[Pittiemama]

I’ve been researching and food trialing my dog. It appears that he can eat turkey (well so far anyway). I’ve had him for 2 years and it seemed that all he could eat was fish as a protein. So here we are…

I feed Brave from HK right now. I like their company and he loves the food but it’s high in phosphorous and he has kidney disease at the young age of 5 1/2. We’ve been looking at changing. So with the new food trial comes new info. I may be changing to the Keen or use the Preference by HK as a base (or another base like Dr. Harvey’s) but I may also just cook for him. Here’s the dilemma, the balance. He has food intolerances and kidney disease. His creatinine was 2.2 at last look and his USG was anywhere between 1.014-1.019.

I’ve looked around but there is tons of info. Do any of you have either good recipes, websites or blogs you frequent for info that’s reputable? I’m needing nutritional levels, supplements, ideas for base mixes, fat content….etc.etc.etc. You know.

Also if a dog is intolerant of eggs, can they eat crushed egg shell? Kind of randome question but I’ve been wondering.

Thanks!

[Sheryl G]

We have been feeding our Tibetan Terriers(both 36-38 lbs) what we thought was a quality dog food but have recently begun reading about dog food and am totally lost. Protein, no protein.Our 90 year old has liver disease. Not the terrible one but one that is pretty under control with 4 meds a day and periodic blood work. I had decided one one then read about not having a high protein food with liver or kidney disease. My vet isn’t concerned because he is doing pretty well. Do you think we should just stay with the Iams ProActive Mature adult kibbles or change? I am thinking now that about 24% protein would be good. I heard about NOW by Pet Curran would be good with 24%. I cannot find it reviewed here anywhere. Does anyone know about it? Made in Canada. Thanks for any help you may have. P.S. I have another dog but will make that a separate topic. Thanks again. Cherri

[Shawna]

Yes absolutely Gina, dogs with acute KD can recover but not in every case. While in the acute phase, I misread and thought she was eventually diagnosed with chronic KD, it can be beneficial to feed lower protein. Of course follow your vet’s advice or your gut instincts if you feel it is prudent. Science Diet has two new canned products that are, from what I can tell, far superior to many other products. They are their stews. They can be fed on their own or mixed in with the green tripe if she won’t eat them alone. I definitely would continue the Standard Process Renal Support and other supplements you’ve started.

My friend’s Maltese, Buster, developed acute kidney disease from chicken jerky treats. He survived but did develop CKD. That said, he has lived quite healthfully with the disease for many years now and is still doing well. If you are on Facebook I can link you up to her if interested.

[anonymously]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=kidney+damage

Read through the comments, other pet owners going through similar problems. Perhaps you will find something useful.

PS: Regarding my dog with kidney damage, the main symptom of kidney disease is nausea, so she was on a prescription diet/bland.
NO SUPPLEMENTS. and that worked, for as long as it did….
I would only do what a veterinarian that has examined the dog recommends, but that is something I have learned, over the years.

[Shawna]

From the “The American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD)” AJKD Blog
“Dr. Paul Phelan

The complex relationship between kidney function and the microbial genome (microbiome) is explored in a recent review in AJKD. The human intestine is home to a vast number of bacterial species (estimated to be between 500-1000), which have evolved with us, leading to a symbiotic relationship existing between host and bacteria. The microbiome is involved in digestion of food and has immunomodulatory effects.

There is emerging evidence that CKD may alter the microbiome with significantly more pathogenic bacteria being present. Reasons for this include a slower gut transit time, impaired protein assimilation, less dietary fiber, iron therapy, and antibiotic overuse. The review mentions mouse and human studies demonstrating some uremic toxins present only in CKD subjects with an intact colon. The generation of certain solutes such as protein-bound indoxyl sulphate and hippuric acid are dependent on gut microflora. Uremia leads to excess undigested protein in the distal intestine causing proliferation of proteolytic bacteria with generation of toxic metabolites, such as ammonia, phenols, amines, indoles, and thiols. These may lead to accelerated cardiovascular disease as well as progression of the underlying CKD.

The review expands on these individual toxins and mentions the European Uremic Toxin Work Group, which is taking advantage of “omics” technology to expand our knowledge of both the number and function of uremic solutes. Lastly, exciting evidence is presented demonstrating how the microbiome may serve as a biomarker of injury as well as a potential therapeutic target in CKD. We first need to clarify if the dysregulated microbiome is a cause or consequence of CKD (or both). The potential to reduce concentrations of gut-derived uremic toxins via manipulation of the microbiome is explored. This may include the use of oral sorbents and administration of probiotics and prebiotics (non-digestible food ingredients that may selectively stimulate growth of particular bacteria). The authors also mention employing genetically engineered microbes that could remove uremic toxins including ammonia. Overall, the evidence base for these novel therapeutics is limited, but larger, randomized studies are planned. Watch this space.” http://ajkdblog.org/2016/01/04/the-gut-microbiome-ckd/

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.

[anonymously]

In a nutshell, uremia is a symptom of end stage kidney disease. I did the subq fluids every day for 2 years with a dog that had kidney damage due to Lyme disease. It is comparable to dialysis, if the dog was a human she would be on a kidney transplant waiting list.

Just my opinion based on my experience. I know how difficult this is. They will have good days and bad days.
Peace.

PS: Of course every dog’s situation is unique, so find a good vet and listen to him.

[Pittiemama]

Thanks Laura! So far my guy has also been ear mostly infection free since finding an appropriate food. We got him a couple of years ago from the shelter with a myriad of problems and it can take a while to figure it all out. We really do like HK although of course the one that seems to work is the most expensive and sadly it’s not going to be able to last long term anyway due to his kidney disease…it’s too high in phosphorous. So here I am trying to be proactive and figuring out a lower phosphorous, allergy friendly, tasty food for him. They are complicated critters aren’t they? I’ll take a peek at Sojos. I’ve seen them before but haven’t tried them. I prefer not to feed raw (just my opinion at this point but I’m not closed off from it) and with the protein being fish (so far) that’s out of the question anyway. I’m trialing some food and next up is cooked turkey to see if that will be an option. Thanks again and best to you!

[Lori F]

I recently bought green tripe for my dog who has early kidney disease and then read about Spuralina. Which is better? And should I give both?

[Shawna]

Hi Pittiemama,

So sorry for the delayed response… Although you can certainly buy Standard Process products on Amazon and other various websites, the company does not condone the selling of their product from those sites. SP is only legally sold through health care professionals. Anything you buy online could be close, or past, it’s expiration date, tampered with etc. Standard Process has a find a practitioner near you link on their website however if there truly is no place to purchase from locally (I would check with chiropractors and holistic vets), it can be recommended by professionals via phone consults. Once you have a recommendation you can then buy/ship direct from SP.

For nitrogen trapping purposes the prebiotics MUST be utilized along with the probiotics. You may have got this but mentioned only probiotics so thought I’d emphasize just in case. The Merck Vet Manual has info on prebiotics (fermentable fiber). It reads “In addition, feeding moderately fermentable fiber can facilitate enteric dialysis and provide a nonrenal route of urea excretion.” http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/management_and_nutrition/nutrition_small_animals/nutrition_in_disease_management_in_small_animals.html There’s other sources too, but for a vet tech (very cool by the way) I imagine this would be a good source, at least to start. 🙂

I did as much as I could to help prevent inflammation and damage to her kidneys. She had both of them and they looked good but were small in size. I wasn’t thinking straight on diagnosis and allowed her to be spayed the same day as diagnosis. I was later told by a vet here on DFA that I was lying about her because no vet would do an elective surgery on a dog with kidney disease. I asked him if he thought I should sue them or contact someone about it but he never replied. 🙂 Anyway, the vet who did the spay “opened her up a little more than necessary for the spay” as to get a look at the kidneys. Both there, a healthy color but smaller than should be.

Like you, I research everything – even material presented by those I trust. I like knowing the information but by researching I can often learn the whys and hows. I was at a Standard Process seminar back in 2009 and learned the words and brief understanding of apoptosis and phagocytosis. As soon as I got home I started looking at research. 🙂

I hope you quickly and easily find the best path for you and your little man!!!

[El]

Hi Pittiemama, welcome to DFA!

I’m very sorry to hear about your pups kidney issues 🙁

I believe in exploring all options when it comes to the health of my furry family members. I research everything and then I research some more. I think that peer reviewed articles are very important because they are written by experts and reviewed by experts in whatever field the article or study comes from.

A good place to search for canine kidney disease, or any medical issue you would like to research is “Google Scholar” and “Pubmed”.

Anecdotal evidence can often be confusing. For instance, Shawna’s baby lived over 8 years on a holistic, raw diet with plenty of alternative treatments.

And a friend of mine adopted an 8 week old lab who was diagnosed with kidney disease at 12 weeks old. She lived to be 9 years old on a low protein, prescription diet from the vet.

I tried to talk him into feeding a less processed homemade or commercial diet that used fresh minimally processed whole foods but he stuck with his vet’s food. I can only imagine how long she would have lived on a fresh food, minimally processed diet designed for kidney patients.

I did talk him into using freeze-dried kidney products and I suspect they helped. Seeing a holistic vet is something I would definitely look into. The more you know, the better you will be able to make an informed decision regarding the care of your pup.

Naturopathy is a very controversial form of “medicine” and I hope you do your due diligence before going down that path. Make up your own mind based on your own research.

