Page 6 - ACT Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2023

Life-saving dialysis

for ten-week-old Marty

When Marty, a Labrador puppy, developed kidney Mike explained, “When we were told that the RVC was
failure and liver damage he was rushed to the RVC the only place in the country that provided dialysis for
Small Animal Referrals Hospital. Diagnosed with small animals and that this was Marty's only chance, we
leptospirosis, a bacterial infection, his prognosis knew there was only one choice to make.” The dialysis
without dialysis was grave. Marty needed an ultrasound, gave the team time to treat Marty’s leptospirosis with
three rounds of dialysis and two blood transfusions. antibiotics and healthy plasma to fight off the infection.
This intensive ‘round-the-clock’ care gave Marty’s Extracorporeal blood purification therapies for dogs
organs time to recover and start working again.
and cats have been available at the RVC since 2013.
“The speed of his decline was staggering”, owners Lizzy These advanced therapies can treat kidney failure,
and Mike told us. Marty was vomiting, he was lethargic, autoimmune diseases, and poisoning. The machine at
and he’d stopped producing urine. “We were heartbroken the heart of this pioneering treatment is the Continual
and felt like we had failed him. Despite only having him Renal Replacement Therapy machine, funded by the
for a few weeks, he was already part of our family. We RVC Animal Care Trust. This acts as an artificial kidney,
couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.” allowing blood to be purified through a filter outside of
the body and excess fluid to be removed.
Leptospirosis is a bacterium which can be found in
water sources such as rivers, streams, or puddles. It Marty has recovered very well, his kidney values have
causes inflammation of the liver and kidneys resulting in returned to normal, and he is happy and healthy. Lizzie
decreased function and in Marty’s case, failure. Marty was commented, “Marty’s Labrador appetite is back with a
halfway through getting vaccinated when he caught this vengeance and his cheeky, bright personality is shining
uncommon but life-threatening disease. through more than ever. We are absolutely over the moon

Dr Stefano Cortellini, Co-Director of the Renal
Replacement Therapy Service at the RVC said:

This can literally be
life-saving treatment, and we
are extremely lucky that we have a

very dedicated team of specialist
vets and nurses who provide their
time and expertise to offer dialysis
treatment. Without this team and

the generous support of the
RVC Animal Care Trust, none of
this would be possible. Without
dialysis, it is very likely that Marty

would have died.
Marty

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