My dog has ascites. Is creatinine the cause? What tests help diagnose?

Question

Hello, I have a labrador, male, 9 years of age. Recently he has been diagnosed with Ascites. However the reason for this is still not getting diagnosed. His blood reports show a serum creatinine level of 1.4. Is this level too high? Can this be one of the causes of Ascites? What more tests can be done to diagnose the reasons behind ascites? Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

The most common reasons for a dog to develop ascites include a low blood protein level (which would show up on blood work), a problem with the liver or a problem with the heart. There are a number of other causes as well, but a slightly high creatinine is not a cause of ascites. The next step that we will often perform to help diagnose a cause of ascites is to perform x-rays of the chest and abdomen. That may give us an idea about the heart and liver. If those results are inconclusive, we may then perform an ultrasound of the heart (called an echocardiogram) and and ultrasound of the abdomen. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that you find the source of Rootal's problem soon so he can feel better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog has ascites. Is creatinine the cause? What tests help diagnose?

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