[haleycookie]

Gonna have to argue with you on that anon. Dogs may contribute from some of the heathier more bioavailability grains but cats do not. Cats are obligate carnivores and only need a balanced diet in meat , bones, and organs to live a healthy life. Grains and any plant matter is completely useless for them. I’m tired of brands like science diet saying corn is a healthy source of protein to cats and dogs. Especially cats when it is not. Kidney disease is on the rise in cats by an astronomical amount. With more cats dying from kidney failure then any other type of illness. That is because of this garbage kibble people are told to buy. Science diet does nothing but mask problems and create more problems down the road.
I do however second a dental exam. If he just prefers softer foods though canned or rolls (Freshpet) would be good options as well. Most grain free foods will have a smaller more dense shape so you might have a hard time finding something suitable.

[Lori H]

Hi Deborah,

My dog Buddy has been through a lot, much like your dog. He just turned 10 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes and I was told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was 6 months ago and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy.

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which has complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 6+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

I worked with a man named Rick Scheyer. He has an amazing website http://www.doglivershunt.com He has helped many dogs with liver shunt, kidney disease, bladder stone problems and much, much more become healthy dogs again. I would suggest reaching out to him for a free consultation.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise.

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy!

Let me know if I can be of anymore help.

Good luck on your search and reach out if you have further questions or concerns. It was hard to take the jump and trust someone other than my vet with my dogs nutritional health, but I am so glad that I did.

Lori

[organic n]

Thanks for the advice. My vet never said anything about him actually having kidney disease (despite him constantly having elevated levels, but the way I feel he views things is that since my dog is old its kind of “expected” which okay… possible.. but I feel like he should be giving me some help but he hasn’t so I’ve figured most of his diet out myself with the help of the internet and research), so I dont know if he actually does or if his kidneys are just slowly weakening and will eventually lead to kidney disease. But I was just wondering about some supplements to give him, but thank you for your concern and advice

[anonymous]

I lost a dog to kidney disease many years ago. This is a very serious condition. You should be working closely with a veterinarian.
My dog needed sub-q fluids almost every day the last 2 years, prescription dog food (canned) and plenty of water, nothing else. No supplements! Just prescription meds. Discuss with your vet.
He doesn’t want to eat because he is probably nauseous, in pain, hence the vomiting. I would not try to force him to eat.
The next thing that will occur after kidney failure, if it hasn’t already, is uremia. The dog smells like urine 24/7. It emanates from his pores.
Difficult decisions ahead
Your dog needs the expertise of a veterinarian, not the internet.
Good luck

[organic n]

Hi all, I’ve been researching a lot about what to do with my dog with kidney problems. He had acute kidney failure 2 years ago, and has since been doing well but often has episodes where he is not hungry and throws up. Usually clears itself up within the day, however. He also gets pancreatic problems when exposed to things high in fat (learned that the hard way).

I don’t have his bloodwork levels with me (I was actually going to see if i could get a copy from his vet in the next few days for my own records) but I do remember his BUN being higher than normal but the vet never said anything about it in terms of lowering it, but I feel like my vet doesn’t really see it as a problem despite him having high values.

Anyway, he is a few months shy of being 16 years old, and he is a 6-7lbs dog. We stopped feeding him dry kibble for many many reasons (around a year ago), and now we make his food at home. I don’t do raw meat (I don’t feel like trying out the raw meat thing at his age and conditions is worth it), his meals consist of:

Lean ground turkey cooked with white rice, carrots, peas, and green beans. I use a vitamin supplement (Only Natural Pet® Senior Ultimate Daily Vitamin Powder). After reading however, I will make some changes to his food by swapping out the peas (heard they are high in phosphorous) for some other veggies. And maybe switching out the turkey for ground beef 10% fat. He does get treats too – and if he is willing fruit as well particularly apples.

Also, I would like to start my dog on some more supplements – particularly green food supplements (have heard kelp is high in sodium though and the ones i’ve looked at contain many types of kelp..hmm), switching out the vitamin powder to VetriScience Renal Essentials Kidney Health Support Dog, adding salmon oil, and adding pre/probiotics to my dog’s diet.

Is the salmon oil necessary if I use the VetriScience kidney support tabs?

Can someone who is knowledgeable with kidney disease in dogs advise on the supplements I would like to add to my dog’s diet? I know the best thing is to consult my vet, but perhaps someone on here who has gone something similar can advise.

[Lori H]

Hi Ava,

I highly recommend reaching out to the following website: http://www.doglivershunt.com/
Rick is amazing! He answers every question I have ever asked and is very honest. Take a look at his website. I have sent thousands of dollars on my dog over the last few years because of ongoing health concerns (bladder stones, Cushing’s disease, potential liver failure, diabetes) and needed to find someone or something that would get my pup healthy. Rick does this pro-bono and only asks for donations. Buddy has been on his program since late May and from an outward appearance he is a different dog, happy, healthy, good weight, shiny coat, spunky, etc… I had his blood work done in late October and he is now in normal ranges across the board for his liver and kidneys! My vet was preparing me for the fact that he thought my dog was going to die. He was in the first stages of liver failure and there was nothing I could do but sit back and watch and decide when the end was time. I was not willing to do that and I am so happy I found Rick! I was a skeptic at first, believing that my vet knew best, but prescription food is awful and the only reason he prescribes it is because he has no understanding of nutrition for dogs and gets a kickback from Hill’s Science Diet. He is a great vet, but I have learned through this process that he is not in the business of giving nutritional advise, but in the business of seeing an issue and figuring out how to treat it using medication and surgery. A balance of both is key and I have learned they don’t have every answer and personal research is key.

Good luck. If you have questions, you can ask me, or you can reach out to him. He will do a free consultation based on questions answered.

I hope you find answers for Ralf and get him healthy!

Lori

[Iva R]

Hello guys,

My dog (7 years old Yorkshire terrier) was diagnosed with PLE couple of weeks ago. Until August 2017, Ralf was a very healthy, happy dog without any indication that he could get so sick. In mid-August he suddenly got diarrhea and vomiting. We have visited several veterinarians, taken various lab examinations, many different antibiotics but nothing helped. We visited then Vet Clinic beginning of October and the diagnosed PLE (without endoscopy, as this was not possible). He got his therapy: Atopica, Cortison, Omep, Semintra and Tylan, sometimes complemented with some additional meds against nausea and vomiting. After 3 weeks ups and downs, his vet called me and said that his Albumin / Total protein got better. However, his kidneys seem not to work properly as large amounts of protein escape through his urine. Looking at him, I have a feeling he’s got a lot better – he has energy, wants to walk/ play, has appetite, not much water in abdomen, etc. However, his vet results are not great. Does anyone has experience with this or something similar? PLE and PNE together.
Concerning food, he has been on Hills Z/D. However, he hates canned food and does not even want to eat it if mixed with something he normally likes. Hills Z/D kibble is still acceptable for him. He is used to home cooking. He used to eat organic chicken or turkey breast with rice and other veggies (carrots, pumpkin, zucchini etc), sometimes white fish and kibble. As he got this awful disease, we have tried with novel protein, such as horse, rabbit and venison meat. He prefers venison meat cooked with veggies (sweet potato, pumpkin, zucchini, carrots) and tapioca. We add also every second day cooked egg white and a little bit of kefir or cottage cheese with very low fat. From time to time he likes white fish, or tuna & salmon. He still has not gained his normal weight, but seems he can digest it well (at least)? I think we are on the right way when it comes to PLE, but I am really worried about PLN as his kidneys are not working properly. So, I need to come up with a proper diet, to satisfy his daily protein needs but on the other hand I need to protect & make his kidneys work better.
Concerning fat, we try to keep it on a very low level.
Any tips, ideas or suggestions are very much welcome as I have a feeling we are fighting for life!

