what is a good renal diet for dogs
Dietary Guidelines for Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
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What To Feed a Dog With Kidney Disease
Nutrition plays a big role in the management of dogs with kidney disease. Because dogs with kidney disease usually arent feeling well, the first step is often to merely get your dog to eat anything.
Kidney disease can make dogs nauseated, and they can also develop ulcers in their mouth or stomach, which makes eating painful. A feeding tube may be necessary to get dogs with severe kidney disease the nutrition they need.
Once your dogs condition is more stable, you can turn your attention to providing more optimized nutrition. Kidney diets for dogs have to tick a lot of boxes. Heres a guide that explains nutritional needs and what to feed a dog with kidney disease.
What To Look For in a Kidney Diet for Dogs
Kidney diets for dogs are significantly different from regular dog foods. However, no single kidney diet is going to be best for every dog throughout the rest of their life.
For example, a dog in the early stages of kidney disease could thrive on a kidney diet with more protein, but as their disease progresses, a diet lower in protein and phosphorus might better control their symptoms.
As a rule of thumb, good kidney diets for dogs tend to have anutrient profilethat looks like this:
Nutrient | Grams/1000 kcal |
Protein | 31-41 |
Phosphorus | 0.5-0.8 |
Sodium | 0.4-1.2 |
EPA and DHA | 0.4-1.2 |
Unfortunately, it can be hard tofind this information on dog food labelsor on pet food manufacturers websites. If you are having trouble getting the numbers, your veterinarian can help you pick a good kidney diet based on your dogs needs.
Here are several important elements to look for in kidney diets for dogs:
Taste
The most important characteristic of a kidney diet for dogs can be the hardest to achieve: It has to be delicious! Thats because the metabolic and physical changes associated with kidney disease can lessen a dogs appetite.
To counteract this effect, kidney diets need to smell and taste great. After all, a kidney diet that isnt eaten isnt going to do a dog any good. Kidney diets should also be calorie- and nutrient-dense, so dogs can eat less and still get a lot of nutrition.
Hydration and Water Content
Kidney diets should also contain a lot of water. Dogs with kidney disease struggle to maintain their hydration. All dogs always need to have access to bowls of fresh clean water, but a diet that has high water content is a great way to boost a pets water intake when they have kidney disease.
Wet foods are almost always a better option for dogs with kidney disease than dry foods. If you are feeding your dog kibble, ask your veterinarian about adding water to the dry food or other ways you can supplement their water intake.
It's also important to keep an eye on the sodium levels in kidney diets for dogs. Too much sodium increases the chances that your dog will becomedehydrated.
The Right Amount of the Right Protein
Next comes the balancing act that is protein. Dogs with kidney disease need protein, but not too much. The breakdown products of protein digestion are responsible, in large part, for making dogs with kidney disease feel yucky.
The goal is to feed just enough protein to meet a dogs needs for muscle maintenance, immune function, and the other vital jobs proteins have in the bodybut not to feed too much more. Extra protein will only be turned into calories that can be more safely provided by carbohydrates and fats.
Protein quality is also important. Proteins should be highly digestible and supply all the essential amino acids dogs need.
Low Phosphorus Levels
Theres a close relationship between protein intake and blood phosphorus levels. Dogs with kidney disease gradually lose the ability to excrete phosphorus in their urine, so it backs up in the bloodstream. Reducing phosphorus intake has been shown to slow the progression of kidney disease in dogs and increase their lifespan.
An important way to reduce phosphorus levels in the diets of dogs with kidney disease is to not overfeed protein and to ensure thatproteins relatively low in phosphorusare included in the diet. Plant-based sources of protein tend to be lower in phosphorus than animal-based sources of protein.
Supplements
Nutritional supplements can also help dogs with kidney disease. Supplements often included in kidney diets for dogs include:
Omega-3fatty acids:eicosapentaenoicacid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can reduce inflammation in the bodyincluding in the kidneysand possibly improve kidney function
Antioxidants,which neutralize free radicals that can further damage the kidneys
Fermentable fiber,which helps get rid of protein digestion waste products in poop. This allows dogs to eat more protein than they might be able to otherwise.
