kidney diet for dogs royal canin
Your Guide to Renal Diets for Dogs With Kidney Disease
When Should I Feed My Dog a Renal Diet?
Your veterinarian will move your dog onto a renal diet as soon as theyve been diagnosed with CKD. But the diet they recommend will vary based on the stage of kidney deterioration, which progresses from
IRIS Stage 1 to 4.
What Types of Renal Diets Are There?
Once your dog reaches IRIS Stage 2 CKD, phosphorus restriction becomes necessary and so a diet like Royal Canin Renal Supportmay be suggested. As well as being low in protein and phosphorus, it has a high energy density to help maintain weight.
The build-up of waste products in a dogs bloodstream may begin to affect their appetite around stage 2 and many dogs will need extra encouragement to eat. Renal diets are designed to be extremely palatable for this reason, but some diets like Royal Canins go further by allowing you to mix aromas, shapes, sizes, and textures, as well as wet and dry options, to create a variety of enticing flavors.You can also encourage eating by gently warming wet food and adding warm water to dry diets. Because dogs with CKD have an increased risk of dehydration, always ensure they have access to lots of fresh water.If your dog has additional dietary requirements, due to food sensitivity or joint pain, there are different versions of renal dog food availablethat combine the various benefits into one carefully formulated diet.In the final stages of CKD, a veterinarian may use a liquid diet if specific types of feeding tubes are placed.Nutrition plays a major role in the management of CKD and can make a considerable impact on the quality of life of a dog. If you have questions about renal diets or CKD, speak to your veterinarian.
References:
1Polzin DJ. Chronic kidney disease. In Bartges J, Polzin DJ, editors. Nephrology and urology of small animals. Ames (IA): Wiley Blackwell, 2011: 433-471
2Jacob F, Polzin DJ, Osborne CA, Allen TA, Kirk CA, Neaton JD, Lekcharoensuk C, Swanson LL. Clinical evaluation of dietary modification for treatment of spontaneous chronic renal failure in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2002 Apr 15;220(8):1163-70. doi: 10.2460/javma.2002.220.1163.
3Cowgill LD, Polzin DJ, Elliott J, Nabity MB, Segev G, Grauer GF, Brown S, Langston C, van Dongen AM. Is Progressive Chronic Kidney Disease a Slow Acute Kidney Injury? Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2016 Nov;46(6):995-1013. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2016.06.001. PMID: 27593574.
4Lippo I, Guidi G, Marchetti V, et al. Prognostic role of the product of serum calcium and phosphorous concentrations in dogs with chronic kidney disease 31 cases (2008-2010). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2014;245:1135-1140.
Canine Renal Support + Hydrolyzed Protein
Ingredients: Brewers rice, chicken fat, hydrolyzed soy protein, dried chicory root, natural flavors, fish oil, vegetable oil, pea fiber, L-tyrosine, sodium silico aluminate, potassium chloride, fructooligosaccharides, L-lysine, calcium carbonate, DL-methionine, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid], salt, choline chloride, taurine, N-butyric acid, trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate, calcium iodate], GLA safflower oil, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), L-tryptophan, magnesium oxide, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Canine Renal Support S
Ingredients: Brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, brown rice, natural flavors, chicken by-product meal, dried plain beet pulp, wheat gluten, fish oil, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, powdered psyllium seed husk, sodium silico aluminate, DL-methionine, salt, L-lysine, fructooligosaccharides, choline chloride, taurine, potassium citrate, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, niacin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid], magnesium oxide, L-tryptophan, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), trace minerals [zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
Kidney Disease in Dogs
About Chronic Kidney Disease
A disease is chronic when it develops over a long time and in the case of CKD, the dogs signs and the management they need will all vary depending upon the level of kidney damage that has occurred.
To help you and your veterinarian track the progress of the condition, CKD is separated into 4 stages known as IRIS (International Renal Interest Society) stages
2, from 1 at the onset to 4 at its most severe.
The speed at which a dog progresses through the four stages varies depending upon how early the condition is diagnosed, the management they receive and their individual physiology.
What are the Signs of Chronic Kidney Disease in Dogs?
Once kidney tissue has been destroyed, it cannot be replaced or regenerated.The kidneys account for this by having a large amount of spare capacity, consequently, the visible signs of CKD dont present themselves until at least 75% of kidney function has been lost.A dog may live with CKD for many months before the signs begin to appear, but some of the common signs you may notice include:
- Urinating excessively
- Drinking a lot of water
- A loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Diarrhea
If youd like to learn more, see our article The Signs of Chronic Kidney Disease in Dogs.
How is Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosed in Dogs?
Traditionally, veterinarians diagnose CKD by looking at the concentration of creatinine in a dogs blood and checking for protein in the urine. Theyll also analyze their Urine Specific Gravity, as dogs with CKD have trouble concentrating urine.However, just like with the visible signs, many of these tests only detect evidence of CKD when a considerable amount of kidney function has been lost usually around 75%.In the last few years, a new blood test has been developed to identify elevations in SDMA (Symmetric Dimethyl Arginine). When used in combination with serum creatinine tests and urinalysis, SDMA testing may help identify CKD when only 25% of kidney function has been lost3, which may allow management of the disease to begin significantly earlier than previously would have been possible.Veterinary check-ups are an essential part of achieving an early diagnosis and so its important to take your dog to the veterinarian regularly, whether you suspect CKD or not.
How is Chronic Kidney Disease Treated?
The first goal is to treat the underlying cause of CKD, but in most instances, it will never be identified. Consequently, the main aims of CKD management are to preserve the dogs quality of life, slow the progression of kidney damage, and manage the clinical signs as they appear.Management for CKD varies depending upon the stage of the disease, but you can support your pet at every stage by:
- Making sure they always have plenty of fresh water
- Maintaining their oral health
- Taking them to the veterinarian for regular monitoring
- Being alert for new signs that may show the disease has progressed
Your veterinarian may recommend a low-protein diet with a high-energy density that is specially balanced for dogs with CKD who also have a loss of appetite. To encourage eating, these diets also offer a range of wet and dry options, with different aromas, kibble shapes, flavors, and textures.You can discover more about the role of nutrition in the management of CKD in our article Your Guide to Renal Diets for Dogs with Kidney Disease.
Canine Renal Support A
Ingredients: Brewers rice, chicken fat, corn, corn gluten meal, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavors, wheat gluten, fish oil, powdered cellulose, vegetable oil, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, salt, powdered psyllium seed husk, sodium silico aluminate, DL-methionine, L-lysine, fructooligosaccharides, taurine, choline chloride, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A acetate, niacin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid], trace minerals [zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate], magnesium oxide, L-tryptophan, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