Below are a few very critical quotes and links about Naturopathy and the original online, no attendance required, schools of natural healing. I wish you and your baby a long and healthy life 😉

“The Biggest Quack School in Natural Medicine Closes”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-andrew-lange/the-biggest-quack-school_b_641931.html

“Diploma Mill PoliceSM Clayton College of Natural Health (AL) Distance Learning Accreditation Report”
http://www.geteducated.com/diploma-mill-police/degree-mills-list/clayton-college-of-natural-health-accreditation

“Clayton College of Natural Health: Be Wary of the School and Its Graduates”
http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/Nonrecorg/clayton.html

“A Close Look at Naturopathy”
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Naturopathy/naturopathy.html

“Colorado, naturopathy, and “health freedom”: Devolving into a quack wonderland?”
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2013/06/11/colorado-naturopathy-and-health-freedom-devolving-into-a-quack-wonderland/

“Britt Deegan Hermes, a former naturopathic doctor and Bastyr grad, has a new blog: Naturopathic Diaries. It is a must-read! Britt reveals the pseudoscience and lack of clinical training behind naturopathic education.”
http://www.no-naturopaths.org/

[Pittiemama]

Hi Shawna,

Thanks so much! It sounds like you are a wealth of knowledge. How cool that your dad was a Naturopath. Growing up with it is almost like learning a second language from birth I bet. I have a lot to digest. Although I don’t work for a vet anymore, I was a vet tech by training and worked in a veterinary hospital for many years so learning about this kind of stuff is kind of what I live for but I wish it wasn’t because my dog was sick.

I’m a huge pittie lover too and he’s our fourth. I’ve had a lot of dogs but bully breeds are also my favorite by a country mile! Funny thing our other dog is a Chug (Pug/Chi mix) and she thinks she’s the boss. She’s pretty adorable though.

Due to his allergies, there are some things I won’t be able to do like the eggs or the tripe (I don’t think) but am going to look into some of the others. I had been researching myself and ran across Standard Process so I was glad to see that you have used it and think so highly of it. You never know. It looks like you can’t but it from the company but I think I saw it on Amazon. If you know of another seller that’s reputable, I’d appreciate it. I’d like to get him started on it. I looked at Chewy.com but no go. Also the probiotics, they are such an easy thing to start right away. I like the Honest Kitchen Brave as well and talked to my vet who said that we’ll use phosphorous binders if his phosphorous gets above 5.0. I’m thinking if it progresses (glass is 1/2 full) of trying to change to a food that’s a little lower in phosphorous which will be a challenge due to his allergies. So far what works is fish based and grain free and most of those are not low in phosphorous. It looked to me that if I want to stick with Honest Kitchen (which I do like) then the Keen (Turkey, potato and oatmeal) would be a little lower. It’s an option but again…it’s all about the allergies too. It is a tricky situation.

It is heartening to hear your little girl lived so long after the diagnosis. Having worked in a vet hospital for so many years, I’ve seen a lot of kidney disease and one never knows how fast or how how slow it’s going to progress so I want to make it as slow as possible.

Thanks again!!!

[Shawna]

Hi Pittiemama,

Hopefully I can help you here. My puppy had kidney disease right from birth. It is believed her kidneys just weren’t able to develop (she was the sixth puppy, the runt, for a 12 pound Chihuahua / Boston Terrier mix). The breeder had to had feed her, due to a collapsing trachea, raw goats milk and egg whites to keep her alive. She had symptoms (excessive drinking and urine) at just six weeks of age. She was officially diagnosed at one year and given a year to live. She lived to eight years and seven months old and then passed for reasons not directly related to kd.

A little background on me, my father is a naturopath. I did consult with him when I got Audrey’s diagnosis but being raised by him, I was able to mostly formulate the plan of attack myself.

Audrey’s numbers, when she was diagnosed, were right around the same as your babies — and she lived almost seven more very very healthy and happy years. It could happen for your baby too.

The first thing I would suggest is to keep up on his dental health. You won’t want to use anesthesia for dental cleanings so RIGHT now start doing anything and everything you need to keep his teeth clean. It was actually bacteria likely from a dental infection that got into Audrey’s kidneys and ultimately took her life. Use fresh garlic in his meals. Use an enzyme supplement in his water, Dr. Melissa Shelton’s essential oil called Dog Breath is very effective and a drop can be added to his water dish or you can mix with water in a spray bottle and spray right on teeth. http://www.animaleo.info/dog-breath.html I would also recommend a product made by Green Pasture’s called Infused Coconut Oil. It’s high in vitamin K2 (which has been shown to have great benefit for teeth) and has other wonderful nutrients. All of my dogs get it but I found it when Audrey’s teeth were already needing some extra support. 🙁 http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I HIGHLY recommend Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It is a food based supplement that “feeds” the kidneys but also has a product called a protomorphogen (which is the RNA/DNA of the kidney cell) that helps prevent inflammation to the kidneys. It is the one supplement she never went without. I also used their SP Canine Hepatic Support when I thought she needed a little liver support — helps with allergies too. I also used their Cataplex B and C as water soluble vitamins may need to be added due to the large amounts being urinated out.

ONLY give filtered or other forms of “clean” water. I would avoid tap water at all cost. Lower sodium mineral waters with good amounts of calcium and magnesium have been shown to be beneficial for dogs with kd. I like Evian water because it is high in calcium bicarbonate. I didn’t give it all the time but made sure (at least in the beginning) to give it regularly — I got lax in the later years and I truly believe Audrey would still be with me if I had not. She was doing so well though and my life got busier..

I HIGHLY recommend getting some Garden of Life Primal Defense probiotic and Garden of Life Acacia Fiber supplements as well. These are used as “nitrogen traps” and as BUN begins to build up the bacteria consuming the fiber will cause some of the nitrogen to be routed through the bowels freeing up the kidneys from having to deal with them. I gave probiotic foods (like green tripe, fermented veggies etc) frequently but when I noticed she was feeling a little lethargic, depressed, not feeling well etc I assumed nitrogen was building up and I’d give her the probiotics and prebiotic for several days. Always worked like a charm. Will be quite important as the disease progresses and he starts getting symptoms. This also allows for a higher protein diet. The protein doesn’t damage the kidneys but it does, due to BUN, add to symptoms. Oh, I forgot to mention. Audrey ate a HIGH protein raw diet up until the last six to eight weeks of her life. Audrey never had a problem with phosphorus but as your puppies disease progresses you may have to watch the amount of phosphorus in the foods you are feeding. The golden rule is to limit phosphorus but it’s obviously not always necessary. That said, phosphorus can damage the kidneys if it gets too high in the blood so either monitor it or feed the right amounts of phos for the stage your pup is at. Right now while phosphorus isn’t as big an issue, I like the Honest Kitchen Brave. To that I would add a raw egg a few times per week and give Answer’s raw goat milk regularly as well. Both raw eggs (if not whipped etc) and raw milk can easily increase the “master antioxidant” in the body called glutathione. This will obviously help out everything. Later, when phos needs to be more restricted, you may not be able to give the whole egg (as the yolk is higher in phos).

Supplements —
1. Organic Turmeric is good as it is anti-inflammatory but it also is anti-fibrotic (prevents scar tissue). Audrey didn’t tolerate turmeric well so she didn’t get it but in general it would be quite helpful for a dog with KD.
2. Spirulina, chlorella and pumpkin seed oil are all high in chlorophyll and supplies lots of other nutrients. Dogs with KD can be at risk for anemia and chlorophyll is awesome for anemia.
3. Burdock root is a prebiotic and of the herb world is considered to be the “blood cleaner”.
4. Milk thistle helps spare glutathione and is a good detoxer.
5. Distilled water (given once in a while) and food grade activated charcoal are good detoxers too.
6. Copaiba essential oil is great for pains and inflammation plus more. A therapeutic grade, like Dr. Sheltons, is the only kind to use on pets. Can be given in food or rubbed into the skin over the kidneys as an example.
7. Braggs brand apple cider vinegar can help with indigestion or tummy issues. Audrey didn’t need it often but when she did I would mix it 50/50 with water and syringe feed it. She hated it but within seconds would burp and feel better.
8. Therapeutic grade peppermint oil, ginger extract or Dr. Shelton’s GI Joe essential oil work great for tummy issues as well. I got sick to my tummy and used the GI Joe to help. Kept me from vomiting and soothed my tummy.
9. Learn about essential oils if you don’t already know. If you have a Facebook account, join AnimalEO’s page and sign up for Dr. Shelton’s Friday Fun Facts. I didn’t know about them early enough to be much use with Audrey (specifically Dr. Shelton’s oils) but I sure wish I had.

DON’T do ANY more vaccinations – not even rabies if you can at all avoid. Audrey was legally exempted from having to get the rabies vaccine for life. She wasn’t protected either as she only got her first shot (at six months) before diagnosis was made. No heartworm, flea/tick or anything like that either.

I know there’s things I’m forgetting but hopefully this is enough to give you a good jumping off point.. 🙂 Hugs to you and your baby boy!!!!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.

[Pittiemama]

So I’ve never posted here before but have read and looked around a lot. I have a fair amount of knowledge regarding canine health and have had dogs for 25 years. Right now I’m facing a sad situation. My 5 year old rescue American Staffordshire Terrier has kidney failure. I adopted him nearly 2 years ago from our local shelter without knowing he had health issues but honestly I would’ve taken him no matter what, you know how that it is. I fell in love on sight! Anyway, he’s always had a questionable USG and it was at 1.019 when I adopted him as I had baseline blood work and urine done right after getting him. It fluctuates between 1.014-1.019. Since it wasn’t super low all the time and his other blood work looked normal no one really knew but had suspicions, as he was a big water drinker, much more so than my previous dogs. Now I’ve had him almost two years and his creatinine is creeping up. His BUN is 23 and creatinine is 2.2, it was 1.7 a month ago and 1.4 when I got him so it was never really, really low as the high end of normal from our laboratory is 1.6. His BUN is fine so far, thankfully. He had an ultrasound for a UTI he had about 8 months or so ago. It showed a kidney that looked a little weird but nothing to write home about, needless to say he a urinalysis, culture and a couple of rounds of antibiotics to kick it and be sure that if it was a pylonephritis the antibiotics would kill all the little bacteria that may be hiding, this was a suspicion as his creatinine was creeping up. If you looked at him, you wouldn’t even know he had an issue. He’s beautiful with a gorgeous coat, good weight, eats like a champ, good energy for a big, lazy pittie 🙂

Anyway, long story kind of short, here I sit broken hearted. He is a lovely animal with a ton of life ahead but I know how these things can go. He also has allergies so prescription diet isn’t the answer and you know it has some ingredients that I’m not thrilled about but the diets have their place and can be very important (this is solely my opinion that I don’t wish to debate at all nor pass judgement on anyone really as it’s not even an option.)

