Acute renal failure in adult horses

Abstract

Renal disease can be pre-, intrinsic or post-renal in origin, with pre-renal disease being the most common and generally straightforward to correct if the primary problem can be addressed. Intrinsic renal disease is relatively rare in the horse overall. Nephrotoxic drugs have been thought to be the most common cause of intrinsic renal disease, but their clinical significance is now being questioned. Treatment options are usually supportive, with intravenous fluid therapy being the mainstay. Dialysis is becoming more common, although it is still a rare treatment.