Prescription Kidney Diets vs. Homemade Kidney Diets for Dogs
What abouthomemade kidney diets for dogs? Astudypublished in 2012 showed how hard it is to find nutritionally complete and balanced kidney diet recipes in books and online. Of the 39 recipes evaluated, none met all the National Research Councils recommended nutrient allowances for adult dogs.
In contrast, prescription kidney diets produced by reputable dog food manufacturers undergo testing to ensure they are safe for long-term feeding and have a positive effect on a dogs health.
How To Cook for Dogs With Kidney Disease
One big benefit of homemade kidney diets, however, is taste. If your dog simply wont eat anything else, a homemade kidney diet is worth considering. To avoid nutrient deficiencies or excesses, make sure a veterinary nutritionist or a service likeBalanceIT, which requires veterinarian approval, is involved in formulating recipes for your dog.
Common Prescription Kidney Diets for Dogs
After a dog has been diagnosed with kidney disease and their condition is stabilized, veterinarians typically recommend switching over to a prescription kidney diet. Your veterinarian may have recommended a particular food based on the details of your dogs case. Here are three popular options:
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Careis available in wet and dry formulations and different flavors:
How To Transition Your Dog to a Kidney Diet
special attention to how you make the transition. Do notchange your dogs foodwhile they are still nauseated or feeling bad. They may associate their symptoms with their new food and refuse to eat it.
Once your dog has a good appetite, start making the switch very slowly. Give them lots of time to get used to the new flavors, textures, and ingredients. This reduces the chance of food refusal and lets your dogs digestive system adapt.
Here is a timetable for taking two weeks to switch your dog to a new diet:
Days 1 and 2:Mix 5% of the new food in with 95% of the old food
Days 3 and 4:Mix 10% of the new food in with 90% of the old food
Days 5 and 6:Mix 20% of the new food in with 80% of the old food
Days 7 and 8:Mix 40% of the new food in with 60% of the old food
Days 9 and 10:Mix 60% of the new food in with 40% of the old food
Days 11 and 12:Mix 80% of the new food in with 20% of the old food
Days 13 and 14:Mix 90% of the new food in with 10% of the old food
Day 15:Try 100% of the new food
If at any point your dog turns their nose up at their food or develops signs of digestive upset, move back a step in the timetable and proceed more slowly.
Signs to Watch for After Starting Your Dog on a Kidney Diet
Dont give up if you initially have trouble switching your dog to a kidney diet. Call your veterinarian if your dog wont eat the recommended food. They can help by:
Recommending an appropriate food topper to make the food more appealing. Avoid products that are high in phosphorus and salt.
Prescribing medications to reduce nausea, stomach inflammation, ulcers, or other symptoms that may be reducing your dogs appetite
Recommending a different prescription kidney diet or, if necessary, a suitable over-the-counter food
Referring you to a veterinary nutritionist to get recipes for homemade kidney diets
Talking to you about the benefits of a feeding tube
Many dogs with kidney disease live happily for quite a long time, particularly if they get the right kind of nutrition. Onestudyshowed that on average, dogs who were fed a kidney diet lived 13 months longer than those who ate regular dog food. Thats certainly a goal worth striving for!
Featured image: iStock.com/RichLegg
WRITTEN BY
Jennifer Coates, DVMVeterinarian
Dr. Jennifer Coates is an accomplished veterinarian, writer, editor, and consultant with years of experience in the fields of veterinary...
Renal Diet for Dogs: A Guide on Feeding
Chronic kidney disease in dogs is a progressive condition with the prevalence of 25% of dogs from veterinary clinics, with 9-16% mortality rate.
Senior geriatric dogs and some breeds are more likely to suffer from this condition.
Fortunately, early detection and dietary switch to a renal diet for dogs was shown in studies to significantly improve CKD condition.
What is Renal Disease in Dogs?
Canine renal disease, or chronic kidney disease in dogs, is when a dog's kidneys begin to malfunction, eventually losing the ability to remove waste and balance fluids in the dog's body.