I’m very fortunate have an amazing team of veterinary professionals whom I know both professionally and personally who I love and deeply respect in my corner which is worth it’s weight in gold.

Here are my questions to you all, have any of you used supplements to support kidney function? He’s currently not taking any. Food? He eats dehydrated food, Brave by Honest Kitchen and really loves it. Have you worked with a Naturopath for kidney disease? I worked with a herbalist for one of my pitties many years ago who had mast cell cancer. Along with my vet, this may helped by dog live for 21 months instead of the 3 months we were given with him so I’ve seen how it can really help prolong a healthy, happy life. I have also worked with an acupuncturist for skeletal pain in a couple of my dogs. I’ve, happily, not had the experience working with a Naturopath for kidney disease until possibly now so frankly my experience in that arena is limited to the more traditional western side.

It’s long but if you got to this point, thanks and I look forward to hearing about your experiences 🙂

[Kitty W]

Hi! I’m brand new to this site. I’ll be getting a Sheltie/Pomeranian mixed puppy in 6 weeks (he’s 2 weeks old now). He will be fed Purina ProPlan Focus Puppy till he comes to me, but I want to transition him to something better. I’m not new to the concept of good canine nutrition…but hopefully this site will take some of the guess work out of it. My last Sheltie, who died in September, ate Canidae for 9 years, then Taste of the Wild, then home cooked after he was diagnosed with kidney disease at age 12. I just want the best possible start for my new little guy. He will grow to only 7-8 lbs, the smallest dog I’ve had, so I want to make sure his food is size-appropriate in nutrients. Thanks!

[Shawna]

Hi Keira,

So sorry to hear about your baby!!

Diagnosed as stage 4 but has no symptoms other than urinating inappropriately? That’s odd. It would be really helpful to know the results of the original blood panel (before starting the prescription diet) when discussing foods and supplements. As the BUN and creatinine get more elevated you need to start limiting phosphorus (as it can build up in the system and damage the kidneys) and protein (as it contributes to symptoms – but NOT to damaging the kidneys)). Example – in the later stages of the disease egg yolks should be increasingly limited because of the higher phosphorus content in them. Ask you vet for a copy of your pup’s blood work if you don’t already have it and then let us know the values.

Nitrogen trapping is helpful at any stage of renal failure but becomes the most noticeably beneficial when you start seeing symptoms – vomiting, inappetance, possibly lethargy or depression etc. In order to create a nitrogen trap you absolutely need a probiotic (however I’m not sure which bacteria is involved in nitrogen trapping so I recommend using one with a WIDE variety of beneficial microbes – one like Garden of Life Primal Defense (human product)). When my Audrey was diagnosed with KD at age one (she was also given a year to live but lived to just shy of age nine) I tried multiple different fiber sources (which are also considered prebiotics – feed the microbes in the gut). Some of the prebiotics (such as apple and grapefruit pectin or the fiber in the grain barley) had a negative impact – the pectins made her symptoms worse and she had a food sensitivity to the barley. I ended up using acacia fiber for her from age one and half(ish) to when she passed. Garden of Life has an acacia fiber product as well but NOW brand makes one and there are a few others.

“Standard Process Renal Support” is the one supplement that my girl NEVER did without. It helps in many many many ways including giving the kidneys the nourishment they need to preventing inflammation from damaging the kidneys further. The Standard Process brand have specific products (called protomorphogens) that help with inflammation. There are other things I used for Audrey or would recommend – such as turmeric bombs / balls, Evian bottle water (lower in sodium then some others and a type of calcium very easily used by the body), activated charcoal, spirulina, chlorella and so on.

Your current diet doesn’t have a source of calcium listed which is VERY important.. If you can give us her actual info from the blood panel we can more easily recommend the right diet for you.

[Patti S]

Hi Chad, and “Anonymously”,

The prescription low sodium food you can get from your vet is great, if your dog will eat it. Also, there are different degrees of sodium allowable for the canine cardio patient. Some just need reduced or moderate levels of sodium, while others need a food with drastically lower levels. Dogs need some sodium in their diets. So you should find out from your vet what kind of sodium restrictions your dog needs, especially if your dog has other health issues, such as kidney or liver disease.

These are all on a dry matter basis:
Mild Sodium restriction is 0.3 -0.4%
Moderate Sodium restriction is 0.2 -0.3%
Marked Sodium restriction is 0.15-0.2%
Extreme Sodium restriction is 0.75-0.15%

My personal problem with the Hill’s Prescription Heart Care canned food is, the fat content is at 29.0%, and the protein content is 17.3%. Dogs with a heart problem need higher and high quality protein in their diets, and lower fat. It also contains corn (not a problem unless your dog has a corn intolerance), but I know it’s a cheap filler and it’s listed as the third ingredient!
With the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Early Cardiac diet, the first ingredient is rice followed by chicken fat. Powdered cellulose (saw dust) is amongst the first six ingredients. I just know I can feed my dog a whole lot better than this.

It’s been determined that inadequate protein intake, or deficiencies of specific amino acids, can actually cause serious heart disease and the Cardiology Subspecialty of the ACVIM has recommended avoidance of protein restricted diets (specifically for dogs with old-age heart valve disease). Also, it’s extremely important for cardiac patients to maintain a normal body weight. Excessive weight, in the form of body fat, places additional stress on the heart and in more than one way. Besides the additional work of the heart that’s required for normal ambulation and exercise, excess fat causes an “oxidative stress”. Oxidative stress disrupts normal metabolism in many ways and impairs the ability of blood vessels to expand and deliver nutrients in a normal way.

I’ve persisted and found these additional low sodium dog foods, that are very high in quality:

• Evanger’s Beef with Spinach and Kale Canned dog food – 0.1136% sodium on a dry matter basis

• Solid Gold Howling at the Stars turkey, Ocean whitefish, and Sweet Potato Recipe (canned) 0.23% sodium

• Solid Gold Hund-N-Flocken With Lamb (dry) – 0.23% sodium

Here is where you can see charts in both allowable sodium in milligrams per kcal per 100, and also by percentages of dry matter. With this information you can contact dog food manufacturers and get the sodium content. If you scroll down further (at the link below) it has a list of some over the counter dog foods that are low sodium.
I’ll say it again…. it’s SO wrong that sodium levels aren’t published on the dog food packages, but I’m willing to jump through hoops to get my dog the food he needs!

http://www.vermontveterinarycardiology.com/index.php/for-clients/feeding-the-cardiac-patient

[DEBBIE R]

Help!! I am currently feeding my 6 month old yellow lab, Abbey, Wellness Core Puppy. I just read on the web that they add Green Tea Extract to the formula which can cause Liver toxicity. I need to change her food but I don’t know what to change to. Abbey weighs 55 pounds now and looks healthy. She has had bad gas for the last month and her stool does not always have good form.
I got Abbey after a devastating loss of my 16 month Lab Maggie, who went into kidney failure after an undiagnosed kidney disease. I would be devastated if I have damaged
Abbey. PLEASE HELP

[K C]

My 30 lb mixed breed dog, turning 14 next month, otherwise very healthy until her annual exam’s lab work led to a Dx w/kidney insufficiency (also called renal failure, kidney disease, renal insufficiency) and put on Hill’s Prescription Diet R/D. She was eating it mixed with a small amt of canned R/D because she didn’t seem to like the kibble by itself, but otherwise seemed to be doing okay. Until she wasn’t. She began to reject the dry kibble and eat only the wet food from it, licking it off the dry food, which she put on the floor outside her bowl. And then she stopped eating the canned food. And then the vomiting started. A trip to the vet and lab work showed she got pancreatitis from the high fat level in Rx kidney diet. The labs also showed her kidneys values, of course still showing kidney disease, had improved a little because of the diet, which was great news. She has lost weight because of the not eating much because of the pancreatitis.

She was sent home with fluids for us to inject under her skin and a medication to inject for nausea. She is currently only eating boiled chicken breast and rejecting rice, canned food, kibble, and egg whites, but she likes the Pill Pocket I put her Pepcid in. We were instructed to feed her a lowfat diet, whether it is a prescription diet (Hills or Royal Canin) or a mass market brand.

In preparation for when she is eating normally again, I have been researching the dog foods low in fat. The problem I am finding is that all of the low fat foods are high in protein. That means that in adjusting her diet to prevent a relapse of pancreatitis, as directed by her vet, I will be burdening her kidneys with higher protein, thereby assuring a faster decline. It is the worst catch-22 to be caught between two diseases like this!

Does anyone know of any dog food or diet or anything at all that would be a happy medium of low fat AND low protein, that I could present to my vet? And, be able to provide a dog all the nutrients it needs? I feel so helpless and I love my girl so much!

I thank you in advance for your help!

[Jenn H]

I have 2 dogs that were diagnosed w/ acute pancreatitis the day after the Super Bowl. The Lab got into dog food and just gorged. The GSD didn’t eat nearly as much yet had more severe symptoms that didn’t completely resolve after treatment. Her Lyme came back really high so they chalked it up to that.
10 months later and she still isn’t completely 100%. In fact we were just at the emergency vet a couple wks ago.
This yr she has been treated for Lyme twice w/ 2 different antibiotics. Both aggregated her stomach.
A couple of times her labs showed some high #s with her liver and kidney. Not alarmingly high and they did go back to normal.
X-rays have shown lots of gas to the point where her intestines were pushed over.

