Safe Foods for Dogs With Chronic Kidney Failure

Dogs with chronic kidney, or renal, failure cannot recover. However, proper feeding may help prolong their lives. Avoid any high-protein, high-sodium or high-phosphorous foods that will task the kidneys. Along with safe foods, make sure a dog with chronic kidney failure is always well-hydrated. Before embarking on any dietary changes, check with your veterinarian to make sure they are safe for your dog.

  1. Chicken and Potato Diet

    • For those who want to prepare their dog's own meals, "Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets, The Healthful Alternative" by veterinarian Donald R. Strombeck suggests a chicken and potato diet for dogs suffering from chronic renal failure. This low-protein, low-phosphorus, low-sodium and high-potassium diet includes 1/4 cup cooked chicken breast, 3 cups boiled potato with skin, 2 tbsp. chicken fat, 1 1/2 calcium carbonate tablets (600 mg calcium) and half of a multiple vitamin-mineral tablet. Check with the veterinarian to make sure this is appropriate for your dog.

    Egg and Potato Diet

    • Strombeck also suggests a homemade egg and potato diet for dogs with chronic renal failure. This diet is low in sodium, phosphorous and protein while high in potassium. The recipe is: one large cooked egg; 3 cups potato, boiled with skin; 1 tbsp. chicken fat, 1 1/2 calcium carbonate tablets (600 mg calcium) and half of a multiple-mineral tablet. Check with the veterinarian to make sure this is appropriate for your dog.

    Hill's Prescription Diet K/D

    • This food, available only from veterinarians, is formulated for dogs with kidney disease, which is the K/D in the name. It is low in phosphorus to help maintain kidney function in a dog in renal failure, and low in protein to keep kidney workload to a minimum. To help maintain blood pressure, the food is low-sodium. It includes additional B vitamins because those vitamins are lost in the urine in dogs with chronic renal failure. The food also contains omega-3 fatty acids to aid the kidneys and antioxidants for the immune system.