Hi all,
thought I would post a little information on PKD.
Polycystic Kidney Disease in Bull Terriers (BTPKD)
was first detected in the very early 1990's during a kidney study carried out over in WA.
By sheer luck becoming public knowledge it made BIG news among us breeders in early 1997. Ultrasound is the only way to detect the disease. Its important the ultrasound is done by an experienced radiologist that KNOWS the criteria and knows what they are looking for. The kidneys look a bit like swiss cheese having fluid filled cysts.
The DNA has been sequenced and the mutated gene found and all research completed and all information is in the public domain & now only needs a lab to develop the working test.
Most 'responsible' Bullie breeders in 1997 immediately started screening their breeding stock for the disease. Being autosomal dominant (only 1 parent needed to be affected to pass on PKD to up to half the puppies of the litter) it is so easy to screen out affected dogs and within a very short time 'most' breeders had cleaned their stock from the disease.
Im not aware of any middle aged Bullies that died from PKD, they generally dealt with it ok and showed no usuall early symptoms, one thing I did notice and heard other owners mention was that an ammonia type smell could be smelt coming from them. Many Bullies with PKD lived well into old age (compared to those with the other known kidney diseaes in our breed which is HN - Hereditary Nephritis) ... but the research showed many were also affected and died these 'early deaths' by heart disease & Hereditary Nephritis. A big % of these were squirters having constant battles with diarrhea.
Once you get the urine test back make sure a UP:UC test was done. A UP:UC of 0.3 (not 0.5) and under is normal (breed specific) for Bull Terriers. Its unfortunate Atlas may have PKD but has your vet considered exploring the possibility of Hereditary Nephritis ?
As far as diet goes there have been some studies done over the last few years or so and it was found that dogs with kidney problems are better being fed from a good quality protein source at a near normal % range around 20% and more importantly a diet with LOW phosphorous rather than using a low protein diet or some of these specially made low protein dry foods like the prescription range by Hills etc.
Personly I dont recommend feeding any dry food at all. There are also plenty of good recipies on the internet.
I wish you & Atlas all the best.
I was owned by a girl with PKD, diagnosed at 18 months old with a high number & largest cysts found in the research, she was 12 + years old when PTS in my arms due to renal failure. 14 years down the track after we first heard of PKD we still test all our breeding stock for PKD.
Please only purchase puppies from Bull Terrier breeders that can prove that they have both parents tested clear for Heart, HN, PKD, Patella & deafness.