We’re now working with a specialist. He did an ultrasound to look at everything. Her pancreas, gallbladder, liver, kidneys…all looked good the day after the emergency visit.
For now he’s given her the general diagnosis of IBD/IBS. Once she’s completely off i/d and meds and back to her normal diet we’ll see if she regresses again.
The only meds I’ve given her right now is Pepcid w/ meals. I’m very slowly decreasing that and very slowly transitioning her back to Wysong.
She also gets 2 tbsp pure pumpkin in the morning.

Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. While she was initially diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis is a potential next diagnosis.
She is a very very very active dog and keeping her weight up has always been a challenge as a result. Low fat diet is not satisfying or even reasonable. My hope is that transitioning her diet even slower than usual and she won’t need any meds for other problems we’ll finally stop this upset stomach nonsense once & for all. If she has to remain on Pepcid for life I’m fine with that if it means she can go back to her completely normal life and eating habits.

I hope you have better luck with figuring out what’s going on. But know that pancreatitis and IBD are manageable diseases. And for that I am grateful.

[Brad C]

You aren’t supposed to feed a dog with kidney disease a dry food. You need a food with a high moisture content, and low phosphorus. I use Primal raw food. It’s got very low phosphorus, and really high moisture content. Look up Dr. Becker on YouTube, she does free videos on these topics. She’s an holistic vet. who does the videos free. She’s been a wealth of info., myself, and my dog who also has kidney disease. Hope this helps.

[C4D]

Hi Rebecca M,

Has the dog been to the vet for a dental check and cleaning? This, along with brushing is the best way to help with any dental problems and potential future problems such as liver or kidney disease.

Freshpet is a very soft food to feed. I don’t know if you want to go this route, but the dehydrated foods that you rehydrate, The Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy’s and Sojos all have meat inclusive and premixes that you can add raw or fresh cooked meat. If you use a ground turkey, chicken or beef, it would be very soft to eat.

[Amber C]

So I’m reaching out for a little advice… my 8 years old mutt (German Shephard, Collie, Lab mix) was on, please don’t all hate me since I didn’t know better, purina for 7 years. After getting lymes disease amongst a lot of other health problems including diarrhea on a weekly basis, we hit the Internet for answers and a better dog food. He has a thyroid problem and is on pills now that have taken the diarrhea away (thank goodness!). We switched him about a year ago to Taste of the Wild. He’s tried about all different flavors and we mixed in canned and dry kibble. His coat looked amazing and his life long dandruff disappeared! Overall health was much healthier, like a whole different dog. The vet said TOTW would lead to kidney problems and it wasn’t good for him, they recommended science diet. I read about TOTW and heard so many bad reviews, so after 7 months on it, I switched over to Whole Earth Farms, again mixing wet with dry. I found the stews mixed better than the pate recipes, but he does get both cycled in with the chicken turkey dry kibble and the red meat mix kibble. He loves the food, he’s not picky at all though, he’d eat anything in front of him short of the kitchen sink, but his dandruff that he had his whole life is back. I wanted to keep him on rotation, maybe 3 different brands switching every 4 months or so, and even though everyone seems so anti TOTW, it made him look and act healthier, but im nerrors about a bad batch! There’s no other problems with whole earth farms besides the dandruff coming back. Im a little at a loss. He weighs over 90lbs, not an ounce overweight, so he requires food… lots of food and budget is a consideration. TOTW was pricey for me, but doable if it was good for him. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Anything would be of help, we’re about halfway through 2 different bags of WEF, so I just need to figure it out before we run out.

[anonymously]

Are they giving him sub q fluids? Every day or every other day? It shouldn’t be too expensive, I found it helpful with my dog that had kidney damage related to Lyme disease.
In fact, I gave it myself (prescribed by veterinarian).

Sounds acute (from what you describe), if he gets through this, he should be good to go for a few years. I would not look at the abdominal surgery as a negative thing. I would listen to the specialists and do what they advise.

PS: Sometimes you get a dog that needs nothing but the minimum of routine care. Then there are the ones that have allergies or diabetes or some other condition that costs a few bucks. In the end, it all evens out.
In fact, I wouldn’t wait too long to have the surgery, if he is as bad as you say, maybe they can move the surgery date closer. The weaker he is , the less likely he will be able to tolerate it. What you describe, sounds like an emergency situation.

[Shawna]

Hmmmmm? Creatinine is only a little high… Something doesn’t jive here. I’m sure there are exceptions to the rules but creatinine is a better indication of how well the kidneys are actually functioning (from everything I’ve ever read). Maybe newer data is suggesting different but data on this site, veterinary medicine dvm360, published in 2011 still agrees “A serum creatinine concentration is the most commonly used measure of severity of renal dysfunction and is the basis for staging chronic kidney disease (CKD) (Table 1). To optimize accurate staging of CKD, serum creatinine concentrations should be evaluated on two or more occasions when the patient is well-hydrated.” http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/laboratory-evaluation-kidney-disease?rel=canonical

Based on a BUN of 77 and a creatinine of 1.6, I personally wouldn’t do low protein but rather moderate amounts of “high quality” protein.

Does your girl have large amounts of very dilute urine? Was there any protein in the urine? Was any other tests done? Is there any other medical conditions? Did you get a second opinion? She doesn’t want to eat often but you said this is just her normal. Does she have any other symptoms such as vomiting, depression etc?

This may help… My Audrey was diagnosed when she was just 13 months old but had symptoms when she was just 6 weeks old. Within the first year of diagnosis I made dietary changes and then had her blood work done every three months. On December 18, 2007 (the second blood work done after the dietary changes) her BUN was 77 (6 to 25 normal) and her creatinine was 1.9 (0.5 to 1.6 are normal ranges for this lab). Audrey didn’t eat a lower protein diet for another almost 7 years.

They also now know that senior dogs actually require MORE protein than adult dogs because they are less efficient at digesting it. Even toy breed dogs – I had a 4 pound Chihuahua live to age 19 eating a HIGH protein diet.

Please take some time to read the articles on this website. http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html

Okay……..YES – I would highly recommend starting her on Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It’s pricey up front but will last a long time for a four pound little girl. I’ve never used Five Leaf but others I’ve directly talked to felt it helped. The Primal Defense and Acacia Fiber will help lower BUN. I personally would look at feeding foods with higher quality and amounts of protein and getting rid of the cream of wheat and gravy. See if you can find canned tripe — a brand that is just tripe. There is one out with quinoa but I’m not sure how much phosphorus is in quinoa so not sure it is suitable? It may be, I just don’t know. Tripe itself is higher in protein with moderate amounts of phosphorus. Most dogs really really like it too. You can continue the goat milk (best if it’s raw in my opinion). Eggs are a good option but the yolk is higher in phosphorus so, recommendations vary depending on stage of the disease, you might want to feed more cooked whites then whole eggs (maybe a one to one ratio – one whole egg with one white only). I would also suggest against feeding homemade as it is really important to get the phosphorus to calcium ratios correct and to limit phosphorus to appropriate amounts for the stage of the disease (which is early stage based on the numbers you mentioned—unless your lab normals are way different than mine?). There are recipes online if you want to home prepare. Dr. Meg Smart has a recipe – you would want the one for “early to moderate stage” http://petnutritionbysmart.blogspot.com/2013/02/home-made-diets-and-renal-disese-in.html

There’s lots more you can do but you mentioned you have a budget so start with these and then if there’s more for other things you can add on as able–such as herbs that can be helpful.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shawna.

[Shawna]

Hi Bev A,

I don’t come on DFA, and especially the forums, that much any more so didn’t see your post. Betsy alerted me that you had asked me a question. Thanks Betsy!!

Probiotics and certain prebiotics do help lower BUN – even the Merck Vet Manual agrees “feeding moderately fermentable fiber can facilitate enteric dialysis and provide a nonrenal route of urea excretion.” Unfortunately it seems most vets don’t know this yet. 🙁 http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/management_and_nutrition/nutrition_small_animals/nutrition_in_disease_management_in_small_animals.html

How high is your baby girl’s creatinine? Creatinine is more indicative of how the kidneys are doing. BUN can be elevated for additional reasons besides the kidneys. Example — feeding kibble (even KD prescription kibble), while simultaneously not getting enough water, can increase BUN. Does she have unlimited access to water and does she drink often? If you are feeding KD kibble, I would HIGHLY recommend switching to Science Diet’s KD canned foods — they have three of them (one is egg based, one is chicken based and one is beef based). Mixing up the canned food could keep her eating better based on her history. IF her creatinin is on the low side of high AND you can get the BUN down by feeding canned food and giving probiotics/prebiotics, you can also consider adding some higher protein, lower phosphorus toppers to her food and see how she does. The Merck Vet Manual has some info on this too. “In addition, research in dogs is also showing that higher protein levels than what are typically used in most therapeutic renal diets is beneficial as long as the diets are phosphorus restricted. Energy should be supplied primarily via feeding relatively more digestible fat and carbohydrates.” As stated, most of the “energy” in the diet should be fats and appropriate carbs but adding the right kinds of protein can help as well as being more appealing. For now, while the BUN is high, don’t mess with adding anything with protein, including treats, to the diet. If she likes organic, extra virgin coconut oil you can add small amounts of that to each meal and blend it in well so she doesn’t pick it out. It won’t add to the BUN. Oh, and I do like raw goats milk.

