Dogs with kidney disease: symptoms
In order to offer your dog with kidney failure the adequate diet, it is equally important to be aware of the symptoms of kidney failure in dogs. Dogs with kidney disease symptoms include:
If your dog is suffering kidney damage, its important to be able to spot whether it is acute or chronic. The symptoms vary depending on whether kidney failure is acute or chronic:
Symptoms of acute kidney failure:
Symptoms of chronic kidney failure:
Kidney failure is a serious condition in dogs since it affects a vital organ, and as such it requires urgent treatment. This treatment will include changes in your pets normal diet.
Dog kidney disease diet: homemade
There are specific dog foods that are perfectly suited to the nutritional requirements of dogs with kidney failure. However, some experts believe that the best food in such cases is that made at home, and that dog food should only be offered as a supplement.
Its important that you seek advise from the vet. A professional will be able to advise you on how to give your dog the best food for kidney failure whilst taking into account your dogs individual case.
If the decision is finally made to feed your dog with renal failure homemade diet, you should avoid incorporating these below mentioned foods; owing to their high levels of phosphorus. Dont give a dog with kidney failure:
On the other hand, the following foods should be included in your dog with kidney disease homemade diet:
In any case, it will be the vet or canine nutritionist who will you exactly how to provide your dog with all the nutritional requirements. This can be done through dog kidney failure diet recipe, traditional store-bought dog food or a home-made dog food diet, adapted to your dogs specific case[2].
For more, we recommend reading our article on: homemade diet for dogs with kidney failure.
Foods to Include
There are many foods you can include in a dog kidney disease diet, but here are some ideas to get you started.
Include fatty meats like lamb, pork or beef.
You can also include dark meat turkey or chicken since they contain more fat than white meat and don’t avoid the skin as well.
Chicken has the highest amount of phosphorus of all these meats, so be careful with it.
Dairy products can be included, but they need to be given in moderation.
Use cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, and go for the low-salt option.
Yogurt is also good, especially if your dog also has digestive problems.
Yogurt has good bacteria which can help regulate his digestion, but probiotic supplements will have a much higher concentration of bacteria.
Include cabbage in your dog’s diet because it can be good for ulcers, which are a common occurrence in dogs with kidney disease.
Include other vegetables like asparagus, beet, broccoli, pumpkin, squash, celery, carrots, and other vegetables that contain fiber.
Fruits like apples, mango, peach, pineapple, pear are also good for your dog.
Cranberries are good for dogs that often develop urinary tract infections and they can also be good for their kidneys.
Bananas are high in potassium, which is good for your dog’s water balance.
In this instance, white rice is better than brown rice because it is lower in phosphorous.
Most other grains should be avoided or extremely limited because of their phosphorus levels.
Pasta, especially if you add a bit of butter to make it tastier for your dog, is a great choice for a dog kidney disease diet-friendly meal with low-phosphorus calories.
Fish oil is great for your dog’s kidneys because it contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish itself is also a great source of omega-3, but you should avoid fish with bones since bones are high in phosphorous.
Avoid fish liver oil as well. Coconut oil can also be good for your dog.
Dog treats are fine in moderation.
Make sure they are NOT a regular part of your dog’s diet and carefully pick those that are friendly for your structured dog kidney disease diet; choose healthy dog treats with beneficial ingredients.
Natural treats are good choices too – rice cakes, for example, are a great option you can give to your dog because they are low in phosphorous.
Adding a bit of alfalfa or kelp can also be good, but you should do it once or twice a week only because alfalfa can act as a diuretic and kelp contain sodium.
Green tripe is an excellent addition to your dog’s diet because it is really low in phosphorous and dogs usually enjoy it. It can even help anorexic dogs develop an appetite.
Homemade Dog Food for Kidney Disease Recipe (Simple and Cheap)
If you have read the first three parts of our articles on kidney failure in dogs, you will understand the kidney’s role in the body and what happens when they stop functioning. Part two details the top foods that cause kidney failure in dogs. Article three explains how low-protein dog food would almost certainly not fix the issue. This article explains how vital it is to feed a fresh, raw diet to dogs with kidney disease. Not only to help them maintain a good quality of life with the disease but to assist in preventing it from happening in the first place.
Here’s the quick links to all the 4 articles of this series on Kidney Disease in Dogs: