7-mg/g, 4.8-1052.9; uCRP/Cr: 0.260-mg/g, 0.006-3.030; uAlb/Cr: 89.5-mg/g, 8.8-832.7; uRBP/Cr: 1.66-mg/g, 0.05-21.44; uNAG/Cr: 5.8-U/g, 1.6-27.7; uTXB2/Cr: 15.3-μg/g, 3.2-139.6) compared with healthy bitches (uIgG/Cr: 3.4-mg/g, 0.6-8.9; uCRP/Cr: below detection limit; uAlb/Cr: 17.5-mg/g, 1.3-166.3; uRBP/Cr: 0.13-mg/g, 0.02-0.44; uNAG/Cr: 2.4-U/g, 1.4-7.4; uTXB2/Cr: 2.4-μg/g, 1.2-4.7) (P .05).Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Pyometra-related renal dysfunction affects the nephron both at glomerular and proximal tubular level and is a transient process in most dogs with E. coli pyometra. © 2010 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.