Treating kidney failure with the proper diet is a very important step in fighting the disease, however this is only one part of the treatment. You should consult with your veterinarian to choose the best diet treatment and medical treatment available to your dog.
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Kidney Function
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The kidneys work to clean and filter the blood while returning salt to the bloodstream. They also help to remove excess water from the urine.
Many things can cause kidney failure, including toxic poisoning, abdominal injury, bacterial infections or urethral infections. A kidney has the ability to function with at least 25 percent of tissue damage, therefore supporting the kidneys with the proper diet can be one of your best treatment options.
Protein
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Many people believe that they should feed their dog a diet with no protein due to protein being the main toxins that the kidneys secrete. Dr. Lucy Pinkston, D.V.M., states that restricting protein completely from a dog's diet can cause protein malnutrition. You should feed your dog high quality, biologic proteins such as egg and milk protein due to the body's ability to easily absorb these proteins. Lean meats from muscle or organs are the second best types of proteins to feed your dog while in renal failure.
Dr. Pinkston also states that commercial foods that advertise special kidney disease diets use these high quality proteins in restricted amounts.
A low protein diet will not lengthen the dog's life, however it may make him feel better, according to Dog Aware. You will need to have your dog's urine checked for protein levels so you may adjust the diet.
Phosphorous
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A diet low in phosphorous may aid in slowing the progression of kidney failure. Dog Aware states that you should give no more than 10 mg per pound of body weight when a dog is in the advanced stages of kidney failure. Foods that are high in phosphorous include bones, fish, organ meats, egg yolks (not whites) and dairy products. Grains and vegetables may also contain high levels of phosphorous.
A 10-lb. dog should have 68 to 182 mg of phosphorous a day and a 50-lb. dog should have 340 to 900 mg a day. The further advanced the kidney diease is, the less phosphorous your dog should have.
Fats
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Fat is a good source of calories for your dog without a lot of phosphorous. You should increase fats slowly so that the body can adjust itself to digesting it, and to avoid the possibility of developing pancreatitis, says Dog Aware.
When looking for meats to include in your dog's diet you should use hamburger meat with the highest fat count that you can find, along with lamb meat, pork and the dark meat of chicken and turkey. If you are using chicken or turkey, keep the skin attached to include more fat in the diet.
Supplements
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Vet Info states that fish oil supplements may be beneficial to use in a diet for dogs with kidney failure. Ten mg of fish oil per 10 lbs. of dog is the recommended amount.
Other supplements that may be helpful include vitamin C, vitamin B-complex, iron and coenzyme Q-10.
Water
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Your dog should drink as much clean, distilled water as possible. Tap water includes toxins which will make your dog's kidneys work harder. Using distilled water is the best option, according to Canine Kidney Health. You can also use reverse osmosis or a carbon filter to clean the water of toxins.
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