In severe cases, this condition causes a complete loss of renal function, resulting in kidney failure and eventually death.
In early stages of kidney disease, it may cause metabolic acidosis, as well as prevention of absorption of water, leading to excessive thirst, increased urination, and nutrient loss.
In moderate cases, decreased blood cell production can lead to anemia and hypertension can occur affecting cardiovascular health.
As the disease progresses over time, bone health may be impaired in the dog, leading to bone pain and an increased risk of fractures.
Ultimately, uremic crisis, the inability of kidneys to eliminate waste products from the dog's body out of the blood leading to fatal blood poisoning, may occur.
For dogs who have been diagnosed with chronic renal disease, nutrition and vet-approved renal diet for dogs is a crucial part of the treatment plan.
Although canine kidney disease is often degenerative, dietary therapy will slow the progression of the disease and prevent further complications, such as complete kidney failure and potential death.
The Renal Diet for Dogs Guide
Therapeutic Dietary Support
There is strongresearch that supports using nutritional adjustments as a tool to combat the progression of renal disease in dogs.
Specific diets for dogs with renal disease and kidney failure were shown to maintain or improve nutrient absorption, delay the onset of uremia, slow disease progression or development of other complications, and extend the expected lifetime.
A veterinarian should be your first point of contact in helping you design a safe and appropriate renal diet for dogs with this condition.
You will have the choice of either switching to other commercial dog foods, prescription foods, homemade dog food diet, or a combination of both.
1. Balanced Level of Phosphate
All renal diets for dogs should contain carefully balanced levels of phosphate.
Phosphorus is an important mineral that is essential for cell structure, energy and bone health.
Low levels are associated with adverse health outcomes and malnutrition.
Although it is an essential part of the diet, balance is key, particularly when it comes to dogs with renaldisease.
As this mineral is metabolized by the kidneys, excessive quantities can place strain on the system due to reduced ability to metabolize the mineral.
Eventually, poorly balanced diet may lead to adverse effects such as weakening of the bones and calcification of body tissues, including the kidneys.
Specific dog kidney health diets contain the optimum level of phosphate and often dietary additives that bind phosphate, allowing it to be excreted through the gastrointestinal system instead of the urinary system.
2. Reduced Levels of Salt
When feeding a dog a renal diet, salt is one of the mostimportant considerations.
Animal studies have shownhow increased levels of salt in the diet to increase the protein excreted in the urine and markedly increase kidney function deterioration.
Similar studies have shown how the reduction of salt intake in dog's diet with kidney problems will slow down the rate of progression of the disease.
The bottom line is to decrease the amount of salt, but not necessarily eliminate it.
3. Low(er) Quantities of High-Quality Protein
Same as with salt, you'll need to reduce the amount of protein in the dog's diet. For this reason, most kidney-friendly options are often labeled as low protein dog foods.
Protein is a vital part of the canines overall nutrition which provides daily energy, promotes healing and maintenance of all tissues and cells in the dog's body.
However, protein breakdown also leads to toxic waste products in the bloodstream that requires processing by the kidneys for excretion through the urine.
Providing a diet that contains low levels of high-quality protein means a reduced amount of waste for the kidneys to process while the pets energy requirements are met.
4. Enhanced Levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 and fish oil provide many benefits to dogs, one of which is kidney support.
The supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has been suggested by vets because studies have shownits protective qualities and ability to slow the progression of renal disease in dogs.
Omega-3s are also known to promote blood filtering and support kidney function.
Several supplements containing high levels of omega-3s, particularly fish oil for dogs, have been observed to have a significantly positive impact in this area.
As pets who suffer from renal disease are often geriatric animals, they commonly present with other age-related conditions such as canine arthritis and joint pain.
Omega-3 fatty acids have further benefits for these pets as they have been clinically provento reduce pain and inflammation in dogs suffering from arthritis and reduce the need for analgesia.
5. Replacement of Vitamins
A healthy balance of vitamins and minerals may also help with the disease. These can be administered to dogs either via foods or through vitamin supplements.