Balance it – looks really great. However, I need approval from my vet. My dog is at vet clinic, based in Vienna, Austria. I am not sure they have balance it accounts and/or have time to create one. Any other ideas how I can approach the recipes?

Thanks a lot for your feedback(s)!

Best,
Iva & Ralf

[Iva R]

Hello guys,

My dog (7 years old Yorkshire terrier) was diagnosed with PLE couple of weeks ago. Until August 2017, Ralf was a very healthy, happy dog without any indication that he could get so sick. In mid-August he suddenly got diarrhea and vomiting. We have visited several veterinarians, taken various lab examinations, many different antibiotics but nothing helped. We visited then Vet Clinic beginning of October and the diagnosed PLE (without endoscopy, as this was not possible). He got his therapy: Atopica, Cortison, Omep, Semintra and Tylan, sometimes complemented with some additional meds against nausea and vomiting. After 3 weeks ups and downs, his vet called me and said that his Albumin / Total protein got better. However, his kidneys seem not to work properly as large amounts of protein escape through his urine. Looking at him, I have a feeling he’s got a lot better – he has energy, wants to walk/ play, has appetite, not much water in abdomen, etc. However, his vet results are not great. Does anyone has experience with this or something similar? PLE and PNE together.
Concerning food, he has been on Hills Z/D. However, he hates canned food and does not even want to eat it if mixed with something he normally likes. Hills Z/D kibble is still acceptable for him. He is used to home cooking. He used to eat organic chicken or turkey breast with rice and other veggies (carrots, pumpkin, zucchini etc), sometimes white fish and kibble. As he got this awful disease, we have tried with novel protein, such as horse, rabbit and venison meat. He prefers venison meat cooked with veggies (sweet potato, pumpkin, zucchini, carrots) and tapioca. We add also every second day cooked egg white and a little bit of kefir or cottage cheese with very low fat. From time to time he likes white fish, or tuna & salmon. He still has not gained his normal weight, but seems he can digest it well (at least)? I think we are on the right way when it comes to PLE, but I am really worried about PLN as his kidneys are not working properly. So, I need to come up with a proper diet, to satisfy his daily protein needs but on the other hand I need to protect & make his kidneys work better.
Concerning fat, we try to keep it on a very low level.
Any tips, ideas or suggestions are very much welcome as I have a feeling we are fighting for life!

Balance it – looks really great. However, I need approval from my vet. My dog is at vet clinic, based in Vienna, Austria. I am not sure they have balance it accounts and/or have time to create one. Any other ideas how I can approach the recipes?

Thanks a lot for your feedback(s)!

Best,
Iva & Ralf

[zcRiley]

It can be genetic or start in a normal fracture. Full bone removal is necessary, nothing good about it at all.

Fluoride ingestion can cause dental fluorosis (disease of the teeth), weakening of bones, bone loss, bone cancer, kidney disease, osteosarcoma and hormone disruption. It’s synthesized when added to water, not natural.

It’s a Class 2 environmental toxin. Whoever did this to your dog should be under investigation.&

[Michael P]

I have a 15.5 yr old chow/Belgian shepherd with lumbosacral disease, some arthritis, perhaps a disc issue, and a small degree of dementia. Her ability to walk and squat to pee or poop (I help her with both to reduce accidents) has worsened dramatically over the last 4 months.

She’d been on metacam for about a year without gastric issues (good digestion was always a strong point) but since efficacy was diminished and for kidney safety switched to Galliprant. The effects were marginal- no better or worse than metacam- so we moved to Prednisone.

The steroid dramatically improved ability to stand up and walk, made her drink/pee a lot (expected side effect), but created anxiety and much more dementia. As we reduced dosage the benefits decreased, so we weaned off and returned to Gslliprant 2 weeks ago.

THIS TIME, the med came labeled ‘give on empty stomach,’ which I did, and I’ve noticed GI symptoms unlike previous time, when I gave with s meal. Soft stool, some diarrhea. So for the last three days (after giving with a meal) I have seen the first perfectly formed stool of the last 2 weeks.

I spoke to the doctors at Galliprant and they say the med is “more bio-available” given on an empty stomach, but EFFICACY IS ABOUT THE SAME , when given WITH or WITHOUT FOOD.

[anonymous]

I didn’t watch the video, I believe I have seen what you have described. One dog with idiopathic epilepsy did very well on a low dose of phenobarbital for over 10 years.
Another dog had neurological damage related to Lyme disease, but the focus was on treating her symptoms of kidney disease caused by the Lyme. She would do the rug eating (pica) stuff occasionally, heartbreaking to watch.
Another one had hemangiosarcoma, I think it spread to her brain as she had neurological symptoms, I had already had all kinds of diagnostic testing done and was told the cancer had spread….no treatment options.
PLEASE TRUST YOUR VET, the anticonvulsant meds will keep him comfortable.

I hope you don’t fall down the anti-vet homeopathic rabbit hole. I almost did.
Go to skeptvet dot com and ask a question, nothing is being sold there.
It takes a while for your comment to show up if you are new because they don’t allow bullying and hate rantings and do a bit of screening before posting.
Of course he has not examined your dog, so he cannot give you specific advice.

[anonymous]

All of your dogs have specific dietary needs due to their individual medical conditions. I think it would be irresponsible for anyone to tell you that one food will work for all dogs.

I now have only 2 dogs.
As it is I had to give up cable, shop at thrift stores and rarely eat out.
Each dog costs about $1000 a year for routine checkups, and care.
Food is a separate cost.
Unexpected illness, dental issues, etc. is another cost.

I’m not a hater, and I hope you find a way to care for them all, but I stand by my recommendation of prescription food, especially for the one with kidney disease.
Find a vet that understands your financial limitations and see what he recommends…

[Sue W]

