Bloodwork.........Bun/Creatinine Ratio
Just received my results everything normal, except my Bun/Creatinine Ratio was 25 (reference range should be 9-23). I researched and found some information ranging from kidney function to dehydration. Waiting for Doctor to email me. In the meantime, any thoughts from anyone who had a high ratio number?
BUN--this is the blood Urea
Both BUN and Creatinine are metabolites derived from dietary protein and tissue protein turnover/breakdown. The concern is that if your BUN and Creatinine go up, you are breaking down muscle protein. The reported range is wide because of variations in protein intake, protein catabolism (breakdown in body), hydration, liver synthesis of Urea, and kidney excretion of urea.
The amount of urea produced will vary based on what "food" is supplied to the liver and how well your liver function. BUN is INCREASED by a high-protein diet, among others (GI bleed, fever/infection, antianabolic drugs like doxycycline, or glucocorticoids).
SO...are you on a high protein diet? Most likely. What was your BUN 2 months ago or at the time or surgery? You should ask your doctor what your BUN has been in previous blood work. And then ask yourself what your diet was at that point.
Is an increased BUN something to be concerned about? MAYBE. Maybe not. If it went up slightly post surgery and this is related to your diet, then no. If it went up and has gone up over the last year, maybe there is more to the story. I don't know I'm not an MD.
So...Ask a lot of questions to determine if this is diet related, first. Ask if monitoring would help or if intervention is warranted at this point.
An aside..I have greyhounds. Relevancy...the average BUN/Creat levels are higher in performance dogs because of the nature of their metabolism. Because they are sprinters, the protein turnover is faster in muscle tissue thus the BUN/Crea runs high. One of my dogs had a BUN that was ALWAYS 2-3 out of the average range for a greyhound. Anyhow...In the 5 years we had him, his values never budged. Depending on the vet, the treatment would have been different. I went with conservative (monitor, do nothing, not kidney diet) and he never developed renal insufficiency. EVER. He was even on a raw diet for a couple of years and it never adversely affected his kidney.
Good luck...I hope
Thanks for the information, very interesting. The doctor said everything was fine, a little concern about my Iron because the lab didn't draw for that but my Ferritin was high. I told her I take (2) Flinestone chewables with Iron daily, but I'm always freaking cold. She recommended I contact my PCP to have them test my thyroid.
Thanks for all your information, very interesting. The doctor came back and said everything was fine a little concern about my iron because the lab didn't draw for that but my Ferritin was high. I told her that I take (2) Flinestone chewables with iron daily and that I'm always freaking cold. She recommend I contact my PCP to have my thyroid checked.
on 10/21/13 9:31 am
You got some good advice above, so my input will be brief. I have a high BUN/Creatinine ration 35.4. I have been working with a hematologist for almost a year because my labs brought up some very scary things. However, now he has decided to turn me back over to my PCP because my labs are no longer showing the extreme concern (such as possible tumor or need for a bone marrow transplant - yeah)...
But my labs aren't perfect. He said - regarding the BUN issue.... it could be the high protein diet. Do I need to "fix it", I asked? Not necessarily, he said. It could be I am dehydrated. I told him I drink 64-100 oz of water every day. I said, I still do feel dehydrated, though. He said my kidneys might be operating at less than what they should be. He wants me to follow up more with my PCP and I will.
So the message is - talk to your doctor, but go in to the appt. with as much info. as you can. We have to help them help us.
Annie (no longer scared out of my wits)
