• Abyssinian cats - renal amyloidosis
• Basenji - Fanconi syndrome
• Beagle - Renal agenesis (unilateral)
• Bull Terrier - Polycystic renal disease. This is an autosomal dominant trait.
• Cairn Terriers - polycystic kidney disease
• Cocker Spaniels (English) - fibrin/fibrinogen deposition in glomeruli (called familial nephropathy).Studies are on-going to confirm whether this disease is actually similar to Alport syndrome and the disease in Samoyeds.
• Doberman Pinscher - glomerulonephritis
• Lhasa Apso - renal dysplasia
• Norwegian Elkhound - glomerulopathy with fibrosis
• Samoyeds - defective collagen IV formation in the glomerular basement membrane.

  In Samoyeds the glomerular basement membrane may appear to be normal by light and electron microscopy in neonates, however the molecular composition of the collagen is abnormal in affected animals from as early as 1 month of age. Proteinuria develops from as early as 3 months of age and by this stage abnormal electronmicroscopy changes can be identified. 

  The genetic defect which causes defective collagen IV in the basement membrane occurs at a5(IV) cDNA with a single nucleotide substitution to T from G changing a glycine residue (GGA) to a stop condon (TGA). 

   

• Shar Pei - renal amyloidosis
• Shih Tzu - renal dysplasia
• Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier - abnormal cortical maturation with cyst formation
• Standard Poodle - cystic glomerular atrophy

• Abyssinian cats - renal amyloidosis
• Basenji - Fanconi syndrome
• Beagle - Renal agenesis (unilateral)
• Bull Terrier - Polycystic renal disease
• Cairn Terriers - polycystic kidney disease
• Cocker Spaniels (English) - fibrin/fibrinogen deposition in glomerulli (called familial nephropathy)
• Doberman Pinscher - glomerulonephritis
• Lhasa Apso - renal dysplasia
• Norwegian Elkhound - glomerulopathy with fibrosis
• Samoyeds - defective collagen IV formation in the glomerular basement membrane
• Shar Pei - renal amyloidosis
• Shih Tzu - renal dysplasia
• Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier - abnormal cortical maturation with cyst formation
• Standard Poodle - cystic glomerular atrophy

• Abyssinian cats - develop renal failure at 1-5 years of age
• Basenji - Polyuria, polydipsia, glucosuria at 1-5 years of age. Sometimes develop acute pyelonephritis or renal failure
• Beagle - may develop azotaemia if other kidney function is affected
• Bull Terrier - polycystic renal disease but affected dogs often present with urinary tract infections and haematuria at 6 months - 18 months of age. Develop renal failure and uraemia at 1-5 years of age. This disease is associated with cardiac valvular disease. 
• Cairn Terriers - polycystic kidney disease. Develop hepatomegaly as well as enlarged kidneys and affected individuals are usually presented because of abdominal distension at about 6 weeks of age
• Cocker Spaniels (English) - fibrin/fibrinogen deposition in glomeruli (called familial nephropathy). Proteinuria is an early sign, with uraemia and death occurring by 6 months- 2 years of age.
• Dachshunds - cystinuria. A sex-linked disorder seen in males. Subclinical but can lead to urolithiasis.
• Dalmatians - uric aciduria. Inherited autosomal recessive trait. Subclinical but can lead to urolithiasis.
• Doberman Pinscher - glomerulonephritis. Uraemia usually occurs at 1-2 years of age.
• Lhasa Apso - renal dysplasia. Present at 1-2 years of age with uraemia and renal failure
• Norwegian Elkhound - glomerulopathy with fibrosis. The disease first shows as uraemia and occasionally glucosuria with a normal blood glucose concentration in dogs below 5 years of age 
• Persian Cats - polycystic kidney disease.
• Samoyeds - defective collagen IV formation in the glomerular basement membrane. Males more severely affected than females and develop proteinuria early in the disease, leading to renal failure and uraemia by 1 year of age.
• Shar Pei - renal amyloidosis. Present with uraemia and renal failure.
• Shih Tzu - renal dysplasia. Develop renal failure and uraemia at 1-2 years of age
• Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier - abnormal cortical maturation with cyst formation. Signs of proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome with/without uraemia occur at 5-30 months of age
• Standard Poodle - cystic glomerular atrophy. Renal failure with proteinuria  develops at 3 months-2 years of age

Complications
Most of these diseases progress to renal failure and death at a young age.

Early detection is made by screening urine or blood samples for proteinuria, loss of urine concentrating ability or azotaemia, and sometimes glucosuria.

In the future genetic profiling may be available  for some of the diseases to identify affected and carrier animals. 

Biopsy or post-mortem kidney tissue are needed to confirm the diagnosis, and these confirmatory tests can only be performed in specialised diagnostic centres. Freshly collected samples must be preserved for electronmicroscopic examination.

Long term problems
Renal failure and death

Updated October 2013