Hi Everyone and thank you so much for your help. I have 7 dogs (4 rescues) each need a different food – 1. Chico(Rescue) (kidney disease) 2.Riley(Rescue) (allergic to Rice, Oats, Yeast, Peas, Fish and all fish oils) 3 & 4 Moosha and Rumer (Prone to putting weight on and need low calorie but quality food) currently on Metabolic, ugh. 5. Murphy has a GI disorder can only high quality wet food – was on I/D but now on Natural Balance Chicken Formula. 6. Bugsy(Rescue) is a senior who after 1 dental and 10 teeth pulled will have another 18 pulled next month – so needless to say a soft diet is in order – he is currently eating Natural Balance Lamb Formula. 7. Little Bixbi (Rescue) newly adopted – this little dude is messed up – about 80% blind, has the ‘wobbles’ falls down a lot and has a few ruptured discs in his neck so he can’t move his head up and down – has(had) a UTI was on C/D. So there it is – I would LOVE to feed all my dogs 1 food – not sure raw is the way to go however I do like the ‘benefits’ of it and I do, when I have it, give them raw goats milk as well. I want to be able to feed my dogs a high quality organic non-gmo food – but with all the dogs having different needs I am spending – 100.00 a month on K/D roughly 33.70 for 12 cans 1 can daily. 44.00 a month on Chicken canned food and 40.00 a month on Lamb formula canned and of course 65.00 for a 17 1/2 pound bag for the 2 who need a low calorie food and 53.00 on Riley’s Nutro Essentials small Bites non gmo – has NO peas- most foods are being supplemented with peas/pea fiber Riley cant eat peas or the fish that’s also in almost all foods now and of course he can’t any brown rice, white rice oats or brewers yeast – thats basically everything good in dog foods, right? It’s a nightmare!!! All I want to do is feed my dogs an organic diet without spending more than I already am (or less would be ideal – with all the medical bills headed this way). The ‘just for dogs’ food is great – but a 72 oz bag is 33.00 and I would need at least 3 bags a month just for Chico. I am at a lost as to what is best for them( the priority of course) but what also doesn’t cost us 300.00 monthly just in dog food. I have found all the people ‘Susan’ suggested – Rodney and Dr. Judy, joined the canine kidney support group but couldn’t find the ‘K-9 Kitchen’ on facebook too many weird sites popped up and nobody named Monica. Thank you ALL for your help. And before the haters – start hating- I love my rescue dogs – and I am not crying about money and no I didn’t know how ill some of them were when I rescued/adopted them (except for Chico) so I am trying to help all them the healthiest way I can.

[anonymous]

Kidney Failure Diet
Normal dog food can make a kidney-impaired dog even sicker. Your average food is packed with proteins, which break into amino acids, which is responsible for building and replacing tissue cells, and urea, a waste product. In healthy kidneys, urea is filtered out of the blood, but in damaged kidneys, urea builds up in the bloodstream, basically poisoning your pet.
In order to prevent the buildup of harmful products, find a kidney disease compliant dog food. Kidney disease compliant dog food focuses on replacing the nutrients your dog lacks as a result of damaged kidneys, with low percentages of protein, high bio-availability, increased calcium and vitamin D3, and lowered levels of phosphorus.

Above is an excerpt from https://www.vetinfo.com/kidney-failure-symptoms.html
Click on link for full article.

Many dogs with kidney disease remain on prescription food for the rest of their lives. Along with monitoring, medication, subq fluids (when needed) by a vet. This gives them the best chance.

[Susan]

Hi Sue,
Vet diets were once made to eat until the dog/cat became better then the owner looked for alternitive diets to feed, then Hills & realised vets were telling pet owners to just kept feeding their pets the vet diets, when owners didn’t know what else to feed their pets, so around 2014 Hills re formulated a few of their vet diets so the dog could eat the vet diet for the rest of it’s life & brought out a few more dry vet formula’s & more canned stew formula’s that were more palatable for sick dogs with kidney, weight management, skin health & intestinal health problems, my boy loves the I/d Digestive Care Chicken & Vegetable stew, I get it for him as a treat even though he gets his red paws from the chicken..
When the internet came along having a sick pet become very confusing epecially when there’s some poster that are anti healthy not into holistic natural ways to feed sick pets, you don’t need scientific proof to see how healthy your dog has become after being feed a balanced healthy home made diets, changing a pets diet can make a real big difference follow “Rodney Habib” on his face Book page & see the difference with dogs that were dying from cancer & now are cancer free after eating the Ketopet diets, after feeding either raw or home cooked especially when they’re sick or even healthy pets, you can tell by their coats, skin, their behaviour they are more switch on & act like they want to live all of a sudden they feel better also how they are getting around when they feel so good….
Chico would know he’s not eating the same food as his brother & sisters are eating, he’d smell & know his food is different…. I always feel sorry for my boy he has to eat his dry kibble & my cat Indy gets nice raw meat for breakfast & dinner, freeze dried for lunch, she gets everything healthy & he doesn’t he gets his dry boring kibble… he has IBD

Start looking for a Vet Nutrionist in your area, here’s a link it’s called “Just Food For Dogs”
https://www.justfoodfordogs.com/vet-support-diets
they also make Custom diets for dogs with multiple health problems.. you can still feed 1 meal the k/d wet tin food & the other meals feedthe new cooked meal, thats what I did with my IBD boy he ate his vet diet for 2 of his meals & the other 2 meals were home cooked lean beef or lean pork rissoles balls with broccolli, egg, parsley, kale, then add sweet potato.

Are you on Face Book? join this group “K-9 Kitchen” it’s run by Monica Segal a nutritionist you can contact her & she’ll make Chico a recipe for kidney disease, she also post recipes on her page or send them in an email if you subscribe join hersite its all free, then once you have joined her K-9 Kitchen group, post a post asking for a recipe for Kidney Disease, either Monica or a poster will post 1 of her Kidney disease recipes…
Have you joined the “Canine Kidney Disease” groups on Face Book there’s a few…then post in the groups where a good vet nutritionist is in your area near you & start from there…
Chico is only 5yrs old, he’s way to young to be just eating the k/d food
Do you have a crock pot? I also would start making cooked meals for all your dogs & freeze small meals or 1 big meal you can divide for all of them, still feed their food they are eating at the moment for 1 of their meals & feed the cooked healthy meal for their other meals….especially if you have small dogs that might be predisposed to stones/crystal, pancreatitis etc, there’s also Dr Judy Morgan find her face book page & follow her & she answers all post, here’s her link below, she has a few recipes on You Tube very easy to make, she has around 8 dogs, a few of them are sick, look at her Homemade Pup Loaf video very easy to make & can fed your other dogs… http://www.drjudymorgan.com/category/videos/

[haleycookie]

Hi check out this article from a couple years ago it’s got lots of useful info and experiences from other dog owners with kidney disease. /forums/topic/food-suggestion-for-dog-with-kidney-disease-and-allergies/

[sherry h]

My Jack Russel has had arthritis in her back for 2 years and has been on tramadol her kidneys didn’t tolerate remydal and the steroids made her crazy not sleeping walking around in circles. She has had leg issues when she stands her back legs buckle and she drags her legs when she walks. But today when I came home she couldn’t walk on her back legs she was dragging them. So I rushed her to the vet. They think it’s just the progression of the disease and gave me this new drug to try for a week galliprant. So from what I’m reading if she tolerates it and does walk better maybe I can continue To Give It To Her?

[Sue W]

I have 7 dogs, 4 are rescues – as of now I have 5 different foods that are being fed. My main concern is my Chico, he is 5 years old and has kidney disease – I knew this when I adopted him – problem is all my other dogs eat a high quality organic/non gmo diet and poor Chico is eating K/D from Hill’s. I am not knocking K/D – it just isn’t what I want in my dog’s body – BUT I cannot find a reliable online site that has ‘kidney disease’ recipes on it. Anyone know where one can go to get ‘kidney related’ dog food recipes? The sites are so confusing – if anyone knows of just 1 reliable site I’d be happy. Thank you and Chico thanks you.

[Caroline C]

Below are the heavy metal results from a bag of ACANA Wild Atlantic dog food that was purchased in February. My dog died from kidney failure in July caused by an immune disease. I can’t help but think that feeding her food tainted with heavy metals did not help.