Changing from a kibbled diet to a canned KD diet should help reduce BUN. Adding a GOOD quality probiotic (I like Primal Defense by Garden Of Life or the product at Mercola Healthy Pets website) and the right prebiotic can help further reduce BUN. Adding the wrong prebiotic (fermentable fiber is another term) can make things worse as they ferment in the wrong part of the digestive tract apparently. The product I found the most beneficial for my KD girl is called acacia fiber. NOW brand makes one. http://www.nowfoods.com/Acacia-Fiber-Organic-Powder-12oz.htm

If she’s never been on probiotics and prebiotics before then I would introduce them slowly over several weeks period. My Audrey was 9 pounds and I gave her 1/2 of a Primal Defense and 1/8 tsp of acacia fiber in her food as needed (when I noticed she seemed off). To start out I would give maybe 1/8 of the probiotic for a few days. Then continue that dose but add a pinch of the fiber for a few more days. Then increase the probiotic to 1/4 but leave fiber at 1/8 for a few more days. If you don’t see any symptoms you might be able to go a little quicker. If you do see symptoms you might want to decrease the amounts being given a bit. Given to quickly to dogs not used to them, probiotics can often have diarrhea as a symptom as an example.

Let me know if you have any more questions for me and let us know how things are going.

Good luck to you and your baby!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shawna.

[Shawna]

I do agree, at some points in the progression of an illness (especially a chronic one) we simply have to do what we have to do to keep the pup / person comfortable and symptoms manageable… 🙂

I forgot about the liver and kidney questions but did mean to respond to that. Thanks for the reminder…. I ABSOLUTELY WOULD recommend giving both liver and kidney but not as a whole food, especially not in later stages of kidney disease. Instead I would (and did) use therapeutic amounts of whole food supplemental liver and kidney — specifically Standard Process Canine Kidney Support and Standard Process Canine Hepatic Support. Both of these supplements will have a far greater overall impact than just feeding liver or kidneys. Both will act much more readily as an “oral tolerant” than the organ itself due to how the product is made (specifically the protomorphogens). 🙂 The supplements also have less phosphorus than the whole organ.

[C4D]

Hi Shawna,

Yes, you did give me some food for thought and more research! 🙂

I did go back and read that portion of the article again. She did say that it didn’t work for her dog. I did find articles stating that famotidine can cause inappetance in some. In my case it seemed to help and I used it on an “as needed” basis. We are going back over 4+ years when I was doing the initial research. My vet recommended the famotidine (when we were in the later stage) and I found it on many sites as well the dogaware site. I was using almost every natural supplement recommended on the dogaware site as well as both mirtazapine and b complex vitamins, alternately, to help increase appetite in the later stage. They did seem to work. This is another one of the dogaware links that include the use of famotidine:

http://dogaware.com/health/kidneynattie.html

I understand your point that it might only be masking the sypmtoms, but in the case of CKD in an older dog, I think it might be helpful, particularly if there would be nothing done otherwise. I’m aware of the peppermint oil and ginger extracts and agree that this is quite helpful. I did find that apple cider vinegar can be used, but it seems to have mixed results, depending on the problem, on some sites such as livestrong. I found that sodium bicarbonate could be added to the Sub-Q fluids to combat the acidosis, but this was on a more traditional kidney site (the merck manual).

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/urinary_system/noninfectious_diseases_of_the_urinary_system_in_small_animals/renal_dysfunction_in_small_animals.html

Since in the traditional sites they are mentioning the metabolic acidosis as part of the kidney problem, are they the holistic vets disagreeing with this? I understand your point that indigestion, not necessarily related to kidney disease, can be related to insufficient acid production.

On another note, what do you think of the OP’s recent question regarding giving liver and kidney a few times a week?

[C4D]

Hi dan g,

I don’t know what you googled, but here are a variety of links that are backed by research studies.

Here’s a link that’s fairly easy to read. This was a study that was in a Purina nutrition forum that found that even dogs with renal failure actually had a higher mortality rate on the low protein diet:

http://www.dogaware.com/files/bovee.pdf

A lot of people like Purina’s research:

https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/media/1132/senior-pet-food-protein-facts.pdf

Eating dehydrated food their whole life, leaving them in a constant state of slight dehydration and dental disease are more likely causes of kidney failure.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/kibble-never-a-good-option/

http://www.avdc.org/periodontaldisease.html

http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/how-periodontal-disease-can-affect-pets-organs?rel=canonical

http://www.iris-kidney.com/education/risk_factors.aspx

[Shawna]

Hi C4D,

“Mine was adamant about using the Sub-Q’s and giving famotadine (Pepcid AC) to help with the metabolic acidosis that is a part of kidney disease. That’s the reason he doesn’t want to eat.”

You’ve mentioned this a few times and I was hoping you would allow me to give a different point of view? First though, I DEFINITELY agree with the Sub-Q fluids. Fluids are started when BUN and creatinin get to a certain level usually. This is, in part, to help flush toxins from the blood (hence why they wait for a build up of those toxins). Flushing those toxins out helps pup feel better and is often the only cause of inappetence.

I wanted to talk more about Pepcid AC. I think the first thing is that these types of drugs don’t actually help with “systemic” acidosis. They are designed to control the amount of acid in the gut only – not in the whole body. However, the doctors that I follow feel that indigestion etc is caused by too little acid production. This makes sense to me when you think about how food is digested. When we eat protein our gut makes hydrochloric acid in response to the amount of protein in that food. It does this because it then activates the enzyme pepsin in the stomach that helps to digest protein. Not enough acid and the protein sits in the tummy not getting digested — this causes symptoms. YES, antacids do work but they don’t resolve the issue but rather hide the symptoms. You are still not digesting your proteins and NOW, due to the antacid, you are digesting even less protein (while potentially on an already low protein diet). It’s no wonder our dogs and cats don’t live long with KD. 🙁

Yes, when ulcers are present there are definitely considerations that need to be made. That said, ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Newer thinking believes that dietary sensitivities (which we now know can be activated by bacteria) strip the lining of our gastrointestinal tract and set the gut up FOR the bacterial infection and symptoms – aka ulcer. Avoiding the trigger, when possible, is a far better way of dealing with a symptom than simply medicating the symptom.

You had mentioned Dogaware as a reference for the use of pepcid with inappetence but Mary actually states that it was the pepcid that was “causing” her Shar Pei to have inappetence. She writes “WARNING: I had my dog on Pepcid for over a year when I discovered it was contributing to her inappetence. Once I stopped giving it, her appetite improved immediately.”

A few times a year, the last few years at least, I could tell that my Audrey was having some gut issues after eating. I resolved her discomfort by mixing apple cider vinegar 50/50 with water and forcing it down via syringe. With in a few to five minutes she would belch and then be fine. Other great options for inappetence that don’t have protein digesting side effects would be peppermint essential oil and ginger extract. Actually, just yesterday I watched a video on Dr. Melissa Shelton’s Facebook page — she’s treating a kitten that was failing to thrive. She offered kitty food and kitty sniffed but wouldn’t take it. She picked kitty up and dropped 5 to 6 drops of Kitty Boost (an essential oil she formulated specifically for cats) on his back and then rubbed it in. While rubbing it in she said that it had the oils from GI Goe (her blend for tummy issues) in it. She spent a minute or two rubbing the oil in the kitties fur, set the kitten down and continued talking. The kitten immediately went over to the food bowl and started eating. It was pretty amazing how quickly it worked.

Anyway, sorry this was soooo long. Hope there was some food for thought there. 🙂

[C4D]

Hi Vicky T,

I’m sorry that you’re vet didn’t sound very helpful. Mine was adamant about using the Sub-Q’s and giving famotadine (Pepcid AC) to help with the metabolic acidosis that is a part of kidney disease. That’s the reason he doesn’t want to eat. Imagine trying to eat when you have terrible acid indigestion. It’s generally given 1/2 hour before feeding. You also need to bind the phosphorus with the meal. That’s the reason for the calcium, whether is a natural source (ground eggshell) or premade (i.e. epakitin).

http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneymedical.html

Here’s the link, from the dogaware site I linked above, that contains the table of phosphorus content of various proteins. Since she is in moderate kidney failure, I would stay with muscle meat. Canned Salmon and Mackerel are very high in phosphorus compared to many other protein sources. The kidney and liver are as well. By comparison raw green tripe (you can find these in some dog stores as frozen). Do not use the bleached white tripe found in the grocery store for people.

http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneytable.html

[Vicky T]

P.S. He is not on any prescription food and wouldn’t eat it if he was
The vet did not recommend anything other than the sub q saline treatments.
When I asked him if there was any meds he could prescribe he said yes but that none would help that much, so we’re kind of on our own helping our little guy feel comfortable.

Prior to being diagnosed he was on a high quality grain free kibble (wetted with water) mixed with a grain free canned dog food but he started refusing to eat that so I’ve been feeding him people food like eggs, cottage cheese, canned salmon and mackerel, chicken and venison. He also likes cooked and raw carrots.
I have some dog probiotics I’ve been giving him and the supplement he’s on is:
Pet Wellbeing Kidney Support Gold…just something I found on the internet.

I will have to look into the homemade kidney disease diet ASAP.

[Shawna]

Hi Ken,

I haven’t read through all the comments but I wanted to state that it could be the chicken causing the issue — a chicken sensitivity versus and allergy. Maybe the chicken itself OR what the chicken ate even (since it seems to be brand specific). I’m a raw feeder of multiple dogs (I have six of my own right now and foster) for over 10 years by the way. My Pom gets ulcerative colitis (bright red blood in diarrhea (her’s is almost liquid though)). Chicken is what sets my girl off (only the muscle meat – she is fine with eggs, liver, kidneys etc).

Sensitivities can manifest after the dog (or person) has been on the food for a while. A protein in certain foods, called a lectin, can bind with the gut wall and cause disease. Initially it binds with IgA (an immune system antigen) but eventually the body is not capable of producing enough IgA to bind with the lectin and then you see symptoms. Typical allergy tests test for IgE immunoglobulins so they can’t detect food sensitivities (which are actually much more common than IgE allergies). I understand that the food he gets better on is “boiled chicken” but boiling (at least with legumes) leaches some of the lectins from the food making less for the body to have to deal with. OR possibly the boiled chicken is different than the one causing the IBD because of something the chicken ate (organic grains fed to livestock have lectins too).

