Fanconi Syndrome

[elevan]

I didn't really know where to put this...it applies to all mammals really.

DEFINITION: FANCONI DISEASE is a mammalian renal tubular reabsorption failure, usually genetic in origin, resulting in polyuria/polydipsia (PU/PD) with glucosuria; generalized aminoaciduria; proteinuria; loss of multiple vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and bicarbonate. These losses result in metabolic acidosis, protein-loss muscle wasting, weight loss, and myalgia. Left uncorrected, it causes increasing acidosis, while stressing the respiratory compensation system to its maximum effort, and leads to the progressive and degenerative renal, and then multisystem failure, resulting in death. With early intervention and lifelong management, prognosis is excellent for long term, healthy survival. Very compliant dogs have lived to normal lifespans. Correction of the acid/base component appears to slow dramatically the degenerative progression. This disorder is prevalent in the Basenji breed of dog, although it appears in many breeds of dog and in other mammals, including humans. There is also a similar syndrome now identified in birds, but I do not know if this Protocol is applicable to avian physiology. This Protocol has been used in a number of other breeds of dog, with slight increases in bicarbonate doses for larger dog breeds being the only change. It has also been applied successfully to a Fanconi afflicted horse and several cats.

I wanted to address this on BYH because it is entirely possible for goats, dogs, cats, horses, cattle and any other mammal to get this syndrome. I keep up with information on it because I have a Basenji...a breed of dog that is notorious for developing Fanconi.

Fanconi is both genetically and pharmacologically induced.

In Basenjis the cause is genetic (and the exact gene has been recently identified)...in other mammals it is believed to be pharmacological.

An interesting bit of information that I just ran across on it was that excess oral ingestion of zinc or the use of expired antibiotics has been linked consistently with causing Fanconi. Since (in goats) we sometimes use zinc to treat certain skin / hair issues I thought it wise to address the need to use caution not to give in excess. It is also important to pay attention to the expiration dates of antibiotics.

 

[kstaven]

Have never read up on it but I would assume that part of this zinc issue comes from the fact that zinc uses the same pathways as other minerals and nutrients in the body. Much like to much iron and selenium can block copper. Antibiotics can utilize or block these pathways and cause the same effect and also destroy specific enzymes that minerals use as a carrier.