Acana Wild Atlantic Dry Dog (special project)
Pet Food Test
Heavy Metals by ICPMS

Lead (ppb) 289.7
Arsenic (ppb) 3257.7
Cadmium (ppb) 99.0
Mercury (ppb) 45.6
Nickel (ppb) 1172.6
Chromium (ppb) 400.8

[Bev A]

I finally after all this time have Bittys Blood work close to where it needs to be. But now! She is almost 16 and is showing strong signs of dementia. She is deaf and blind and has been for about 6 months but has been doing well even with that. However last night it was like someone flipped a switch and she started extreme confusion. No seizures or anything , just confusion reigns. She paced the floor the entire night until around 4 AM and I put her in a small kennel to be sure she was safe and I could get some sleep. But the whole time she was in it she never sat or laid down, just walked circles. Finally about 2 this afternoon she seems to have worn herself out and is sleeping next to me. I give her canine renal support and acacia fiber plus goats milk and Kefir. But now I am wondering if there are any supplements that will help with the dementia. The vet says it is not due to her kidney disease and put her on antibiotics for possible urinary tract infection but is not one for supplements. She knows what I give her and when she saw the improvement in blood work agreed that Bitty should be on them. But it is not likely she will give me any suggestions on supplements for dementia. Help anyone? Thanks in advance.

[anonymous]

Both. I had a dog with Lyme disease related kidney damage, she needed subq fluids almost every day during the last 2 years of her life.
NSAIDS are known to have nausea as a side effect. I am thinking that your vet is concerned about the potential side effects that Galliprant may cause. It may outweigh the benefit? Only the vet that examined your dog can explain…..you can always get another opinion.
I would be leery of the homeopathic vets offering miracle cures. There are a lot of charlatans out there.

[anonymous]

@ Andrea
I suspect the “kidney issues” is why your vet does not want to try this medication.
Dogs with kidney disease, depending on how bad it is, tend to be nauseous all the time.
I would call your vet and ask her to explain, also have her identify exactly what treatment options are available for care and comfort, that won’t make the dog’s symptoms worse.
Best of luck

[Susan]

Hi Christie,
I understand your frustration, this is why I always stick with the same vet that I like the best, this way the vet gets to know your dog & forms a bond, stick with the vet that listened to you & goes out of their way to help with diets & orders in other vet diet brands if needed…..
Normally the dog is put on antibiotics 14 days & put on a vet diet either the Royal Canine S/O Urinary or the Hills C/d Multicare dry & wet for just 6 weeks, feed no other foods or treats in this time, the crystals normally dissolve & go away by the 6 week period & then the vet does another Ultra scan to confirm that the crystals have all dissolved, that’s what happened with my boy… The Hills C/D Multicare wet & dry formula has the best ingredients when you look at all the vet diets…..after the crystals have dissolved there’s the Hills W/d wet tin Vet Diet, it’s low in fat & low protein, excellent for keeping off the weight & promotes healthy Urinary tract health.. but it does have grains, just keep it in mind….Hills have been improving most of their vet diets & regular pet foods, probably cause sales dropped so they hoped on the better ingredient wagon….

I would join the “Canine Kidney Disease Support” Facebook group & ask people what did they feed their dogs after the crystals were dissolved, to prevent them re occurring, you can make appointment with a nutritionist, she can make a special diet for your mums dog that she can cook….
There’s Dave’s Restricted Low Protein & Low Phosphorus grain free wet tin diet food, I don’t know if this formula will dissolved the crystals or it’s for dogs that need a lower protein phosphorus diet to prevent crystals coming back & ok to feed after the crystals have all dissolved, you’ll have to email Dave’s Pet Food & ask, that’s what I do, I email whoever makes the pet food & ask 100 questions… you can also email Hills & Royal Canine & a Vet Nutritionist will ring you back & give advise, you could ask what foods can be added to the vet diet to encourage your mums dog eat the vet diet….
Just make sure when your mums dog is weeing, wee is coming out, you don’t want a blockage… http://davespetfood.com/product/%ef%bb%bfrestricted-diet-protein-phosphorus-chicken-dinner-dogs-13-oz-can/

[Susan]

Hi Christie,
I understand your frustration, this is why I always stick with the same vet that I like the best, this way the vet gets to know your dog & forms a bond, stick with the vet that listened to you & goes out of their way to help with diets & orders in other vet diet brands if needed…..
Normally the dog is put on antibiotics 14 days & put on a vet diet either the Royal Canine S/O Urinary or the Hills C/d Multicare dry & wet for just 6 weeks, feed no other foods or treats in this time, the crystals normally dissolve & go away by the 6 week period & then the vet does another Ultra scan to confirm that the crystals have all dissolved, that’s what happened with my boy… The Hills C/D Multicare wet & dry formula has the best ingredients when you look at all the vet diets…..after the crystals have dissolved there’s the Hills W/d wet tin Vet Diet, it’s low in fat & low protein, excellent for keeping off the weight & promotes healthy Urinary tract health.. but it does have grains, just keep it in mind….Hills have been improving most of their vet diets & regular pet foods, probably cause sales dropped so they hoped on the better ingredient wagon….

I would join the “Canine Kidney Disease Support” Facebook group & ask people what did they feed their dogs after the crystals were dissolved, to prevent them re occurring, you can make appointment with a nutritionist, she can make a special diet for your mums dog….
There’s Dave’s Restricted Low Protein & Low Phosphorus grain free wet tin diet food, I don’t know if this formula will dissolved the crystals or it’s for dogs that need a lower protein phosphorus diet to prevent crystals coming back & ok to feed after the crystals have all dissolved, you’ll have to email Dave’s Pet Food & ask, that’s what I do, I email whoever makes the pet food & ask 100 questions… you can also email Hills & Royal Canine & a Vet Nutritionist will ring you back & give advise, you could ask what foods can be added to the vet diet to encourage your mums dog eat the vet diet….
Just make sure when your mums dog is weeing, wee is coming out, you don’t want a blockage… http://davespetfood.com/product/%ef%bb%bfrestricted-diet-protein-phosphorus-chicken-dinner-dogs-13-oz-can/

[Susan]

Hi Tammy, Sweetie is nilly the same age my boy, he’s turning 9 in November they both will be turning 63yrs old….I’m going thru something similar at the moment with my boy who has IBD, skin allergies & food intolerances…The Hills & Royal Canine vet diets for Kidney Care & dissolving crystals are too high in fat for my boy & have ingredients that Patch can’t eat, he gets yeasty smelly skin, paws & ears when he eats, chicken, corn starch, wheat, corn gluten meal, barley & carrots…
Are you feeding the wet tin c/d or the dry c/d kibble? I’ve noticed the Wet tin vet diets have better ingredients & may not have the ingredients Sweetie is sensitive too, go on face book there’s 2 groups “Canine Kidney Disease” & Canine Kidney Disease Support group” a few people are feeding “Dave’s” pet food, Restricted diet protein low Phosphorus farmland blend in sauce wet tin, Honest Kitchen Keen, some are feeding raw or cooked diets &
a few people have been recommending Dr Harvey, he’s a Nutritionist that must do special diets for dogs with a few health problems, I haven’t had time to check out his site yet, join the f/b groups & read thru the post, you’ll probably get more info from people going thru the same health problems with their dogs…a lot are feeding the Hills K/D or C/d Multicare wet tin food..
I’m still waiting on test results from sterile urine that was taken the other day, I feel so sorry for my boy, he never seems to get a break, he starts doing really well then we have another health problem…. Good-Luck working out the best diet….. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422252261408967/

[aimee]

Hi Linda,

Sorry to hear about your dog. I too have a black lab.
I wouldn’t have any concern feeding the Royal Canin Renal support. I understand that people don’t like corn and wheat and by products if that is your concern. As for myself, after spending a lot of time reading the published literature ( search Pubmed) I don’t have any concern about them.

