Kidney failure in dogs is a relatively common he alth problem, especially in individuals of old age, although it can also appear in young dogs that present a serious pathology, as is the case of leishmaniasis in dogs. The disease can affect a single kidney or both, as well as manifest suddenly, acutely or chronically. It appears when the excretory system is not able to properly filter the blood and eliminate waste substances.
These animals will need regular veterinary monitoring, receive specialized pharmacology and adapt their diet, which must also be of high quality. Although on our site we have already discussed in general how a dog with kidney failure should be fed, in this article we will talk about the homemade diet for dog kidney failure
Precautions for home feeding for dogs with kidney failure
Before starting, it is essential to point out that only the veterinarian can prescribe a homemade diet for our dog, especially if we are talking about a dog who has serious he alth problems, such as kidney failure. In no case will we prepare long-term diets without having veterinary knowledge or the approval of the specialist who follows the evolution of our dog.
The foods that we will include in the homemade diet for dogs with kidney failure must be carefully selected, in addition, they must be adapted to the specific individual, taking into account your state of he alth, age, weight or level of physical activity among others. Not paying attention to these details can cause kidney disease to worsen, as well as the appearance of nutritional deficiencies in the dog.
If you don't have time or money to visit a veterinarian specialized in nutrition, we recommend that you opt for a kidney food for dogs of veterinary prescription. In the market you will find various brands that offer this type of product. However, it is very likely that the specialist in charge of your case will recommend that you alternate this type of food with specific wet food for dogs with kidney failure or specific homemade diets, that we will offer only occasionally.
Basic rules for feeding dogs with kidney failure
The veterinarian will guide you so that you know how to approach the homemade diet for dogs with kidney failure, however, we want to remind you of some of the basic and essential rules that we must take into account when our dog has kidney disease:
- Hydration: A dog with kidney problems needs to drink much more water to eliminate the same amount of toxins as a he althy dog. This point is very important to keep in mind, so there should never be a shortage of water within reach. In the most severe cases of dehydration, serum should be administered orally, subcutaneously or intravenously. Also, taking into account that he will drink more water, we must offer him more opportunities to urinate, taking more walks, even if they are shorter.
- Wet food: unlike dry feed, homemade food and wet food offer a greater supply of water, so It is usually more beneficial for cases of renal insufficiency. Likewise, it is considered a more palatable food, that is, more appetizing, which will improve your mood.
- Avoid s alt: although we should never offer s alty food to our dog, in the case of dogs with kidney failure this is a condiment that must be totally restricted. It can cause very severe damage to your body such as vomiting, diarrhea, fluid retention, excessive thirst, kidney damage and mild intoxication.
- Reduce protein intake: in cases of kidney disease, protein intake should be lower, however, it will be essential that the proteins provided are of high quality.
- Avoid Phosphorus: Like protein, phosphorus damages the kidney and can cause it to build up scar tissue. We must avoid the consumption of any food that contains it.
- Increases lipid intake: it is very common for dogs with kidney failure to suffer from loss of appetite, so it is important to increase intake of lipids as much as possible, yes, as with proteins, we should always offer he althy fats.
Ingredients of the homemade diet for dogs with kidney failure
Next we will mention some foods that we can use to prepare our homemade diet for dogs with kidney failure. We have selected a variety of meat and fish, fruits and vegetables and some extras that can also be beneficial. Remember that these ingredients are offered in specific quantities, taking into account the appropriate proportion required by each individual. All this must be indicated by our trusted veterinarian.
Meat and fish for dogs with kidney failure
While dogs with kidney failure should moderate their protein intake, protein should never be completely eliminated from their diet We will follow the advice veterinarians and we will bet on high quality meat and fish. The most recommended are:
- Pork
- Veal
- Lamb
- Goat
- Horse
- Beef
- Salmon
- Anchovy
- Herring
- Nice
- Sardine
- Mackerel
Fruits and vegetables for dogs with kidney failure
There are many recommended fruits and vegetables for dogs that we can include in your dog's homemade kidney failure diet, which will help us provide he althy amounts of fiber, water, vitamins and minerals. Some of them can be:
- Cucumber
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Jewish
- Green peas
- Turnip
- Radish
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
- Carrot
- Pear
- Apple
- Watermelon
- Peach
Vitamins for dogs with kidney failure
Some dogs are deficient in certain vitamins or minerals, directly caused by kidney failure. In these cases, our veterinarian will explain how we can supplement these deficiencies. The use of multivitamins or supplements present in food are some options.
Additional features
Dogs with kidney failure experience high levels of phosphorus in their blood, which decreases their calcium intakeLikewise, they should also receive extra good fats recommended for dogs. Thus, some examples to enrich your diet can be:
- Fish oil
- Sunflower oil
- Corn oil
- Virgin olive oil
- Cooked white rice
- Calcium carbonate
- Eggshell
Recipes for dogs with kidney failure
Below we offer you two he althy, easy and quick ideas to make homemade recipes that can fit into the diet of a dog with kidney failure, one with meat and the other with fish:
1. Meat recipe for dogs with kidney failure
Below we offer you an example of a recipe for dogs with kidney failure, in this case we have chosen beef, however, you can substitute it for some of the aforementioned:
Ingredients:
- 60 gr of white rice
- 75 gr of beef
- 20 gr. chicken liver
- 15 gr of carrots
- 15 gr of broccoli
- 1 g of calcium carbonate
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Preparation:
- Put water on the heat and when it starts to boil add the rice. The approximate cooking time is 20 minutes, so while it starts to cook, we are going to advance with the rest of the ingredients.
- Clean and dice the vegetables, meat and liver.
- Halfway through cooking, after 10 minutes, also bring the vegetables to a boil. We will add the meat and liver only 5 minutes before turning off the heat.
- Once everything is cooked, all that remains is to strain the ingredients (avoid the white foam that may have been generated), add the calcium carbonate (you can also use crushed eggshell) and leave cool down the whole assembly.
- You can finish with a small teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
two. Fish recipe for dogs with kidney failure
To prepare this example of a recipe for dogs with kidney failure we have used anchovies, however, as in the previous case, you can substitute the ingredients for others:
Ingredients:
- 60 gr of white rice
- 75 gr anchovies
- 20 gr cabbage
- 10 g apple
- 1 g of calcium carbonate
- 1 teaspoon salmon oil
Preparation:
- Bring the water to a boil and once it comes to a boil, add the rice. Remember that the cooking time is 20 minutes. In the meantime, let's prepare the other ingredients.
- Clean and chop the anchovies, aubergine and pear.
- After 5 minutes, add the vegetables and anchovies.
- When finished, remember to strain the ingredients and add the calcium carbonate and the teaspoon of salmon oil, they love it!
Homemade treats for dogs with kidney failure
If you are one of those who offers homemade treats to your dog, don't worry, on our site we explain how to make treats for dogs suffering from kidney failure.
Dehydrated Liver Awards
- Bring the liver fillets to a boil for 10 minutes.
- Take out the cooked liver, wash it, then put it in a colander to remove the water.
- Cut the liver into thin strips or dice, as you prefer.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Prepare a tray with aluminum foil and add the liver pieces.
- Wait approximately 20 minutes until the liver is completely hard.
- Let it cool and it's ready to serve.
Dried carrot prizes
- Cut the carrot into small strips or dice, as you prefer.
- Preheat the oven to 80 degrees.
- Prepare a tray with aluminum foil and add the cut carrot.
- Leave the oven door ajar to remove moisture from the carrot.
- Wait about two hours until the carrot has removed the moisture.
- Let it cool and it's ready to serve.
