Kidney disease in dogs is a very serious issue that warrants a trip to the vet as soon as possible. If you think that you can do research and treat your pet with a commercial diet formulated for kidney disease and a few over-the-counter remedies, you are very wrong! Your vet will discuss treatments and diets with you, but this homemade dog food for kidney failure recipe may be a good place to start.
Your veterinarian may even recommend that you work with a canine nutritionist to create a customized diet that will give your dog with kidney problems the nutrition he needs.
Kidneys help to filter out waste from the body by excreting it as urine. They also aid in maintaining normal concentrations of salt and water in the body. Kidneys help in controlling calcium metabolism and blood pressure. They also assist the body in sustaining phosphorous levels. Obviously, if your dog's kidneys are failing it is a major problem.
ASK A VET: How to Feed Dogs With Renal Disease and Kidney Problems
Signs of kidney disease include, but are not limited to:
- increased water intake
- increased urine output
- decreased urine output
- secreting urine while sleeping
- blood in the urine
- decrease in appetite
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- unexplained weight loss
- hunched over posture
If your dog has been diagnosed with kidney disease, then you know that diet is a large part of the treatment regiment. Variables like your dog's age, weight, activity level, and the stage of his kidney disease will all be factors in the type of diet that he will need. Other conditions like upset/sensitive stomach should also be accounted for.
You need to consult with a vet or canine nutritionist before switching your dog to a kidney-friendly diet.
The professional that you work with will likely recommend either a low protein homemade dog food diet or some low protein dog food brands that are lower levels of phosphorus that is made with high quality proteins. When a dog digests protein, there is nitrogen left behind, and kidneys work to filter out the nitrogen. It's why low protein food is best.
Furthermore, a higher quality protein will leave behind less nitrogen, so it's important to choose the protein source wisely when making this homemade dog food for kidney failure recipe or a specific low protein homemade dog food. Just remember that the amount of protein to include in your dog's food will vary depending on the stage of his kidney failure.
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Homemade Dog Food for Kidney Failure Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 boiled egg
- 2 cups white rice
- 1/4 lb. LEAN raw hamburg
- 3 slices of white bread
- 3/4 tsp. calcium carbonate (powder form or crushed pills)
Directions
You'll need to cook the rice and hamburg before putting this homemade dog food for kidney failure recipe together. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packaging. You can cook the hamburg any way you like.
As I explain in my video, you need to purchase the leanest hamburg that you can find. I used 95% lean. Since the meat is so lean, you'll need to add some oil to the pan if you choose to fry it. I used 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, as it is a very beneficial supplement for dogs.
Tear the 3 slices of bread into pieces and chop the boiled egg. The last ingredient is calcium carbonate. This supplement comes in powder form, but I had trouble finding it. Our pharmacist explained to me that calcium carbonate is often sold in pill form, but the bottle only says calcium on the front label.
This is because the calcium carbonate needs to be mixed with other ingredients to stay in pill form. Look for a bottle with Calcium on the front label and then turn it around. If the ingredient list says “Calcium as calcium carbonate,” that's what you want. You'll just have to crush the pills into powder before adding them to the dog food.
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Once you've prepared all the ingredients, all you have to do is mix them together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. You can feed to your dog immediately, as long as it is cool. Save the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
For long-term storage, you can freeze the food in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to two months. Feeding guidelines for this diet are:
- 5 pounds feed 1/4 pound
- 10 pounds feed 1/2 pound
- 20 pounds feed 1 pound
- 40 pounds feed 1 1/2 pounds
- 60 pounds feed 2 pounds
- 80 pounds feed 2 1/2 pounds
- 100 pounds feed 3 pounds
Remember, this diet is not going to be right for all dogs in kidney failure. Be sure to talk to your vet or a canine nutritionist before switching your dog's diet. Overall, many pet owners have seen good results with this kidney dog food recipe, and they've also saved more money even over cheap dog food brands.
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