The Facts--Kidney Failure

• Kidney failure or disease occurs when a dog's kidneys cease to filter the blood for toxins. Kidneys generally pass excess fluid and waste on the bladder, to be excreted in the urine. Failure to do so causes toxins to build up in the dog's body.
  
  

Causes

• Kidney failure may be a product of age, genetics or lifestyle. Dogs who are dehydrated or eat low-quality diets may experience kidney damage, while infection, heat stroke and heart failure can also produce this disorder. Once kidneys are damaged, they cannot be rebuilt.
  
  

Symptoms

• Symptoms of kidney failure include increased thirst and urination, as a dog's body seeks to filter out the toxins in the blood. These are usually accompanied by bloody urine and lethargy. As the failure progress, a dog may experience vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia and sore abdomen.
  
  

The Facts--UTI

• According to UTI in Dogs, a urinary tract infection takes place in either the upper urinary tract or the lower. Upper UTI causes weight loss and vomiting and is very obvious, while lower UTI affects the dog's ability to urinate.
  
  

Causes

• A UTI occurs when the bacteria in the urinary tract begin to overcome a dog's immune system. Common causes include dehydration, unclean food or water, or holding urine for long periods. Female dogs experience UTI more often than males due to the makeup of their urinary tracts.
  
  

Symptoms

• Lower urinary tract infections do not always cause obvious symptoms like those of kidney failure. UTI makes it difficult for a dog to fully empty its bladder, so the dog may whimper when trying to urinate. Dogs with UTI sometimes become extremely thirsty and have increased urination. Urine is sometimes, but not always, bloody.