dog kidney failure

Question
MY DOG IS TEN YEARS OLD.AFTER EXAMINATIOS AND BLOODWORK IT SHOWS HE HAS KIDNEY FAILURE.HE HAS BEEN SICK SINCE SEPT.AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING HE ATE,SO I JUST GAVE HIM CHILDRENS PEDIALYTE,PEPTO BISMAL AND LIGHT FOODS.AFTER A FEW DAYS I BROUGHT HIM TO THE VET.SHE PRESCRIBED PEPCID AC.HE WAS BACK TO HIS OLD SELF RIGHT AWAY.RECENTLY HE STARTED WITH SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AGAIN SO I TOOK HIM BACK AND JUST GOT THE RESULTS.THE VET SAID I COULD TRY IV FOR A FEW DAYS,BUT HE'S NOT TRYING TO GET MY HOPES UP.THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE COULD BE DIALYSIS.I AM OF COURSE GOING FOR ANOTHER OPINION,BUT I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.MY DOG WAS IN PERFERCT HEALTH,HE ACTED LIKE A FOUR YR. OLD DOG,HIS EYES,COAT MUSCLE TONE ,TEETH ALL PERFECT.I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS SCHIZOPHRENIC AND SHE KEPT FEEDING HIM BUTTER,OIL AND ONE TIME A MIXTURE OF CLOVES AND OIL.I OF COURSE WOULD TAKE IT AWAY FROM HIM AND AFTER THE THIRD TIME I CAUGHT HER DOING THIS I NO LONGER ALLOWED HER IN MY HOME,COULD THAT HAVE BROUGHT THIS ON?AND ALSO CAN I GIVE HIM ANYTHING MYSELF TO HELP FLUSH HIS KIDNEYS?I WAS SO DEVESTATED WHEN I TALKED TO THE VET I HAD TO HANG UP.IF YOU CAN GIVE ME ANY ADVICE I WOULD GRATLY APPRECIATE IT.    THANK YOU    NORA WHITESTONE

Answer
Hi Nora,
I am so sorry you are faced with something so difficult right before the holidays.  I know how upsetting it is to have an ill "furbaby."  Cloves are toxic to dogs.  Had he become sick within a week after the cloves?  It takes alot of cloves to cause kidney failure, but that is a symptom to this toxicity.
Generally, with the kidneys, 72 hours of IV fluids are needed to flush the kidneys out.  The Creatinine and BUN (kidney levels)levels are then tested again to see if there is any improvement.  Your veterinarian can then teach you to give fluids Subcutaneously (directly under the skin) in which you can flush his system out at home every few days.  There are also oral supplements that can be given to promote healthy kidneys.  They will not reverse the damage that has been done to the kidneys, but they will prevent it from becomming more severe.  
I would also suggest a urinalysis to be done.  A urinary tract infection, bladder infection, urinary crystals or bladder stones can all cause the kidney levels to become elevated.  The urine should definitely be tested before any prognosis is given.
Please let me know how things go.  I'll be thinking of you and your boy.
Take care and hang in there,
Hilary