Renal Amyloidosis in a Shar Pei Dog

History: 4-year-old Shar Pei dog, spayed female, with a history of weight loss, recent vomiting, and severe progressive azotemia. On ultrasound examination, the kidneys are normal in shape and size with poor corticomedullary definition and a hyperechoic cortex.

Cytological description: The images consist of peripheral blood with several framents of kidney tubules and free tubular epithelial cells. The kidney tubular epithelial cells show mild to moderate vacuolar degeneration. Several glomerular tufts are present. These are hypocellular and show severe distention by deep blue amorphous to fibrillar material suggestive of amyloid. There is no evidence of inflammation, sepsis, or neoplasia.

Comments: Familial amyloidosis resulting in chronic renal failure at young age is reported in Shar Pei dogs. Severe proteinuria is a frequent finding. Shar Pei dogs may have a history of episodic joint swelling and high fever that resolved within a few days, regardless of treatment.

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