Kidney Diet

Protein Diet Kidney and Canine Low Protein

Kidney diet can be extremely important. If your dog has been diagnosed having impaired kidney function, feeding some kind of dog renal diet is a cornerstone of the treatment.

In dogs having kidney diseases impacting on the renal function the most important nutritional factors are:

• Energy
• Protein
• Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
• Phosphate Restriction

Energy

Sufficient energy should be provided in the food. If not, the body tends to breakdown own protein in order to generate energy. This will put an extra work om the liver and the increase urea level in the body.

Energy from carbohydrates and fat will be preferable.

Fat contains a lot of energy and a lot of fat in renal diets increase energy density. Less food is needed in order to maintain the body energy needs. This decreases the tendency of vomiting and nausea

Protein

Too little protein in kidney diets would be the same as starving. The body will try to generate amino acids breaking down body protein. This is not good

Too much protein will on the other hand generate lots of metabolites from the not needed protein putting stress on the whole body. You could see vomiting, bad smell from the mouth and bleeding gums.

Both will increase early dying.

Feeding the just needed amount of protein to maintain the body makes god sense. Your dog feel a lot better, even if sick.

Just by feeding the right diet.

In humans and rats feeding too much protein can increase the progression in renal impairment. This is not evident in dogs.

Omega 3 and 6

Omega 3 do a lot of positive things. These will reduce negative reactions in the kidneys slowing down the progression of the disease.

Please be aware that this effect has only been seen in fish oil supplements. Not in Omega fats from vegetable origin.

Most Kidney Dog Foods contain extra of these fatty acids.

Phosphate Restriction

Diets for dogs with kidney diseases contain less phosphate. This has shown to slow down the progression of the disease.

Another benefit is less calcium is released from the bones.

This (at least in theory) can lead to bone pain and lumps of calcium deposits in the body. This is rare and not often seen.