In regards to kidney disease using plant based protein can be advantageous as the phosphorus is bound in the form of phytate. I read some interesting reports in humans that vegetable based protein for pregnant woman with kidney disease is preferred as then they can feed more protein needed for child development but not overly increase the phosphorus burden. Vegetable proteins are incomplete and need to be balanced with each other and or a animal based source. What is important is the overall balance of the amino acids. the body doesn’t care where they came from.

Foods sold without veterinary oversite will likely be inappropriate for most kidney disease patients who need restriction. Kidney disease is one area where customizing a diet through the use of a veterinary nutritionist is valuable.

[Susan]

Hi Linda,
I’m waiting on my boy test results at the moment, I went & looked up the Royal Canine & Hills vet diets for kidneys & they both have awful ingredients….I think the Hills C/d Multicare dry & C/d Multicare wet stew had the best ingredients chicken meal being 2nd ingredient in the dry kibble…..the C/d Multicare Chicken & vegetable stew looks OK..

Go & join Face Book group Canine Kidney support group there’s 2 groups, I’m still waiting to join the support group the other kidney group is a public group, A few people are recommending Dave’s low protein low phosphorus wet tin food, it has good ingredients & the dogs like it, a lot of the dogs aren’t eating these vet diets…..
I live Australia & I’m looking at feeding a premium pet food called “Meals For Mutts” MfM have just brought out a Hypoallergenic CN Vital Health formula that’s low protein low phosphorus with really good ingredients turkey meat first ingredient then broccoli, zucchini, bok choi, peas, grounded brown rice, quinoa, beans, spinach, sweet potatoes, parsley, natural fats & oils derived from turkey, omega 3,6 9 coconut oil… there has to be an American pet food company like Dave’s & has also brought out a premium dog & cat wet & dry with healthier ingredients for Kidney disease, they must know these dog aren’t wanting to eat the vet diets….

[Linda H]

I am looking for diet answers also. My black lab has been recently diagnosed with kidney disease. He has elevated Lipase. BP is WNL. Does have protein in his urine. The vet wanted to change him to Royal Canin renal support. My concern was the ingredients. The first few ingredients are: brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, chicken by product meal, died beet pulp, wheat gluten… We have been feeding our dog Go fit Senior formula. The protein & phosphorous are much higher than the renal formula.

[anonymous]

Below are excerpts out of context from:

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

Click on link for full article, you may find the comments after the article helpful too.

A recent article from the ever-unreliable Dogs Naturally Magazine gave some alternative vets a platform for repeating some myths and misconceptions about what are often called “prescription diets,” though this is technically incorrect. These are better referred to as “therapeutic diets” because they are intended to be useful in treating or preventing specific medical problems, not simply provide good overall nutrition, but they do not actually require a prescription, merely oversight from a qualified veterinarian.

Bottom Line
I usually write brief summary of my conclusions for these posts, but in this case I could not write anything that makes the point better than the following, again from a nutritionist knowledgeable about these issues:
All these arguments are just guilt trips and not based on reliable science and assume the quality of a final product depends solely on certain random criteria form the individual ingredients rather than in deep knowledge of the current state of nutritional science, excellent quality control during formulation, reception of ingredients, extrusion, and storage conditions.
What we have here is unsubstantiated belief presented as fact. And this kind of fear mongering has real dangers. There is, for example, very good evidence that feeding commercial diets for cats with kidney disease can reduce suffering and prolong life. Yet I have seen clients feeding unbalanced and completely inappropriate homemade concoctions instead because they have been frightened and misled by this kind of propaganda and are unwilling to feed diets with proven benefits.
As I’ve said many times, no one knows the perfect diet for any given patient, and I am open to the possibility that there are benefits to feeding alternatives to the usual canned and dry commercial diets. But these benefits must be proven, not simply invented out of whole cloth or wrung out of twisted misrepresentations of nutrition science.

[HoundMusic]

“She has been eating a variety of mostly grain free foods her entire life with Taste of the Wild being her main food. I am not comfortable switching her to K/D for a few reasons but mainly because we aren’t even sure she has kidney disease and if she does it’s still the still early stage.”

While it may not be, and, in all likelihood, is not full blown kidney disease, you are playing a VERY dangerous game with high protein feeds in general, even more so in continuing to feed it when the kidney values are already somewhat high. I am well aware it’s not the protein itself that does the damage, but all sources of protein are high in phosphorous – meat based protein even higher, red meats especially.

Excess phosphorous in the body has two main effects. First, it must be filtered out through the kidneys, so too much, over an extended period of time, places a strain on the organs. Secondly, excess phosphorous robs calcium from the bones, and is a major cause of osteoporosis or general lack of bone density. Personally, I have never even dared feed anything over 28% protein to a working dog, because while it does provide energy, it places a great strain on the body, and hunting dogs in particular tend to overheat while running in warm weather on too much protein. I’ve run hounds on feeds that were 21% protein, and those dogs looked great & had energy to spare. Even active dogs do not need such extreme amounts of protein, fat and kcals in their food as many of the grain free diets have, and I believe some of these companies are unethical in the extreme for selling them 🙁

If you want my advice, I would go with the k/d food temporarily, re-test kidney values in a few weeks, and if they have improved, go with something else you feel more “comfortable” with, but keep the protein levels somewhere around 21-23%.

[Amy W]

Hi Kelsey,
Just my 2 cents worth…my girl started showing symptoms of slightly elevated kidney numbers over a year ago with high BP. Vet put her on BP med and did not advise me to change her diet or even come back to have her checked until her regular dental cleaning that we do annually. (He may have assumed I knew what to do to change her diet). Fast forward a year, her blood work numbers are off the chart showing stage 3 renal disease. I changed vets as I felt that my old vet basically wrote her off now that she has kidney disease. He told me this year change her food to RX food which she will absolutely not eat. We then changed vets… I have had blood tests every month since January 2017 and her kidney function continues to decline. We then took her to a nutritionist so he could give us a recipe for a home made diet that she will actually eat and they added an additional blood pressure med to see if it will lower her BP. I hate to think that I have failed her by not taking steps to slow this disease down when it was first mentioned. My girl did not show any symptoms of anything wrong. She did not drink excessively, not peeing more than normal…nothing until the last few months as the kidneys have continued to fail. Once your pup has KD you can not make the kidneys better.
My advice is to do whatever it takes to stabilize her kidney function (changing food, doing home cooked meal with less protein, which then lowers the phosphorus level which is what actually makes them feel bad…etc.). Please make sure that your vet monitors the blood pressure as high blood pressure continues to damage the filtering part of the kidneys. I am hoping that you can take steps now to head off the progression of kidney disease. It is sad to watch your baby suffer and you can not help them feel better.

