Diet for Kidney Disease


Diet for Kidney Disease
My dog is 13 yrs. old and needs a dog food low in protein,phosphours and sodium because of kidney disease. Can you recommend a brand name for me?
The kidneys are responsible for cleansing the blood of waste products. It accomplishes this by filtering all materials from the water in the blood, then reabsorbing the useful and needed molecules. Protein molecules are large, and difficult for the kidney to handle, especially in a diseased condition. Phosphorus and sodium are ions which are carefully regulated by the kidney. The more ions, the harder a kidney has to work, and diseased kidneys need to rest to repair their problem. Diets lower in protien, phosporus and sodium reduce the labor load on a kidney. Proein is necessary for many of the body's normal functions, including growth and repair of muscles, skin and organs. A diet too low in protein, or with an imballance of amino acids which make up protein, is unhealthy and will cause the dog to weaken and loose weight. Sodium and phosporus are also necessary for normal body function, and must be included in a dog's normal diet, even with kidney disease. Therefore, a balanced diet with as low as possible protein, phosporus and sodium still maintaining the body's minimum requirements is the best diet for a dog with kidney disease. With such a fine line keeping these nutrients as low as possible for the kidneys, but still providing sufficient nutrition, a scientifically formulated, professionally produced product is preferred over homemade diets. The government issues guidelines and regulates the minimum contents of commercial dog foods available over the counter at pet shops. Only prescription diets can offer the lower protein, sodium and phosporus especially made for dogs with kidney disease. Hills makes K/D diet and Purina makes CNM Kidney diet. Both are excellent choices for dogs with renal failure or other kidney disease. Both are available only from veterinarians, for they are prescription diets. It is necessary to have a proper diagnosis and prescription for these diets because healthy dogs may have problems if fed a kidney disease diet when they have healthy kidneys.
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The kidneys are responsible for cleansing the blood of waste products. It accomplishes this by filtering all materials from the water in the blood, then reabsorbing the useful and needed molecules. Protein molecules are large, and difficult for the kidney to handle, especially in a diseased condition. Phosphorus and sodium are ions which are carefully regulated by the kidney. The more ions, the harder a kidney has to work, and diseased kidneys need to rest to repair their problem. Diets lower in protien, phosporus and sodium reduce the labor load on a kidney.

Proein is necessary for many of the body's normal functions, including growth and repair of muscles, skin and organs. A diet too low in protein, or with an imballance of amino acids which make up protein, is unhealthy and will cause the dog to weaken and loose weight. Sodium and phosporus are also necessary for normal body function, and must be included in a dog's normal diet, even with kidney disease. Therefore, a balanced diet with as low as possible protein, phosporus and sodium still maintaining the body's minimum requirements is the best diet for a dog with kidney disease. With such a fine line keeping these nutrients as low as possible for the kidneys, but still providing sufficient nutrition, a scientifically formulated, professionally produced product is preferred over homemade diets.

The government issues guidelines and regulates the minimum contents of commercial dog foods available over the counter at pet shops. Only prescription diets can offer the lower protein, sodium and phosporus especially made for dogs with kidney disease. Hills makes K/D diet and Purina makes CNM Kidney diet. Both are excellent choices for dogs with renal failure or other kidney disease. Both are available only from veterinarians, for they are prescription diets. It is necessary to have a proper diagnosis and prescription for these diets because healthy dogs may have problems if fed a kidney disease diet when they have healthy kidneys.

Diet for Kidney Disease

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