A case report of hemodialysis management of acute kidney injury in a Russell’s viper-envenomed dog

Abstract

A four-year-old Russell’s viper-envenomed dog presented with severe azotemia and was diagnosed with acute kidney injury (AKI). Russell’s viper envenomation-induced AKI is highly fatal and medical treatment alone was insufficient. In the current case, intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) was implemented and was found to be highly efficient in removing uremic toxins from the bloodstream of the envenomed dog. After two dialysis sessions, the patient’s renal function levels were markedly improved and clinical signs at presentation were resolved. This case report describes the medical treatment and detailed guidelines for the management of IHD in a Russell’s viper-envenomed AKI dog for veterinarians who consider IHD a suitable therapy option for their patients.