Anyone know if kidney failure is hereditary, I had a litter of pups three years ago, today I had a call of someone who had one of them..we have always stayed in touch, their little girl started being ill a couple of weeks ago being sick and was very quiet, after lots of bloods and scans the vet has said she has chronic kidney failure an only has weeks to live.. I am gutted, but am worrying if its hereditary will the other pups from the litter be affected, im still in touch with most of the others an they are all fine.. I just feel awful for this family.. thanx

I am in the same position as you with a pup I bred, I am heartbroken for the family who I class as good friends now. Their vet said it was one of those things but I don't know how true that is, hope someone comes along who knows a bit more x

In some breeds abnormalities of the kidneys can be inherited. 

You can only really tell by biopsy or on post mortem by examining kidneys for abnormality.

Of course Kidney failure can be caused by other things (e.g. poisoning) and be one of those things.

This article may be useful http://www.fleetfiretimbers.com/FFT/Articles/Hereditary%20Kidney%20Disease%20in%20Dogs.pdf

If Kidney disease is known in your breed is considered a hereditary condition then I would be very suspicious, and would as a breeder steer clear of similar matings that produced affected offspring, and assume that the parents both  carried the issue.  Certainly the mating should not be repeated, and of course affected offspring not bred from.

Some medications can also cause kidney failure