[anonymous]

Informative article from: Drs Foster and Smith Pet Education dot com
excerpt below

Antacids/Phosphate Binders (Maalox, Milk of Magnesia)
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith

Generic and Brand Names
Aluminum Hydroxide: AlternaGEL,    Amphojel
Aluminum Magnesium Hydroxide: Maalox
Calcium Acetate: Phos-Ex, PhosLo
Magnesium Hydroxide: Milk of Magnesia
Calcium Carbonate: Tums
Type of Drug
Antacid
Form and Storage
Powders, suspensions, and capsules
Store at room temperature unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.
Indications for Use
Prevention and treatment of stomach ulcers and esophageal reflux (heartburn), reduction of hyperphosphatemia (increased amount of phosphorus in the blood) in patients with kidney failure.
General Information
FDA approved for use in large animals in veterinary medicine. It is an accepted practice to use these medications in small animal medicine. Available over the counter, but should always be used under the direction of a veterinarian. Because of the newer, easier to dose medications available such as cimetidine, aluminum magnesium hydroxide is not used as frequently for stomach ulcers and esophageal reflux. It is still used to reduce phosphorous levels in the blood in patients with kidney failure. Before use, consult with your veterinarian and carefully check over-the-counter (nonprescription) medications for ingredients that may be deadly to pets.
Usual Dose and Administration
Consult your veterinarian. Duration of treatment depends on reason for treatment and response to treatment. Pets generally do not like the taste making it difficult to get the pet to take the products.
Side Effects
Depending upon the product, may see lack of appetite, constipation, or diarrhea. May see electrolyte imbalances in some patients due to the levels of magnesium, aluminum, sodium, and potassium in the products.
Contraindications/Warnings
Do not use magnesium containing products in animals with kidney failure.
Use with caution in patients who need restricted amounts of sodium or potassium in their diets.
Use aluminum containing products with caution in patients with an obstruction in the stomach emptying disorders or obstruction.
Use calcium or aluminum containing products with caution in patients with kidney disease.
Do not use in pregnant or nursing animals.
Long-term use can damage the kidneys; aluminum-containing products can cause muscle weakness and thinning of the bones.
Drug or Food Interactions
Due to changes in the acidity of the stomach, emptying time of the stomach, or by chelation of the drugs, all oral medications may be affected. If must give multiple medications, separate dosages by at least 2 hours.
Tetracycline antibiotics may not be absorbed if given with antacids.
Antacids may decrease the absorption or effects of chlordiazepoxide, captopril, chloroquine, cimetidine, corticosteroids, digoxin, iron salts, indomethicin, isoniazid, ketoconazole, nitrofurantoin, pancreatic enzymes, penicillamine, phenothiazines, phenytoin, ranitidine, and valproic acid.
Antacids may increase the absorption or effects of aspirin, dicumarol, flecainide, quinidine, and sympathomimetics like ephedrine.
Do not use calcium containing products in patients using digoxin/digitalis as abnormal heart rhythms may result.
If using to decrease high blood phosphorus levels, give with meals.
Overdose/Toxicity
May see electrolyte imbalances which can cause weakness and heart arrhythmias. Long-term use of aluminum-containing products can cause muscle weakness, thinning of the bones, and aluminum toxicity. Long term use of other products can damage the kidneys.
Summary
Antacids should be used under the direction of a veterinarian for the treatment and prevention of stomach disorders and to lower high phosphorous levels in animals with kidney failure. Consult with your veterinarian if your pet experiences muscle weakness, constipation, diarrhea, or lack of appetite while taking antacids.
  

[Cameron M]

Sorry for the poor grammer in my last post…still having my coffee:)

Forgot to add…attack this logically. Lets see: 1. Dog ate a dead deer bone…

2. Deer are major carriers of Lyme disease.

3. If the carcass was fresh enough I am guessing it is probably possible to contract Lyme through eating infected meat/bone marrow. ( if not through digestion then through small cuts in the mouth or mucus areas etc.)

4. You state the lyme tests came back positive ( along with another very serious tick illness)

5. Rapid onset of lameness which shifts …a major symptom of LYME!!!

6. Other potential causes of lameness usually do not shift around…meaning if it is the hind legs it stays the hind legs..other causes may PROGRESS to other body parts BUT again they usually don’t shift around.

7. You point out suspected kidney damage…another huge lyme symptom.

If I were a betting man…I’d say the odds of your dogs problems are caused by LYME and or the other tick born illness present…better yet a combo of both.

It doesn’t sound like you placed the dog on months long antibotic treatment because you haven’t mentioned it if you did.

Per vet guidelines 1 month treatment is bare minium…as stated in my last post 2 months is better and my vet said personally if it was his dog he would shoot for 3 months. The point is the longer on antibotics the better the result.

Good luck!!

P.S. The good news is if you get cracking and start treatment the odds of a successfully beating this are pretty good as long as the kidneys aren’t destroyed by the time you start. But as someone mentioned earlier…Lyme can be a killer…even in humans. My old neighbor in PA had lyme and almost died..the infection went into the spinal cord and then the brain. She was in the hospital on IV drip antibotics for weeks.( she is ok now and that was 5-7 years ago…whew!)

Cameron

[Cameron M]

Hi Emily,

I asm so sorry to hear about your dog’s problems! My little cocker spaniel gal (Coco) had Lyme markers present her last heartworm/lyme test last spring. I freaked out and studied up.

Here is the deal…studies claim that 90% of dogs infected with lyme do not present symptoms…in other words their bodies seem to handle the disease with no harm done. Now I caution this may not mean no harm done in the LONG TERM…you know…5-10 years out but it is encouraging nontheless.

Unfortunately the remaining 5-10% of the study dogs did have severe symptoms…lameness is definitely one of the symptoms!! And it comes on fairly quickly from what I read.

Kidney problems are also a major symptom of Lyme!!

Even though Coco appears to fall into the 90% of dogs with no symptoms I was not going to chance damage showing up years later ..here is the deal. My vet flat out said Lyme is a sneaky hider…think chickenpox then 40 years later you get shingles because the virus was “hidden” in the body still.

With Lyme bacteria you NEED to place the dog on antibiotics for at least a MONTH…the vet said two months is better and if your dog can handle it maybe even three months!!

Doxycycline is is perfferred choice. I put Coco on it for almost three months..she handled it just fine ( Ordered the pills through Allivet…much cheaper than other places. I hope I squeezed all the bacteria out..she is due for another test soon and I’ll report back.

Bottomline: As others have said to you…yes..organic is great…yep..I love homopathic when called for BUT your dog is showing severe symptoms…kidney and lameness. Do not mess around with this or you will damage your beloved dog. Get expert and aggressive vet advice..and hey..before going broke on tests and scans try the antibotic therapy 1st. Very little risk and if it doesn’t work you can always do the scans for other genetic laminess issues ( bad hips as mentioned above) that type issue usually can wait a few months and still be fixed. Destroyed kidneys from lyme can’t be fixed..so attack the life threatening stuff..

best of LUCK!! Please keep us posted Emily!

Cameron

[anonymous]

Ps: I know of what I speak. I lost a dog due to complications of Lyme disease.
Kidney disease. Yep, it happens.
Don’t be foolish, stop listening to homeopathic nonsense.

