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Veterinary Manual

Find information on animal health topics, written for the veterinary professional.

Interstitial Nephritis, Glomerulonephritis, and Vasculitis in Small Animals

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Interstitial Nephritis, Glomerulonephritis, and Vasculitis in Small Animals

By Scott A. Brown, VMD, PhD, DACVIM, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor and Head, Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia

Acute interstitial nephritis in dogs is caused most often by Leptospira interrogans (see Leptospirosis in Dogs). Cats rarely develop leptospirosis, and clinical signs are less severe than in dogs. Other infectious causes of nephritis in dogs include Leishmania donovani and Borrelia burgdorferi. These systemic vectorborne diseases are endemic in specific geographic areas. Glomerulonephritis is the predominant renal pathology, so these are considered immune complex diseases rather than true urinary tract infections. Toxoplasmosis can cause pyogranulomas in the kidneys or elsewhere in the urinary system. Systemic infectious diseases that cause vasculitis in cats or dogs (eg, feline infectious peritonitis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever) may also cause kidney disease.

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Test your knowledge

Most urinary tract pathogens are not considered zoonotic. However, which of the following organisms is most likely to be transmitted via infected urine from animals to humans?