Congenital Kidney Defects
by Malcolm Dupries       Any congenital defect is a defect that is present when a puppy is born.  These defects may be inherited from the parents, but they may also be due to either abnormal maturation of the fetus, or a mutation.
     There are three major types of congenital kidney defects that are the result of abnormal maturation, these are: Renal hypoplasia, which is the underdevelopment of one or both kidneys.
Renal aplasia, this is the absence of one or both of the kidneys. Polycystic kidneys are comprised of structures that are non-functional cysts that replace the normal kidney tissue.
     It is important to know that a diagnosis of a kidney disease is not equal to a diagnosis of kidney failure.  There are now treatments for many of the diseases that used to lead to kidney failure.  In medical terms, kidney failure has not occurred until 65 - 70% or more of functional tissue in both kidneys has been lost.
     In felines and in humans kidney transplants have been an option when kidney failure is imminent.  In canines, it is far more difficult, if not impossible, to perform kidney transplants.  A transplant from an identical sibling has had some success, but for the most part to this time, the dog's immune system is very rapid in destroying and rejecting transplanted kidneys.

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