Okay, that was just one thought. The other is that the raw chicken drumstick and thigh diet is not a balanced diet. I know, I know……eye rolls and oh not one of those must be balanced nuts. 🙂 hee hee But there really is something to it. Dark meat chicken is an excellent source of linoleic acid (the omega 6 fat that is necessary for health). However when LA is over-consumed and/or not consumed in balance with omega 3 fats it can be quite inflammatory. Although a good source of LA, chicken is deficient in saturated fatty acids which the body also needs. You don’t mention organs which supply other nutrients. This may or may not be a direct cause but it certainly could be an indirect cause.

Hope, whatever it is, you can get it figured out and get back to wonderful health.

[Shawna]

Hi Vicky T,

My Chihuahua mix had kidney disease from birth and lived to just shy of nine years of age. The most important thing I can say about kidney disease is DON’T feed a kibble diet — even prescription kibble. If you want to stick with prescription, Science Diet has some nice canned products that they recently came out with. One is beef based and the other is chicken based. If you are interested in feeding homemade, Veterinary Nutritionist Dr. Meg Smart has a nice recipe on her blog page. Dr. Smart gives a recipe for “early to moderate” and for “late stage” kidney disease. http://petnutritionbysmart.blogspot.com/2013/02/home-made-diets-and-renal-disese-in.html

Many, if not most, vets have not yet heard about (or understand if they did hear) the importance of probiotics and certain prebiotics (aka fermentable fibers) for kidney patients. These two supplements help to re-route BUN from the dog’s blood to the colon. This helps pup feel better and allows for a bit higher protein diet. The Merck Vet Manual has a nice blurb about it if your or your vet might be interested. They write “In addition, feeding moderately fermentable fiber can facilitate enteric dialysis and provide a nonrenal route of urea excretion.” http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/management_and_nutrition/nutrition_small_animals/nutrition_in_disease_management_in_small_animals.html

The fermentable fiber I found to be the most helpful with my Audrey was a human product called “Fiber35 Sprinkle Fiber”. It is no longer made but the fiber used, acacia fiber, is also sold by NOW brand. The probiotic I used is also a human product called “Garden of Life Primal Defense”. I gave the products together with Audrey’s meal whenever she seemed depressed, down or not feeling well. Audrey at a HIGH protein diet her whole except the last couple months and then I added some canned KD to her diet.

If Audrey had symptoms of nausea (which was rare until the very end) I would add a drop or two of peppermint essential oil (therapeutic grade only) or ginger extract (from health food store). Now vet Dr. Melissa Shelton has a line of essential oils for animals that are wonderful. I tried her GI Goe product when I had eaten something that wasn’t agreeing with me and it helped TREMENDOUSLY.. I put a dot of the oil on my finger and rubbed it on my tongue. Helped almost immediately.

Having a purified source of high quality drinking water always available is a great idea. Also giving Evian (or another high calcium, lower sodium mineral water) has been shown to help kd patients too.

The one supplement that I gave my Audrey from the day of diagnosis to the day she passed was Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It is a whole food supplement that can help prevent damage to the kidneys from inflammation. I HIGHLY recommend it.

I also really really like Answer’s Raw Goat Milk for kd dogs. It can often be found in pet boutique stores.

I found my local vets (two regular vets and one holistic vet (that I otherwise LOVE)) to be almost useless when it came to diet (or anything else natural that could be helpful with kidney disease).. I hope your vet is much more helpful!!!

Do take a look at the link that C4D posted (dogaware). That site was HUGELY helpful to me when I was trying to figure out what to do with Audrey right after diagnosis.

Good luck to you and thanks to C4D for the kind words!!!!

[C4D]

Hi Vicky T,

I have been through this with one of my older dogs a few years ago. I strongly recommend you ask your vet about the BalanceIt website. They can create a homemade recipe for you based on your dog’s kidney (bun/creatinine) levels. There are also a couple of very good sites which I found very helpful in dealing with CRF. One is dogaware which has a ton of information regarding diet and supplements. Here’s the link:

http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneydiet.html

Another helpful site is a bit older but still loaded with information. It’s on Facebook and is called CRF Dogs. It’s exact name on FB is: CRF Dogs (Chronic Renal / Kidney Failure). for some reason, disqus never links the FB pages. Both sites are loaded with homemade diets that worked well for my dog. He was in CRF for almost a year and was not the ulitmate reason we had to put him down.

Wet food is the best thing you can do and the key is not necessarily to restrict protein, but to bind the phosphorus. You would do this with calcium and do this in various ways. Epakitin is a nutritional supplement that helps to bind the phosphorus. You can check with your vet on dosage. My vet gave me some to try. There are also many foods listed on those sites that are moderate in phosphorus levels. Green Tripe (without added minerals and vitamins) and cooked egg white are 2 proteins that are kidney friendly.

The subQ’s are essential to keep the kidney flushed from toxins. You may also need to use famotidine (generic Pepcid AC) to help with the acid that occurs and causes nausea as the disease progresses. Again, your vet should be able to help you with all of this information. Shawna is a frequent poster that has a lot more experience in dealing with Kidney Failure in a young dog, but has a wealth of information.

Good Luck!

[C4D]

Hi Trevor V,

I’m just curious, do you only feed one formula of the Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost? There are several different proteins. As DF said, it could be an intolerance to a particular protein, or possibly something in the food that is causing a soft stool, if that’s the case. Stools that are too soft and/or loose or too small and dry can cause the anal gland issue, which is why I suggested adding pumpkin. You can add any type of fiber, as long as it works. It is highly possible that NV Instinct just doesn’t work for your dog. Just an FYI, the three foods recommended by your vets are all made by the 3 most common vet formulas. Hillspet, Purina and Royal Canin. I’m not saying use or don’t use, but that’s probably why those brands were recommended by your vet(s). It’s likely that’s what they’re most familiar with. It’s up to you to decide what works for your dog.

Red,

I’m not sure why you included the skeptvet links as neither of these links have any direct articles on anal gland issues. Your link on the “oops” comment leads to a search engine for DFA anal gland discussions rather than an actual discussion.

It seems that you simply like to discredit any alternative or natural methods other than what you believe in. I’m not sure if the “Dr. Google” reference was to me, but if it was…….I have spent many years owning and fostering a lot of dogs with many different conditions, including CCL, liver and kidney disease, every type of worm and parasite, broken teeth, and a host of other medical problems, too many to list. I’ve also dealt with a lot of personal and foster dogs with social issues as well, involving a lot of time with trainers. I’ve used MANY vets, both for my dogs and whatever vets are used by the various rescues. I think there is value to both the traditional and alternative methods of treatment. I’ve used both and have found that both have flaws and both have value. I’ve had vets completely misdiagnose a dog or be spot on and I’ve had natural and/or alternative methods cure in a much less toxic way or not work. There is room for both.

[aimee]

Hi Shawna,
In regards to balance it I hand calculated out the protein requirements for a 50 lb dog and then looked at several recipes and they all met or exceeded NRC recommendation. Not sure why you’d say the diet isn’t complete and balanced.

The strength of Balance is it is a good place to start if you can’t afford an individual consult and it looks that you can customize the recipes for a small fee. But if you wanted to say up the protein you could run the calculations yourself since all the nutritional information is given.

I do agree that in early stages higher protein can be fed and of great importance to me is to calculate protein needs and make sure they are being met independent of the percent of protein in the diet.

Darwin’s “kidney” diet is quite the mystery to me as phos. is not restricted. As you know phos. restriction is the most important key to slowing down progression of renal disease. The Phos level is nearly twice the NRC recommended amount for a normal dog.

I’m glad to see they require vet approval as it looks like this diet would only be appropriate for a dog that doesn’t yet need any modifications from AAFCO maintenance requirements. In that case there are OTC diets that are a lot less expensive that could be used

[Shawna]

Hi Sheila23,

Although a homemade diet is absolutely doable I would do a LOT more research before you decide on any one brand. Example — Tripe is a great food for kd dogs but it is supposedly already balanced in calcium to phosphorus. Adding a premix like Preference, that is designed to balance higher phosphorus meat, could be problematic. Although phosphorus needs to be watched, you can go too low too early in the disease.

Balance IT could be an option but I personally wouldn’t have fed my KD girl such a low protein diet (ESPECIALLY in the early stages). Based on the nutrient profile of their beef and rice early stage kd diet the protein amount is only 15.3%. That’s ridiculously low for early stage kd without any complicating issues like proteinuria. Not even enough to meet the minimum protein amounts required for an a complete and balanced diet. They also use corn oil — EEEEKK. The chicken & rice recipe is even worse at 14.9% protein.

If you can afford it, I would highly recommend looking at Darwin’s prescription KD diet formulated by vet Dr. Barbara Royal. The ingredient list is
“Human-Grade Meat: Beef Meat, Beef Tripe, Beef Pancreas, Beef Lungs, Beef Kidneys, Beef Liver, Beef Heart, Beef Spleen.

Vegetables: Cabbage, Celery, Squash, Sweet Potato, Beets, Romaine Lettuce.

Special Nutrient Mix: Filtered Water (for processing), Sardine oil (source of EPA, DPA and DHA), Egg Shell Powder, Parsley, Apple Cider Vinegar, Inulin, Cornsilk, Dandelion Root, Cinnamon, Cranberry, Linden Flowers, , Chitosan, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3, Aloe Vera.” http://www.darwinspet.com/our-raw-foods/our-raw-dog-food/intelligent-design-ks/

I LOVE that you are starting Alvin on Standard Process Renal Support. It is the one supplement that my Audrey NEVER did without since diagnosis. She had KD from birth (symptoms showed at just 6 weeks of age) but she wasn’t diagnosed till she was 13 months old. She was given one year to live after that. She lived to almost her ninth birthday and it was an infection that took her life not the normal progression of kidney disease.

