Identifying Kidney Injury in Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease, a common cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs, is often not detected until the kidneys are already extensively damaged. The fellow will evaluate changes that occur in injured kidney cells and that might result in loss of these cells into the urine. The findings could lead to the development of more sensitive noninvasive diagnostic tests to detect kidney damage earlier and to better monitor the response to treatment and the progression of disease. These studies could also identify possible therapeutic targets for canine kidney disease. The fellow is a resident in clinical pathology at Texas A&M University; this fellowship will allow her to complete a PhD with an emphasis in chronic kidney disease and clinical pathology.