As kidney disease causes increased urination, dogs often excrete excessive amounts of water-soluble vitamins which ultimately leads to depletion of essential nutrients.
As a result, this depletion can lead to malnutrition and side effects such as anorexia.
Therefore, it is absolutelyvital that these vitamins are replaced.
Ideally, you should do this through diet but supplementation may also work (although there's little evidence).
Specifically designed dog renal diets provide an optimum balance of B Vitamins and Vitamin C, as well as other essential vitamins and minerals for dogs with kidney problems.
Hydration for Dogs with Kidney Problems
Hydration is considered an essential objective in the management of renal disease in dogs.
Kidney disease causes canines to be unable to concentrate the urine.
This means that although you may notice your pet drinking more water and liquids, your dog is actually unable to compensate, which eventually causes dehydration.
Providing your pet with a sufficient amount of liquids reduces clinical signs such as lethargy and weakness, and is also seen to have long-term beneficial effects on renal function.
For this reason, many pet owners choose canned dog food that contains high water content than regular dry dog food brands.
However, it's important to pick the right type of wet dog food that will also factor in other aspects related to dogs with kidney problems.
How to Switch a Dog to a Renal Disease Diet
Loss of appetite is common in pets who are suffering from renal disease, and getting your dog to eat again can be a challenge.
However, as malnutrition in dogs can cause further complications, it is vital that you carefully monitor and encourage proper nutritionand feeding schedule in your pet.
Reduced appetite can often be a symptom of this condition. Taking this into account, dog renal diets are designed to be highly palatable to encourage nutrition in order to maintain healthy weight and energy levels.
Often, a learned food aversion will occur if a pet feels frightened, unwell or is force fed a new commercial dog food diet, or even a homemade dog food recipe. Thus, try to avoid any bad associations with the food such as simultaneously administering medication.
To encourage eating in dogs, attempt to create a comforting environment for your pet when offering his new dog food diet or homemade recipe. The ideal time to try a new diet is in a familiar home environment, rather than during hospitalization.
Introduce the new diet to your dog very slowly, gradually mixing the new food with the old, and continue increasing the kidney diet daily until it is the only one remaining.
If your pet refuses the new diet, consider another type of renal diet. It is essential that dogs with renal disease continue to eat. It is best to change to another therapeutic diet your pet finds more palatable prior to weight loss and muscle breakdown occurring.
Best Dog Food for Renal Disease in Dogs
Nutrition has long been considered of great value and genuine efficacy for the management of kidney disease in dogs. If your pet has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and your vet recommended a renal diet for dogs, other than homemade recipes, there are a range of quality, therapeutic diets for purchase.
Before you pick any commercial dog food brand, you must always consult with your vet.
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Renal Health
This kidney disease dog food is available in dry and wet formulas.It contains small doses of high-quality protein and low levels of sodium.
Hill's Science is the oft-recommended dog food by veterinarians for pets with specific health problems, including kidney disease.
Low in protein and specifically adjusted to tax the dog's kidneys the least, the Hills R/D dog food also contains high levels of antioxidants, which aim to neutralize free radicals in order to slow the disease progression.
Purina Veterinary Diets Canine NF Kidney Function
Unfortunately, this canine renal disease dog food is only available in kibble form only, but it's a similar although less effective and less recommended option by vets (it is cheaper, however).
Purina Veterinary Diets Canine Kidney Function formula contains a nitrogen trap fiber system that aims to reduce nitrogenous waste the key waste product following protein breakdown that causes renal workload.
This system allows the diet to contain moderate levels of good quality protein.
ROYAL CANIN Canine Renal Support
This kidney disease dog food is available in dry formula. It contains low levels of phosphorus and low levels of high quality protein, to reduce renal workload.
Royal Canine Canine Renal Support formula also has a good amount of omega-3's most important parts, EPA and DHA, that help with regulation inflammation in the dog's body.
Again, before choosing any of these diets, please consult with your veterinarian.
I also recommend you read the reviews of these dog foods for renal support to see how other pet owners found them and what their vets told them about these dog food brands.
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