It was once thought that a dog with a kidney infection needed a low-protein diet, but according to Kenneth C. Bovee's review of two separate studies, dog with a kidney infection do not need a low-protein diet. It was found that dogs that were fed a reduced-protein diet had a reduction in the BUN (blood urea nitrogen) numbers, but, on the downside, that the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the renal plasma flow were reduced.
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Test Results
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Review the test results with your vet. Unless the dog is uremic, no change in the amount of protein is needed. If the test results show only kidney disease, switch the dog to a raw or cooked diet. The raw diet is better, as the dog will get more nutrients from raw meat than it will from cooked meat Cooking destroys some of the nutrients in the meat. Taurine is a specific nutrient that is sensitive to heat.
Goals
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The goal to feed a dog with kidney failure is to create a diet with moderate to high fat, which provides low-phosphorus calories. Dogs with kidney failure should be on a low-phosphorus diet. For dogs prone to pancreatitis, or dogs that are overweight, the fat amount needs to be closer to moderate. Lean meats, such as venison and chicken, should be fed in conjunction with pork, beef and other fattier meats. When chicken is used, remove the skin and excess fat 50 percent of the time. The dog still needs fat in its diet, and will receive it, but not as much as if it did not have to be on a special diet.
Additional Foods
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Watch the salt intake, especially if the kidney disease is coupled with high blood pressure. Things such as eggs, whole milk yogurt and cottage cheese should be severely moderated, as while these foods are fatty, they are also high in phosphorus. You might feed the dog one egg every couple of weeks.
Avoid vegetable oils and food cooked in vegetable oils, as vegetable oil contains omega-6 fatty acids. These are inflammatory and, even for a healthy dog, are not nutritious for the dog. According to dogaware.com, foods with omega-6 fatty acids may be harmful to dogs with kidney disease.
If you must use oils--many people feed a type of oil for coat and skin care--use fish oil, but not cod liver oil. Flax seed oil is also filled with omega-3 fatty acids, but many dogs are allergic to or have intolerance to flax seed oil, as it is plant based.
Carbohydrates provide no nutritional value to dogs, but if you need to further reduce the amount of phosphorus--which means reducing the amount of meat fed--you can use them as a filler. The best carbohydrates to use are sweet potatoes, winter squash or pasta. If your dog has grain allergies or intolerance to grains (this is common), be sure to choose carbohydrates without that particular grain (i.e. wheat).
Vegetables
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If you choose to feed vegetables--some people do, as their dog enjoys vegetables--make sure you puree raw vegetables or cook the vegetables until they are extremely soft. Dogs cannot break down vegetables and absorb the nutrients in them, as their carnivorous system was not designed to eat vegetables. Stay away from vegetables that are natural diuretics, such as celery, parsley and dandelion greens.
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