Kidney Disease Compliant Dog Food

No dog food can cure canine kidney disease (sometimes called ‘renal disease’) and kidney disease prescription diets cannot prevent kidney disease either. So why bother with expensive prescription dog food?


I’m not trying to lower your hopes; I’m merely trying to tell you what kidney disease compliant dog food CAN do! When your dog’s kidney function has diminished it is crucial to select the right dog food that will relief the burden of his kidneys. Special dog food may not CURE your dog but it will for sure make the remainder of his life a lot better! Once your dog get’s a kidney diet prescription, he will require special dog food for the rest of his life.

Kidney prescription dog food diet both extend and improve the quality of life in dogs with renal disease

Low Protein Levels Characterize Kidney Disease Dog Food

Kidney disease dog food therefore should have a lower protein percentage but the protein in the dog food should be of high bio-availability.

Carbohydrates and fat are ‘clean fuels’ for the body. When burned for energy, carbon dioxide and water are formed which leave the body by breathing out and urinating. This is not the case for proteins as urea is formed.

High protein diets do NOT cause kidney disease; this is a myth!

Signs of Canine Kidney Disease

Whenever you recognize the following symptoms in your tail-wagger, please go and visit a veterinarian.

• More frequent urinating and hence more water intake

• Lowered appetite (because the dog feels very sick, he is not in the mood to eat)

• Poor condition

• Weight loss

Because dogs with canine kidney disease don’t feel like eating and because a low protein diet is not very tasty (proteins and fats are what make the food palatable to dogs) it can be hard to get your sick dog to eat. Dog food manufacturers have to pay attention to this fact when creating recipes for kidney patients. Also the food needs to be very concentrated nutrition-wise, in order for a dog with a low appetite to eat enough to support his energy and nutrient requirements.

Every regular dog treat can disturb the protein levels. You may give this to do your dog (with renal failure) a favor but it actually makes him sicker.

Summary of Kidney Disease Dog Food Characteristics

• Low protein level

• Protein has high bio-availability: Ensures less waste.

• Increased vitamin D3 levels: As vitamin D2 is activated to vitamin D3 in healthy kidneys, dogs with kidney disease require a higher dose of vitamin D3 in their food.

• Lowered phosphoros levels: The kidney patient’s body retains too much potassium and phosphoros, which results in a disbalance between potassium and calcium.

• Increased calcium levels: Vitamin D promotes resorption of calcium from the food in your dog’s intestines. A lowered vitamin D level results in a lower calcium blood level. This leads to calcium mobilization in bone tissue. When this is not accounted for in an altered dog food diet, your dog risks bone fractures.