[Michele S]

Galliprant is a godsend! I have a 16 yo blind female shihtzu that’s 11 1/2 pounds that suffers from arthritis,severe hip dysplasia along with elevated liver enzymes( which are under control with medication ) and early stages of kidney disease. All issues are old age related so with her kidneys and liver needing monitoring we are limited to pain medications that can be used. Metacam is a popular medication comparable to our aleve or Advil but can’t be used due to her liver and kidneys. We tried tramadol which really didn’t work well. She’s been on gabapentin for about 5-6 months which she received every 8 hours and up to a whole pill each dose to keep her comfortable but she never seemed completely content. Couldn’t sleep well would move around a lot in bed to get into a comfortable position for her hind hips. Well my vet called me 2 weeks ago to tell me
About a new med Galliprant that came out and seems to be getting good results and it is safe for her liver and kidneys. We tried it because why not we want to make our Lil angel as pain free as possible. This medication changed her and our lives within days! we haven’t had to give her gabapentin since her first dose a week ago she gets 1/4 of a pill of Galliprant in the morning and she is able to relax all day and night comfortably! Her tail hasn’t wagged this much in a long time she is a totally different dog from a week ago. Her peppy personality from her younger years is back! If you are skeptical about this medication don’t be! TRY this medication! You and your fur baby will be so thankful!

[Kelsey F]

Aimee, thanks I will look in to the G/D diet and talk to the vet about it. I have been finding so many articles about how controversial significantly lowering protein in dogs with kidney disease is. Cornell, UC Davis and OSU have information available that explains there is no definitive proof that lowering protein is beneficial so thats a big reason I’m concerned about putting her on such a low protein diet. I will be contacting a nutritionist at Cornell regarding her diet so hopefully I can get some answers. Thanks everyone for the input!

[Kelsey F]

Anon101, my concern about prescription is really that she is still in early stage if she has kidney disease at all.

[Acroyali]

Many people have fed a low phosphorous raw diet to dogs in early/mid stage kidney disease. Mary Strauss and Lew Olson have excellent blogs that touch on this topic. Numbers matter, so depending on what things are elevated and how high will determine the best diet possible for your dog.

Also, raw diets are NOT “homeopathic.” Not even close.

[anonymous]

@ Kelsey F
“I have been reading so many things about canine kidney disease and diet and am getting overwhelmed!”

Yes, this is what tends to happen when you do “research”. You will get homeopathic opinions versus science based veterinary medicine.
Both differ greatly and offer conflicting advice. Not the same as a vet that has actually examined your dog.
In my experience I have found it beneficial to find a veterinarian that I trust, and follow his recommendations to the T.
If you are not sure and it is within your means, consult a specialist, although that doesn’t seem to be indicated at this time.

[Susan]

Hi Kelsey,
have you joined the “Canine Kidney Disease” on face book? these people are going thru what you & your dog is going thru, you’ll probably get a better response with foods people feed besides vet diets….. https://www.facebook.com/groups/211455130573/

[anonymous]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=prescription+food
Hope this site helps.
Ps: Just a thought, does the dog need a dental? Periodontal disease/bad teeth can cause kidney issues if not taken care of. I assume your vet advised accordingly….just saying that if the dog needs a dental and /or extractions, I would do it. Good luck

[anonymous]

Please listen to your vet and start the prescription food right away and whatever other recommendations the vet has made. Provide plenty of fresh water and frequent bathroom breaks. I would get the kibble plus the canned version, mix and add a little water (measured amounts 2 or 3 times a day) no free feeding.
Believe me, you want to keep kidney disease at bay. It’s good that your vet caught this early. It’s not unusual for a senior dog to have labs that are a little off, but hopefully with the special diet you will see improvement when you retest in a few months.

I’ll never understand why people disregard the advise of their vets. The internet is not “research”. There is a lot of incorrect information on the internet.
I hope that you will pick up the prescription food today and ask your vet to explain the rationale for the special diet and anything else that you should be doing.

Btw: Raw is the worst thing you could feed a dog with kidney disease.

[Kelsey F]

I recently had routine senior blood work done on my 8 year old lab mix and some of her levels were on the high end of normal. Her veterinarian said she may be in the early stages of kidney disease and suggested switching her to Hills K/D. They aren’t sure about the kidney disease and want to retest her in several months. She has been eating a variety of mostly grain free foods her entire life with Taste of the Wild being her main food. I am not comfortable switching her to K/D for a few reasons but mainly because we aren’t even sure she has kidney disease and if she does it’s still the still early stage. The vet has said the food is well balanced and ok for a dog without kidney disease. I have switched her to First Mate Senior which I feel has higher quality ingredients. I also add a small amount of canned K/D, eggs whites, green tripe and some fresh fruits and veggies. I have been reading so many things about canine kidney disease and diet and am getting overwhelmed! I am looking for others input and opinions. Also, I am wondering what others have fed their dogs with early stage kidney disease? I have looked in to raw but am not ready to feed a completely raw diet although I have begun to do some research on it.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by Kelsey F.

[anonymous]

I used natural stuff. Within 5 months I had 3 dogs that had previously tested negative for Lyme, test positive. All 3 received the antibiotic protocol as per the treating vet. Two had no symptoms and passed due to unrelated issues years later.
The third one wasn’t so lucky, the Lyme caused kidney damage. So, I spent 2 years doing everything I could to keep her comfortable $$, daily subq fluids, meds, trying to keep uremia at bay.
It was ugly.
So, good luck to the homeopathic believers. I choose science based veterinary medicine.
I would rather risk side effects to heartworm/flea/tick preventatives than to see what Lyme disease can do.
And yes, fleas can cause serious illness and disease.
I have found this site very helpful http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

[Jane L]

US Adopted Name “fluralaner” is: 4-[5-(3,5-Dichlorophenyl)-5-trifluoromethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl]-2-m- ethyl-N-[(2,2,2-trifluoro-ethylcarbamoyl)-methyl]-benzamide (CAS RN [864731-61-3]).

The liver produces and secretes bile into the intestine where the bile assists with the absorption and digestion of dietary fat. The liver aids purification of the blood, by altering potentially harmful chemicals into harmless ones, and then: either secretes them with the bile for elimination in the stool, or back into the blood, where they then are removed by the kidneys and eliminated in the urine. The typical non-specific symptoms of degenerative liver disease (loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting, lethargy, etc.) are common first “symptoms” of “adverse reaction” to Bravecto®.

The dog’s pancreas (endocrine and digestive system) produces insulin hormones (regulates the flow of glucose/sugar) and enzymes that break down fat and proteins to aid in the digestion of foods. When overburdened, the pancreas becomes inflamed, and the flow of enzymes into the digestive tract is disrupted; the enzymes may be forced out of the pancreas and into the abdominal area. These digestive enzymes will begin to break down fat and proteins in other organs… (the body begins to digest itself). Because of their proximity, the kidneys and liver are prime targets of this progression.

Enterohepatic Circulation that leads to hepatic toxicity/

And as a side note would it be under investigation by the EMA as well as Sweden, Germany, Netherlands if there were not serious concerns?

[Cameron M]

Hi Susan,

Thank you for the excellent information! Yes, I am concerned about all these aspects..my plan is to use sparingly. Just one dose from now through Sept. then switch back to Sentinal. My dog splits her time between FL and VT…Fleas are a non issue in VT but ticks are a huge issue.

We are in FL at the moment and fleas are horrible this year because we didn’t have a heavy frost this winter ( normally my part of FL..St Augustine..gets 1 or two hard freezes a winter).

I plan on keeping a close eye on Coco.

As to your observations about Bravecto remaining in the body for too long…I did read a medical study which stated that trace amounts were found in the blood at 111 days but that the effective dosage ended roughly at the 90 day mark…this is an overlap of 21 days and like you I am concerned about build up if given on a regular basis.

