Diet for dog with Kidney Failure - Answered by Dr. Slome

[LisaN]

I'm here as a last attempt at this guys.

As some of you may remember my dog was diangnosed with kidney failure in early July. Since then he went uphill after putting him on IV drip treatment for 3 days. He gained half a pound (which was fantastic!) but lately his appetite has went from acceptable to nothing. He has been on a rice/hamburger/ketchup diet since he last lost interest in the baked potato/rice diet (a week or so). Now, he refuses to eat anything. I've tried everything...most recently boiled chicken breast which he sniffed and stuck his nose away from (he used to gobble it up).

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could give him? I'm desperate. He is on a naturalpathic pill and a naturalpathic liquid for his kidneys...as well as some pricey pills for his sore mouth as well as 65CC's of plasma (same as the IV drip was) every third day (he absolutly hates it, cries and cries when we give it to him). If you know of anything that might help please let me know. Thank you!

Lisa

[Pachiz]

Does he eat regular dog food? I don't know that the protein in the chicken and other meat it good for him. He should be getting at little protein as possible.

If he'll eat dog food, then Hill's k/d (kidney diet) or Medi-Cal Reduced Protien, or I dunno if Waltham's has a canine version of their Selected Protein, but you chould check. It's pricey, but it's probably the best he can get, and you can get both canned and kibble.

Pachiz

[LisaN]

He was on Waltham's after coming from the vet's, but quickly went off of that. Was back to Rollover (his normal diet) because we couldn't get him to eat anything else. Then the vet suggested the rice and hamburger diet...which he loved for the past few weeks.

Thank you for your suggestions, however I'm afraid that this is the end of the road for him. We're putting him down tomorrow.

Again, thank you.

[Carina]

Lisa, I'm sorry.

[Pachiz]

Me too, I'm so sorry.

Pachiz

[Wacky]

I hate to be a "me too"er, but I'm sorry for your loss.

[petdr]

Lisa I guess the question I would have for you is how the veterinarian diagnosed the kidney failure.... was it by doing blood tests?? If so he should have told you whether it was end stage (chronic) kidney failure with a poor prognosis, or was it a more recent type kidney failure ( acute) with a guarded but sometimes reasonable prognosis. If it was the former, you should have been informed about the high chance of reoccurrence and the poor potential remaining quality life. The other information you are providing does not indicate he is on any type of a kidney maintenance diet. Were you not advised that he needs to stay on a prescription low protein diet.

You will need to have your pet's blood rechecked for signs of kidney failure relapse. This may very well be happening based on what I regard as a poor diet for kidney disease maintenance, or because of the longstanding nature of the disease. If it is chronic kidney disease, euthanasia, however sad and devastating it may be, may be the final act of kindness you can show your pet by ending a protracted and miserable end to his/her life.

Martin Slome DVM

Centre Street Animal Hospital
7700 Bathurst Street Units, 40-42
Thornhill
Ontario
L4J 7Y3

Tel. (905) 771-9855

[LisaN]

Hi guys, was looking through my stuff and came upon this once again.

Dr. Slome
He was diagnosed with kidney failure by blood tests, and it was chronic. We were given several cans of Waltham's for him after coming home from the vets, but having not been on soft dog food in his entire life he quickly decided not to eat. It'd turn rock hard in his dish, and he wouldn't gobble half a can up as he had at first. We tried other things, believe me. We went to store after store buying anything that had a low phosphorus, low protein percentage. Most of this came in soft dog food, which he took one sniff at and quickly dismissed it as edible (anyone interested in at least 10 cans of probably already disposed dog food? never touched ). We found some hard dog food as well, which he did like, but his gums were getting sore and his teeth were pretty much shot as to chewing. He'd never had the best teeth.

We went to the vet again, desperate for anything, and she, herself, suggested the rice/hamburger/ketchup diet. He's a very picky eater, and in the end we were just focused on getting him to eat. I'd rather have lost him in the end to kidney failure rather than starvation. Him eating in general was a great plus.

He relapsed after 2 months. I agree, probably because of the poor kidney diet, but when he doesn't eat you can't just go 'he doesn't eat the perscribed food he can't have anything'. The vet suggested it, we went upon it, and he was fine for at least 3 weeks on it. Happy, joyful...back to his old self. When he relapsed he lost interest for everyhting. I found myself crying beside him outside (I put him on a blanket outside...he liked it better than inside) trying to make him eat. We tried baby food upon another suggestion, which he wouldn't eat even if attempted to be force fed. He was just terrible. We put him down the next day.

I think what helped him through the two months was the fact he was on a couple naturalpathic remedies for kidney failure. The vets had only expected him to live not longer than a week after the IV meds, and were even skeptical that he'd respond. He did, and he lasted 2 months. Everytime we went to the vets they'd say 'wow he looks so good I can't believe it!' He gained half a pound, a lot for a little dog with that kind of condition and an appetite like his.

Looking back I don't think I'd have done everything different. He enjoyed a whole summer, played, swam...but when he relapsed he hit rock bottom. Your right, Dr., it's a brutally hard decision. I went into the vets office and I cried my eyes out. He kept looking at me with his big sad eyes and I'd cry all over again. Eventually I just handed him off, gave him a kiss, and thanked the vet for everything. I couldn't bear watch him go.

Thank you for the incite, however. I do understand that he was to be on a low protein (more importantly low phosphorus) diet. I have pages of research on it...I tried to follow best I could. The diet's what really made it hard though, a picky dog and a specific diet really made out for the worse.