Kidney Disease (KD)
Bull Terrier like many other breed’s can suffer from inherited Kidney Disease (KD as it is referred to). Breeders can help avoid the likelihood of any such problems arising by testing both Sire and Dam, by doing a simple urine sample and taking this to the vets to be UPC tested (Urine Protein Creatinine). You must make sure this is done by urine and not blood as most vets would use blood samples… (The blood test that most vets use to detect KD, detects the problem only once the Kidney have lost around 75% of their function, so by this time it is too late for your Bull Terrier)… In all breeds anything under 1 is classed as normal, this is however not true for a Bull Terrier, a Bull Terrier needs to have a ratio of under 0.3, anything above this is not a good ratio and can indicate possible future Kidney Disease, so no dog or bitch with a score over 0.3 should be bred from, the lower the reading the better. Even if you do not intend to breed from your Bull Terrier you can still have the UPC test done for your own peace of mind in knowing your dog is low risk for possible future Kidney Disease… Kidney Disease is a killer, by doing these tests breeders can reduce the cases of Bull Terriers dieing from this terrible disease, there is no cure, the most you can do can help your dog live as happy a life as possible… If only one parent is affected by KD then it is said that half of the litter produced will have KD… This can be bred out if the owners are willing to test their Breeding Stock… The test is relatively cheap and for the peace of mind worth it…
If you get a borderline result as in a high result around 0.3 it is advisable to repeat the test, high readings should also be followed up at looked at possible infections of the urine as this can also affect the reading…
Dogs/Bitches should be tested once they reach the age of 1 year; it is advisable to test the Bitch between seasons…
It is said that two clear tested dogs for upc cannot produce an affected dog
How To Do The Urine Test
First you need to get a sample bottle from your vet, and explain to them that you want the UPC test doing by urine and why… The day before you do take the sample from your dog, you need to fast your dog from midday onwards… On the morning before they have their fist wee, you need a clean sterile tub to collect the urine… you don’t need a full bottle so don’t worry if you only get a small sample… You need to try and get a mid flow sample (i.e. let them wee a little bit then slip your container to collect the wee underneath them and catch the wee before they have finished). Take the sample to the vets as soon as possible and you should get your results within a couple of days… Remember needs to be below 0.3…anything above 0.3 is advised not to breed from and re- test your dog as outside factors like diet can sometimes affect the readings