Johanna Frank, DVM, DACVIM

Protein losing nephropathy is a common form of renal disease in dogs. Glomerular causes of renal protein loss include glomerulonephritis and amyloidosis. Glomerular lesions have also been associated with underlying metabolic, infectious, inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Post-glomerular causes of renal protein loss such as hemorrhage and inflammation also contribute to urine protein quantification. Traditionally, urine protein loss has been detected either through a qualitative test such as a urine dipstick or via a semi-quantitative test such as a urine protein creatinine ratio. A urine protein creatinine ratio greater than 0.5-1 is considered abnormal. However, both the dipstick method and the