Kidneys (Renal Organs)

The kidneys are paired, bean-shaped filtering organs located high up in the abdomen against the back muscles. Inside each kidney, hundreds of thousands of microscopic filtering units called nephrons work relentlessly to strip toxic waste products (like urea and creatinine) from the bloodstream and excrete them in urine. Beyond filtering waste, healthy kidneys maintain the body’s water balance, regulate essential electrolytes (potassium, sodium, phosphorus), control blood pressure, and produce a hormone (erythropoietin) that tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells. When kidneys fail, pets drink and pee constantly to flush toxins from their bodies.