Some other things to look at for Alvin — purified water (as much as he wants), extra water soluble vitamins if he urinates large volumes of water. A high quality probiotic and a prebiotic made with acacia fiber helps to clear BUN etc from the blood allowing for higher protein to be fed or simply helps clear BUN when necessary. This is called “nitrogen trapping”. Giving Evian (or another higher calcium, lower sodium mineral water) has been shown to be beneficial for kidney disease. I did give my Audrey fresh, raw garlic most of her life. I still believe that if I hadn’t gotten lazy and quit giving it to her near the end of her life she wouldn’t have developed the severe infection that ended up damaging her kidneys and taking her life. Enzymes to help with the digestion of his food. Certain supplements and herbs can be helpful — spirulina provides many nutrients, food grade activated charcoal given off an on in small amounts can help clear toxins, organic turmeric helps with inflammation and also helps prevent scar tissue (works best when combined with pepper or the enzyme bromelain from pineapple). Chlorella is a wonderful detoxer and it helps build red blood cells due to the high amounts of chlorphyll in it. Apple cider vinegar can help with indigestion (fed with food in small amounts or given via syringe but must be diluted first). Ginger extract and therapeutic grade peppermint oil can help with nausea (later in the illness). I also recently read that there is other therapeutic grade essential oils that can help the kidneys but I don’t remember the particulars of the article. Vet Dr. Melissa Shelton would be the person to seek out if wanting to incorporate essential oils.

I was lucky with Audrey, she was able to eat commercial raw products clear up to a few months before she passed. I’m not sure if that was because of the supplements, being fed raw from weaning or what but she did quite well. Possibly look at lower phosphorus commercial foods and then add small amounts of low phosphorus toppers (lightly cooked egg whites and coconut oil as an example) to keep the calories up while lowering the overall phosphorus even more. There are some great nutritionists out there as well that could be quite beneficial to you and Alvin.

Hoping Alvin does as well as, or better than, my Audrey!!!

Thank you Marie!

[sheila23]

Hi all!

I was hoping for some feedback on a kidney disease diet for my pup Alvin. I have been doing research for the past few days, on here, DogAware, and a few other sites. My brain is starting to hurt! 🙂

Right now, I am leaning towards Honest Kitchen Preference, supplementing with Rotating Tripe and Beef.

Do you guys think the phosphorous would be low enough?
(I can provide all the numbers if needed!) I am also starting him on the Standard Process Renal Supplement.

A little background on Alvin:
He’s 4, currently eating Zignature Turkey.
He was diagnosed a little over a week ago, his Bun was 52 and his Creatinine is 3.5.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Shawna]

Hi Paul R,

They now know that dogs with kidney disease actually need good amounts of protein in the diet as it helps with the blood flow (aka GFR) and therefore keeping the blood clean. The exception to that rule is when the dog has high amounts of protein in the urine as that is a sign of inflammation of the kidneys. The protein should be lowered until the reason for the inflammation has been found and addressed — possibly a bacterial infection, stones, food sensitivity (they know in humans that gluten can cause increased proteinuria – I would assume reactions to foods can be the same in dogs). Here’s some data on that “A gluten-free diet induced in 75% of the cases a parallel improvement in these abnormal immunological data. Mean proteinuria values were found to be significantly decreased after 6 months of the diet and a reduction was also observed in microscopic hematuria.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2311308

May not be the case with your pup but I think it is often overlooked as a possibility.

My dog had kidney disease from birth and lived nine years. I fed her a raw diet but once in a while I was running in and out or really sick for a few days and would give her some kibble. Each time I gave her kibble I had to deal with the consequences of doing so for several days after. I would highly advise against ANY kibble, even prescription. The new prescription Science Diets are chicken and beef based and look appealing. If you can’t home cook and don’t want to feed raw it would be something to try while you are trying to deal with the proteinuria. I would also give a high quality omega 3 fish oil as it is anti-inflammatory etc. Another to try is organic (must be organic) turmeric (the spice). Turmeric is anti-inflammatory as well as anti-fibrotic, which are both helpful for the failing kidneys. Start with a small amount and build. Most dogs do well with it but my Audrey didn’t seem to tolerate it well. 🙁

Don’t give any more flea or tick meds or heartworm preventatives. Also no more vaccines. Some states will give rabies exemptions for pets with life threatening diseases. Take advantage of that if your state does.

It also helps to give reverse osmosis filtered water. There are so many impurities in most tap water. Always have water available. I would also look at a good probiotic and prebiotic. The right ones can help clear BUN etc from the blood which will help your pup feel better. This is called “nitrogen trapping” which was apparently discovered and coined by Iams researchers. I used a probiotic called Garden of Life Primal Defense (a human product) and a prebiotic called Fiber 35 Sprinkle Fiber (also human). I’ve heard that Sprinkle Fiber is no longer made but it was simply 100% pure acacia fiber. Any source of acacia fiber will work. Not all fibers work, some make things worse. I found this out the hard way. The one product I would not do without is made by Standard Process and is called Canine Renal Support. It helps in many many ways.

I hope something I’ve wrote is helpful for you and your sweet puppy!! Let me know if I can clarify anything or answer any questions etc.

Prayers to you both!!

[crazy4cats]

JM-
I actually asked my vet about it. I remembered reading about it on Dr. Pierson’s website. You have to get it from a special compounding pharmacy. Luckily we have one about 18 miles away. But, they do offer to ship it as well if you don’t have one close by.

I can think of diabetes, kidney disease and hyper thyroidism. What is the fourth?

And I think you are right. The hyper-t is probably the least worrisome of the diseases. I sure hope my others don’t get it though. The oldest of the rest of the crew is around seven years supposedly.

[Shawna]

Red,

“I don’t believe blanket statements about anything are a good thing or helpful, there are always exceptions.” I couldn’t agree more. Hence my use of the word “most”. I too have had my very own experience with traditional medicine, beginning when I was just 12 years old and temporarily going completely blind. Traditional (or, more accurately, allopathic) medicine FAILED me in every single way. It wasn’t until I was referred to a M.D. that treats holistically was a cause found. Sure I could have been on this drug or that drug and then three more to combat the side effects of the first one but that way of life isn’t for me.

My dog had a “serious condition” as well – kidney disease. Again, allopathic medicine failed me in every way except for the administration and demonstration of sub q fluids at the end of her life.

Allopathic veterinary guidance for my daughter’s dog (3 pound Chihuahua) that started having grand mal seizures was do nothing and bring her in if they start happening more often and we’ll start her on drugs. Mkay….. Holistic vet gave guidance on what toxins etc to avoid in the home, increased a nutrient she was already getting and added another mineral (magnesium). Peachy never had another seizure from that point forward.

I will say however, I had a minor emergency several weeks ago and I was quite grateful for the awesome care given by allopathic practitioners at the hospital. I will never deny that there definitely is a place and time for allopathic medicine.

[Anonymous]

I am not familiar with the foods you mentioned, I would go with the prescription food recommended by the veterinarian that is treating your dog. I thought the article below made sense. Hope this helps.

http://dalmatianrescue.org/info/feeding.htm
By Beth White, Melody Kennels
We generically recommend for most Dalmatians foods with the protein source of chicken and turkey, with protein levels in the range of 20-24%. No one food is good for all dogs, but with this range it should cover most dogs. Rather than the protein level, the source of the protein is what is important. Chicken and turkey are the lowest in purines.

If a Dalmatian has urinary problems then it usually means that he can’t break down purines in his diet. Beef is highest in purines so we recommend the other protein sources. We also suggest that Dalmatians (again, most dogs) be fed scraps as a healthy addition to their “balanced” diet. It is interesting to note that all foods, from Walmart’s Old Roy to the most expensive foods on the market state “nutritionally complete” or “balanced”. Ever wonder why pet foods are considered balanced but human food isn’t?

Scraps help make the dog’s diet more complete. One of the worst things that has happened to modern pets is modern dog food….but that is another story. When we used to slop the hogs and slop the dogs, we didn’t have hip dysplasia or many of the other more modern structural problems. Our convenient dog foods are an improvement in many ways, but they are not complete or balanced. Scraps are also “tasty” and fun for the dog.

Veterinarians began recommending not feeding human food when the average pet was found to be too fat., Moving from the farm to the city and from work to retirement caused many pets to loose their shape. Feeding too many scraps isn’t good if it adds weight to dog, but there are just too many nutrients that go down the drain or in the trash that are helpful and useful to our pets. Modern dog foods are not always the best source of nutrients (from a source of diseased livestock possibly, etc.). The foods are also shipped long distances and sit on the shelf sometimes for months, are exposed to heat, etc. All this contributes to reduction in the quality and quantity of nutrients within the food fed to our pets.

There is a growing movement of feeding dogs raw diets, with great health results. For more information, search for Bones and Raw Food diet (BARF), or authors Billingshurst or Pitcairn, who have excellent books on the subject, on the web. Another great resource for dog owners is The Whole Dog Journal. Call 1-800-829-9165 for a trial copy.

Some dogs (Dalmatians included) can’t tolerate ethoxyquin. It is best to feed a food without this preservative. Dalmatians (all dogs even) should always be fed with water added to their food. It need not be soaked, but served like milk on a bowl of cereal. Ask yourself why we add milk to a bowl of grain. It is easier to eat that way. But, with a Dalmatian, there is the added benefit of the dog taking in a larger quantity of water than normal (in order to get to his food) and he flushes his kidneys twice a day. This is good for the kidneys.

All dogs should be fed twice a day. Fortunately, most people have gotten away from feeding only once a day. Livestock is fed twice a day and we eat three times. Once a day simply isn’t enough. We don’t recommend free feeding because it isn’t practical if water is added to the food. If not eaten immediately, it becomes soggy and then either spoils or is wasted. Besides, food exposed to the air loses more of its nutritional potency.

