Leading the industry in the advancement of kidney and urinary care.
The American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology (ACVNU) is a specialty college providing advanced training and board certification in veterinary kidney and urinary medicine. The ACVNU is vital to veterinary medicine because kidney and urinary diseases are common, complex, and often life-threatening.
The UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine pioneered and continues to lead the advancement of hemodialysis and related extracorporeal (outside the body) therapies in veterinary medicine. Today, our state-of-the-art center provides treatment options for animals suffering life-threatening kidney failure, acute poisoning, drug overdosage, and immune-mediated diseases for whom conventional treatments have failed.
Renal and Extracorporeal Services
Services at the UC Davis Hobbs Veterinary Center include extracorporeal therapies (hemodialysis and hemoperfusion), medical management of acute and chronic kidney disease, and the management of lower urinary tract disease including minimally invasive treatment techniques.
UC Davis: Pioneers in the Discipline
The UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine pioneered and continues to lead the advancement of hemodialysis and related extracorporeal (outside the body) therapies in veterinary medicine. Today, our state-ofthe-art center provides treatment options for animals suffering life-threatening kidney failure, acute poisoning, drug overdosage, and immune-mediated diseases for whom conventional treatments have failed. In addition to extracorporeal services, our Nephrology and Urology services offer cutting-edge management options for chronic kidney disease, urinary tract infections, urinary stone disease, incontinence, and other diseases affecting the kidney and lower urinary systems.
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Recognized as a specialty
In 2022, The American Veterinary Medical Association granted recognition to the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology, establishing kidney and urinary care as a distinct medical discipline in veterinary medicine. This formal status was due to the passionate efforts of Dr. Larry D. Cowgill, professor emeritus of medicine and epidemiology at UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and former director of the UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego.
“These advancements, based on scientific research and a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of urinary diseases, have been translated into innovative new directions in the diagnosis and management of numerous urinary tract diseases,” said Dr. Cowgill. “The evolution of sophisticated techniques including extracorporeal therapies and endourology have become the advanced standards-of-care for many urinary diseases.”
The development has led to advanced training for veterinarians in the field, while helping to elevate clinical research and foster innovative treatments. This older video shows the extraordinary evolution of Dr. Cowgill's work and his dedication to treating animals.
What are Extracorporeal Therapies?
Extracorporeal therapies are used to purify the blood (and body) of metabolic waste products, poisons, drugs, or antibodies that cause disease. Diseased kidneys cannot remove these “toxins” causing a syndrome termed uremia. Hemodialysis substitutes an “artificial kidney” to purify blood flowing outside the body and re-establish normal body composition. Other extracorporeal procedures are used to remove toxins from the blood not removed with hemodialysis or pathologic antibodies causing autoimmune diseases.
Indications for Extracorporeal Therapies
Extracorporeal therapies are an advanced standard of care for diseases where there may be no effective alternatives, including:
- Severe acute or chronic kidney failure
- Acute poisoning
- Severe overhydration
- Autoimmune diseasesAcute liver failure
- Drug overdosage
- Immunotherapy for cancer