With that said …the flip side is that if you think about it – even using a monthly medicine has the effect of keeping the dog under load too. Every month you administer a monthly dose the dog always has the drug in its system…right?

I don’t really see a difference…giving 3 pills of Sentinal over 3 months is the exact same as giving one pill of Bravecto over 3 months.

Therefore my main concern is the overlap and build up relating to proper dosage schedules as discussed above vs. concern over having the drug in the dog’s body.

I guess the real question is …” is it safe or not” If the drug is really safe ok…if the drug causes cancer or other illness then I wouldn’t use it period.

I also agree with you that with any new drug one has to worry about long term side effects which don’t show up in the studies…ones that only start cropping up after 5 or 10 years.

We just don’t know yet with Brvecto…BUT in theory I do like the fact that it doesn’t load the liover or kidneys…that part is very good. In addition the studies to date indicate far fewer adverse reactions than other standard and older medicines…that part is good too.

Then we have the fact that boy…it is working great on Coco so far regarding fleas…has the potential to kill ticks within 2-4 hours after being bitten ( I think lyme disease requires the tick be attached for 24 or more hours)..so that is also a plus.

My pan…keep a wary eye…use a sparingly as possible…AND most importantly take Coco off the med for long breaks when neither fleas or ticks are an issue…maybe even just giving her one dose a year.

In a perfect world without fleas or ticks I wouldn’t giver her any medicine. I HATE ..ABSOLUTELY HATE that I have to medicate my gal…but since I do I am going to keep researching which medicine is the safest then give as little as possible.

Thaks again!

Cameron
P.S. I wish our pets had the ability to help make a choice…by saying hey you dope…don’t give me that junk…it makes me feel woozy…or bad. That is the single hardest part about having pets…we have to observe and use our knowledge to guess what is best and how our babies feel. To everyone reading…please – get to know your pets!!!

[Cameron M]

Yes…I agree…of course everything given orally goes through the Liver and Kidneys…so what? Your statement is as basic as saying all oxygen carried in red blood cells is distributed through out the body.

My point is that Bravecto is NOT METABOLIZED by the liver or kidneys…it passes through unchanged. This means it is not passed by urine and instead its excreted through the stool with the exact same chemical composition exiting that it has entering the body.

Your statement leads me to believe you have no knowledge of disease, the endocrine system, metabolisim or how the body reacts to and processes chemical wastes.

By no means am I saying Bravecto is safe…I truly don’t know yet . BUT I am saying that on paper it makes total sense…the fact that my baby ( Coco) isn’t fighting or trying to break down the chemical seems much safer than any other flea med which results in the dog’s liver or kidneys trying to break down and excrete in the urine. In my mind other flea meds cause a …shal we say “load” on the body when the body tries to rid itself of the chemical.

Bravecto slowly is released via capilaries in the instestines into the stool…then is passed without the body giving a second glance.

I do not disagree that any foreign substance in the body is a potential for concern…I am almost 100% organic…my garden…my house and my food when I can control it.

I also agree that that any flea med has risks BUT I do not like topicals because they are basically the same as roach spray and I worry about the dog ingesting ( and the resulting…here is that word again..metobolizing…the poison to rid it…the stress on the liver and kidneys).

I used Sentinal before and now that I understand the process I again think of the stress on the liver and kidney.

Since I live in FL I have to have good flea control…I also have a house in VT where there are many ticks. The bottomline is I weigh the risks vs benefit and in this cause …again on paper since my gal has only been on it for a day plus a few hours…It makes sense to me to use this drug. At least during the worst of flea and tick season.

If you have a proven and highly effective alternative for me I ask you please let me know…of course I would go organic if given the choice ( if it works)

[Cameron M]

My vet gave me Bravecto for my 25 lb Cocker Spaniel…I just lost her best buddy another cocker gal due to IMT ( its a immune disorder …rapid onset and destroys the platelets…she basically bled to death after 4 transfusions and over $5000 spent).

I was very concerend about what set of my gal’s immune disorder and the vet said we never know…allergies, pollen, infection, virus BUT make sue your other gal has a safe flea med.

I heard many bad things about Bravecto and many good things…I researched this in vet journals and I am now pretty sure that all the stories one hears about how Bravecto wrecked the dogs liver or kidney or caused cancer ..are pure rubbish. The reason…Bravecto is not metablized in the liver or kidneys…instead it is excreted through the instestines and it has the exact same chemical composition going out as it does going in the mouth. Furthermore, science says it passed right through the liver and kidneys…this means your dogs body is not straining to metablize this drug..ad it does not get broken down into waste.

I’m very sorry to hear all the sad pet owners by I listen to science not conjecture…my guess is all the dogs in the sad stories had something wrong long before being given Bravecto and it is just pure chance the symptoms showed up when they did. Also…having lost my great gal just last week I know for 100% certain that us owners are always looking for a “cause” …what caused this disease or death BECAUSE we don’t want to feel guilty that maybe we missed something earlier…also some owners throught guilt want to blame themselves…oh no I shouldn’t have done this or that.

Its our human nature as doggie parents. I haven’t yet given the drug to my dog but I am planning to do so later today…and I promise to report back if there are any negative side effects

[anonymous]

Many dogs tend to be stoic, inflammation of the gums is a red flag.
In fact, doing anything other than a dental cleaning and whatever else is recommended by the specialist could result in increased pain and infection.
https://www.avdc.org/periodontaldisease.html
excerpt below
Periodontal disease begins when bacteria in the mouth form a substance called plaque that sticks to the surface of the teeth.  Subsequently, minerals in the saliva harden the plaque into dental calculus (tartar), which is firmly attached to the teeth. Tartar above the gum line is obvious to many owners, but is not of itself the cause of disease. 
The real problem develops as plaque and calculus spread under the gum line. Bacteria in this ‘sub-gingival’ plaque set in motion a cycle of damage to the supporting tissues around the tooth, eventually leading to loss of the tooth. Bacteria under the gum line secrete toxins, which contribute to the tissue damage if untreated. These bacteria also stimulate the animal’s immune system. The initial changes cause white blood cells and inflammatory chemical signals to move into the periodontal space (between the gum or bone and the tooth). The function of the white blood cells is to destroy the bacterial invaders, but chemicals released by the overwhelmed white blood cells cause damage to the supporting tissues of the tooth. Instead of helping the problem, the patient’s own protective system actually worsens the disease when there is severe build-up of plaque and tartar.
Periodontal disease includes gingivitis (inflammation [reddening] of the gums) and periodontitis (loss of bone and soft tissue around the teeth). There is a wide range in the appearance and severity of periodontal disease, which often cannot be properly evaluated or treated without general anesthesia for veterinary patients. Effects within the oral cavity include damage to or loss of gum tissue and bone around the teeth, development of a hole (‘fistula’) from the oral cavity into the nasal passages causing nasal discharge, fractures of the jaw following weakening of the jaw bone, and bone infection (‘osteomyelititis’). Bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and are carried around the body. Studies in dogs have shown that periodontal disease is associated with microscopic changes in the heart, liver, and kidneys. 
Studies in humans have linked periodontal disease to a variety of health problems including poor control of diabetes mellitus and increased severity of diabetic complications. Additionally, it has been shown that diabetes is a risk factor for periodontal disease