When a Dalmatian has urinary stones the old method, prior to modern commercial kidney diets, was to feed rice and vegetables (cooked with oil, bacon grease, salt, herbs of all sorts for flavor, etc.). Cottage cheese can also be added. Commercial kidney foods are fine, but they are usually not very palatable and often expensive.

Rice and vegetables are healthy and any Dalmatian can live on them and look great. Nothing gets fat on rice! When I prepared this diet for a dog that I once kept, I cooked the rice with various types of oils (Olive, safflower, corn, etc.) and threw in whatever herbs and seasonings I had on the shelf. I also added potatoes, green beans, and many other vegetables. The rice concoction was quite tasty and I usually sampled it too! A vitamin/mineral supplement was also added.

Dogs fed rice and vegetables usually hold their weight quite well. The owner, however, must remember to feed more than he would feed commercial dog food. The good thing is that most dogs actually love rice and vegetables, when herbs and spices and oils are added during cooking. Most of the time this method only requires cooking twice a week. Cook large batches and refrigerate what isn’t fed. Warm cold rice concoction and water in the microwave slowly. When traveling, obviously, it would be better to take commercial kidney foods.
For non-chronic stone formers, but dogs with gravel or sediment in need of veterinary treatment, it is always best to follow your veterinarians advice. But, once the urine has attained a normal pH, attempt to start the dog back onto a quality commercial food. Often a dog’s system has been corrected and by feeding low purines and lots of water, he can return to commercial foods. Make sure that the food is WELL WATERED.

[C4D]

Let me preface this comment with the fact that I feed a variety of foods, including some kibble, canned, fresh cooked and commercial raw food. I have had no problems with my dogs or my family, including infants in the home on a regular basis. If you are an immune compromised person, I would definitely suggest a home cooked diet with a premix raw (these are only vegetables and vitamins) added as opposed to raw meat. Salmonella, listeria, and other bacterias are in many raw foods, including the ones we cook on a daily basis for our families. They can be present on the counters and sinks of our very own kitchen surfaces unless you clean and disinfect correctly. The bacteria can be present in treats, chews and dry dog food as well. Listeria is within the soil and water.

I also foster dogs and have had my share of dogs with Giardia, ringworm, demodex (not know to be infectious) and hookworms and have managed to not have any other person, child or dog infested with any of these problems. I am very proactive in testing my own dogs to ensure that they have not become infested with the various parasites that enter my home with the fosters.

There seems to be a bit of hysteria in the traditional veterinarian community. My own vet does accept the raw feeding of dogs as well as many of the more natural products, including the balanceit program, while also carrying some of the “therapeutic diets” for those that choose that route.

The problem with salmonella, is that it can also be linked to dry dog food:

CDC link:
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/dog-food-05-12/

CDC Salmonella General Info:

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/index.html

Skeptvet, in your regard to your links, the first one was someone’s blog, which of course, everyone has an opinion. I see this as the contrary to a holistic or natural feeder/vet’s blog.

The 2nd link, was a study of 442 salmonella isolates over a 58 year period. It doesn’t even state the point of the study! So what’s the point of this link in reference to a raw diet as there is no reference to a raw diet anywhere in the link? Yes, dogs can get salmonella, but they can also get cancer, arthritis, kidney disease and a host of other things.

The 3rd link was a study of 10 dogs being fed a homemade raw diet. Really? That’s not a very large study. Certainly not one that even the study could conclude was enough to draw any real conclusions, only a suggestion that infants and immune compromised people shouldn’t feed raw and perhaps a larger study should be done.
Did you also note that even though 80% (8 of the diets) of the raw diet tested positive for salmonella before fed, only 30% (3 dogs) of the dog’s had salmonella in their stool sample? An interesting note is that one of the 3 dogs that tested positive for salmonella was NOT fed a raw diet that had salmonella. So where did he get the salmonella from? And what did the other 6 dog’s digestive system do with the salmonella?

I do believe that if you feed raw, you have to be realistic and clean effectively and take precaution if there are small children in the household. If there are immune or cleanliness issues, then a balanced, fresh cooked diet would be the next best choice.

[Shawna]

PS — dry food is the worst thing you can feed a dog with kidney disease — due to the dehydration it can cause as well as the lower bioavailability of the protein.

[Shawna]

Stephanie W,

Digestibility of protein is important but bioavailability is even more important. The better the cells of the body use the amino acids in the digested protein, the less BUN is created from the protein. Raw and lightly cooked home prepared foods are going to have better bioavailability than canned and canned will be better than kibbled diets.

Most vets recommend “low” protein diets for dogs in any stage (and sometimes even before) of kidney disease. This is actually a myth and why most prescription foods are not really appropriate for the earlier stages of the disease. What may need to be controlled however is phosphorus so not all foods of good digestibility and bioavailability will be appropriate for all stages of chronic kidney disease. Here’s a VERY reliable source on the low protein myth.
“Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function
Kenneth C. Bovée, DVM, MMedSc, Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Results of the 10 experimental studies on dogs have failed to provide evidence of the benefit of reduced dietary protein to influence the course of renal failure.” http://www.dogaware.com/files/bovee.pdf

If you are willing to feed raw look at a prescription diet created by vet Dr. Barbara Royal sold by Darwins. Dr. Meg Smart has a homemade kidney diet on her blog. I also like the Wysong diet Red mentions. Just make sure the food you chose has the appropriate amount of phosphorus for the stage of disease your specific dog is in. Unlike protein, phosphorus CAN cause further damage to the kidneys.

Lots of prayers and good luck being sent your way!!!

[Anonymous]

Dogs do this instinctively when they feel nauseous to induce vomiting, but it doesn’t always work. There may be some stomach issues going on, or it could just be a nasty habit that they have developed.

The only 2 dogs that I have owned that ate grass was one that had Lyme disease and kidney damage. The other one was a very healthy dog until she was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma as a mature adult. Many lawns are treated with pesticides, so I would discourage them.

I would take them to the vet to rule out medical problems before you assume it is related to their diet.

[Pitlove]

I’ll also note that a senior dogs protein requirements increase and not decrease as many old-school vet’s will tell you. This has been found through much more current and up to date research. Restricting protein is not needed unless a dog is in very very late stages of kidney disease. Again, research has been done and others on this site with K/D dogs can tell you this.

Senior dog foods are often low in fat which is good but often far too low in protein. This means the carbs will increase and if you overfeed they can gain weight. If you have one that is prone to weight gain, fed high protein, moderate fat and low carb and cut back on how much they are eating and you will see them drop a few pounds. Do that until they are at their ideal weight and then increase food enough to keep them at the ideal weight.

[Anonymous]

The SkeptVet recommends this book, see below excerpt from a post response:

More Evidence of the Risk of Infectious Diseases Associated with Raw Pet Foods

“As for what people should feed, I have recommended and reviewed the book Dog Food Logic, which is all about this, so I encourage everyone interested in thinking about what to feed their pets to read this. I think the AAFCO standards pretty clearly prevent obvious deficiency or excess disorders. I think there is good evidence for some dietary therapies aimed at specific health problems (such as special diets for animals with kidney disease). I don’t think a strong, universal generalization about what is best for all dogs, all cats, etc. is possible or reasonable. And I don’t think anyone knows what the optimal diet for any individual pet is because the interaction between nutrition and health is complex”

[Cheryl H]

Brenda P–I just read through the information regarding kidney disease and this is exactly what I was looking for. My dog is currently going through tests regarding higher levels of protein in his urine. I am doing research hoping to find an acceptable alternative to the prescription or Science Diet foods my vet will recommend. She is adamant about Hills products saying that’s what she feeds her own dogs. I want to be as knowledgeable as possible when I discuss options with her. The resources you’ve provided are excellent and your experiences extremely helpful. Do you have any updates that might help me?

[JeffreyT]

Hi Jakes Mom, the current companies in my rotation I trust are Mercola, Animal Essentials, Dr. Peter Tobias, Wholistic Pet Organics and Nature’s Farmacy. Mercola, Animal Essentials and Wholistic Pet Organics do 3rd party testing. Dr. Peter Tobias offers certified organic products and sells other companies products that do 3rd party testing. And Nature’s Farmacy has a Guaranteed Analysis label. All these companies focus on whole food supplements, use a lot of certified organic ingredients and limit gmo’s.

Nature’s Farmacy was started years ago by serious show people. They have an all in one product that combines joint support, multi vitamin, omegas, digestive enzymes and probioitcs for those who want easy. I also love their Cornucopia powder blend of organic veggies and fruits….great stuff for anti-cancer prevention, and can be given as part of the ground veggies in homemade diets or added to any pet food to increase nutrition.

I keep up with the peer reviewed studies in Mercola and Dr. Karen Becker’s newsletters..so I believe the supplements I give help prevent disease and increase vitality and energy. I think two of the most important ones are digestive enzymes and probiotics, given in most meals. Every day they get Mercola’s Ubiquinol for heart disease prevention and healthy gums and also fish oil every day..rotating bottles between Mercola Krill, Nordic Naturals Pet, Animal Essentials capsules and New Chapter.

They get a multi vitamin/mineral every other day, and on alternate days, light joint support, rotating brands.

My 5 year old maltese gets bladder support every other day because she is prone to stones.

As they get older I will add more of Mercola’s products like eye support, mushrooms and liver/kidney support, and Animal Essentials herbs like Cardiovascular support,etc….rotating them probably. I also wouldn’t hesitate to use Standard Process, Thorne or Orthomolecular Specialtes to target specific issues as they age.

I recently learned about a cleanse recommended on Dr. Peter Tobias’ website using Livton Medi-Herb…he suggests twice a year for two months…makes sense to me. His site is awesome. I learned about it on DFA…another awesome place for info.