[Mindy D]

Hi,
My 100 pound Great Pyrenees, Daisy, has been diagnosed with early stage renal. Her points aren’t really that far off normal, but nonetheless the Vet sold me Hills Science diet for Renal for 100.00. She has been on Natural Balance for 6 years, of Grain Free Chix and Sweet Potato. Her poops were always solid and normal with NB. And there wasn’t much radical change with Hills. But 2 weeks ago, I ran out of NB and she had straight Hills, and put up her nose and wouldn’t eat, and not even with warm water that she usually likes. So I frantically compared label ingredients and found a lower protein, and lower phosporous in Wellness Complete Health Deboned Chix and Oatmeal. And little did I know, the effects of NOT transitioning…holy cow…the diarrhea! I called the Vet and she said to mix it up with Hills again, and do 10 day transition. Her poops are getting more solid, buy still sloppy. Do you think I should get Wellness LID Duck and Oatmeal, and do a gradual transition with Hills? I don’t want her to be unhappy with her food and it’s so frustrating. TIA.

[pugmomsandy]

Any food you pick for her, she will probably need at least two weeks or more to transition since she’s only eaten one food for six years. Give probiotics and digestive enzymes with meals. Also adding some fiber (ground psyllium, ground chia seed, pure pumpkin purée, The Honest Kitchen Perfect Form) will help make formed stools.

[Leisa D]

http://dogcathomeprepareddiet.com/diet_and_chronic_renal_disease.html#dog

Dr. Strombeck (DVM) has a nice exposition of renal disease in addition to several home cooked (v. raw) diets for management of phosphorus levels. It might be a resource for you as you work toward managing this condition.

I performed quite a bit of research on RAW diets and canine nutrition before transitioning to them. (Managing allergic condition in senior American Bulldog adoptee. I’m not sure how it took me so long to stumble upon his site (perhaps because RAW was mostly in my searching!) Donald R. Strombeck, DVM, PhD, is Professor Emeritus, University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine with a specialty in gastroenterology. Accordingly, while I’ve not used any of the recipes on his site, I trust them to be nutritionally adequate as this is his area of his expertise. Further, I plan to use his recipes to mix things up with our RAW diet.

I have three senior girls (and one uber-exuber pitty boy). Until adopting the Am Bulldog (and I had a mix before), I’ve never had to worry about special diets.

Anyway, hopefully you will find it a resource in your information arsenal. Good luck.

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