If your four-legged family member is grappling with kidney disease, your heart is likely filled with concern and uncertainty. Diet has an enormous effect on the progression of canine kidney disease since the kidneys play a role in processing food and nutrients in your dog’s body. Fortunately, with careful planning and the right recipes, you can support your dog's kidney function and improve their quality of life. This article provides a comprehensive guide to homemade canine kidney diet recipes, offering insights into nutritional considerations, sample recipes, and essential tips for managing your dog's condition through diet.
Understanding Canine Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is a life-changing condition that can significantly impact the well-being of your canine companion. When the kidneys aren't functioning optimally, they can't effectively filter waste products from the blood. There are two main types of kidney disease in dogs:
- Acute Kidney Disease: This form of kidney failure happens suddenly, often due to ingestion of toxic substances like antifreeze, certain medications, or poisonous plants.
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): This is the more insidious form that develops over time, often due to aging or a long-term untreated illness.
Recognizing the Symptoms
While kidney disease can be somewhat of a silent villain, there are telltale signs you can watch for. Early detection is vital for effective management. These symptoms could indicate other issues too, so consult a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis:
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Changes in urination patterns
Untreated kidney disease can lead to irreversible damage and a significant decline in your dog's quality of life. Dogs with kidney disease often experience fatigue, lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, and may suffer from debilitating symptoms like constant nausea.
Dietary Principles for Canine Kidney Disease
A properly designed meal plan for a dog with kidney disease typically focuses on reducing the workload on the kidneys, lowering the volume of wastes they have to filter. Key dietary considerations include:
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- Protein: Contrary to general belief, protein isn't the enemy here. It's about quality, not quantity. A dog with renal disease still needs protein, but you should avoid feeding high-protein diets like raw diets. You should feed a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily (more is fine as long as your dog does not have protein in the urine). This measurement is from a nutritional analysis, as shown in the tables above and below, not grams of meat.
- Fat: Like protein, fat is still necessary for your dog to get proper nutrition, even if they have renal disease. You don’t need to cut fat out of your dog’s diet entirely, but vets do recommend reducing your dog’s fat intake following a kidney disease diagnosis. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oils and flaxseeds, have shown promise in reducing kidney inflammation.
- Phosphorus: By reducing your dog’s protein intake, you’ll naturally be reducing their phosphorus intake, too, which has been shown to help slow the disease progression of canine kidney disease. Phosphorus restriction varies according to the degree of kidney disease. For early stage, 20 mg phosphorus per pound of body weight daily is a good goal. For dogs with elevated phosphorus, or late stage kidney disease (creatinine over about 4.0 mg/dL, or 354 µmol/L), this should be reduced to 11 mg per pound. For lowest phosphorus, use high fat meats, such as lamb, pork, and high fat hamburger, but it is also good to include some heart in the diet. Dark meat chicken and turkey are higher fat than light meat, and the skin is where most of the fat resides, so include it if possible when you feed chicken and turkey. Tripe can be used in this category, it is lower in phosphorus than most meats. It is OK to use more eggs and egg whites (use a ratio of one or more egg whites to each whole egg) in place of some of the meat. Small amounts of high fat cottage cheese and canned fish (Jack Mackerel, Pink Salmon or Sardines packed in water -- drain and rinse the fish if sodium is a concern) are also OK, but do not use cottage cheese if your dog has high blood pressure.
- Sodium: Salty foods and added sodium are a no-go for dogs with renal disease. In particular, you should avoid feeding your dog scraps of human food, since our foods contain a lot of added salt.
- Oxalates: Oxalates are known to contribute to the formation of kidney stones, which can be extremely painful and dangerous for dogs with kidney disease.
- Minerals: A balance of minerals is essential.
- Hydration: Proper hydration is non-negotiable when it comes to kidney disease. Kidneys rely on a good balance of water to flush out toxins. Here's where a diet high in moisture content can be a game-changer, aiding in hydration and making the job easier for compromised kidneys. A common symptom of kidney disease is excessive urination and improper flushing of toxins by the kidneys. In other words, your dog will likely need to pee more, but they’ll be flushing less of the “bad stuff” and more hydration.
Why Choose Homemade?
Crafting your pet's meals from scratch allows you to monitor the ingredients carefully. Plus, feeding your dog a homemade meal means you're avoiding artificial additives that are commonly found in commercial dog foods. However, feeding homemade food for dogs with kidney disease is far from simple. Creating a tailored, balanced diet for a pet with kidney issues is no small feat, and even a minor oversight can exacerbate your pet's condition.
Essential Supplements
- Fish Oil: While it’s important not to give your dog with kidney disease too much fat, omega-3 fatty acids specifically are excellent for dogs with renal disease. Omega-3s help to reduce inflammation and slow kidney disease progression. You should give fish oil (body oil, not liver oil) that provides up to 30 mg EPA+DHA combined per pound of your dog's body weight daily. That's the amount found in most 1-gram fish oil gelcaps, though concentrated products have more, and a few brands have less. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil help protect the kidneys and are one of the best things you can do for a dog with kidney problems.
- Calcium: YOU MUST ADD 1/2 TEASPOON GROUND EGGSHELL (or 1,000 mg plain calcium) PER POUND OF FOOD FED TO EACH MEAL. This is so the calcium will act as a phosphorus binder, not just to balance out the calcium:phosphorus ratio. Do not add calcium if it is elevated in your dog's blood work (ask your vet about using other calcium binders instead). If you do not want to use ground eggshell, you can use other forms of calcium instead (see Phosphate Binders for more information). Never use bone meal as a source of calcium, as it contains high amounts of phosphorus.
- Vitamin B-Complex, C and E: Other supplements that may be helpful are Vitamin B-Complex, and small amounts of Vitamins C and E. Don't add Vitamin D (or cod liver oil) beyond minimum amounts to dogs with kidney problems unless directed to by your vet. It is also best to avoid supplementing with large amounts of Vitamin A as well unless in the form of beta carotene. You can also add small amounts of kelp and alfalfa, or something like Berte's Green Blend. These supplements should be used sparingly, as kelp contains sodium and alfalfa can act as a natural diuretic. Using them once or twice a week may be preferable to daily, especially if your dog has moderate to severe kidney disease, or has high blood pressure.
Sample Homemade Kidney Diet Recipes
Here are a few sample recipes to get you started. Remember to consult with your veterinarian to adjust these recipes based on your dog's specific needs and condition.
Recipe 1: Chicken and Rice Delight
- Ingredients:
- Boiled chicken (no salt added)
- Cooked rice
- Steamed carrots
- Instructions:
- Boil the chicken in water without adding salt.
- Cook the rice and steam the carrots.
- Mix all ingredients and serve.
Recipe 2: Beef and Squash Medley
- Ingredients:
- Lean ground beef
- Cooked squash
- Broccoli
- Instructions:
- Cook the ground beef in a non-stick pan until brown.
- Cook the rice by following the package instructions (e.g.
- While the rice is cooking, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes until squash is just barely fork tender.
- Once all ingredients have cooled slightly, combine ⅓ of the beef, half of the squash, and half of the broccoli in a large blender.
- In the same frying pan you used to cook the beef, heat coconut oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the puree to the rice mixture.
- Taste for seasoning - try to avoid adding any salt but you may need to add a bit of flavouring. This is why I use the garlic powder.
- Hoping your own fido patient love this as much as Ben.
- Serve in 1/2 cup measures 4-5 times per day.
Recipe 3: Fish and Sweet Potato Bowl
- Ingredients:
- Cooked fish (e.g., cod, salmon)
- Mashed sweet potato
- Instructions:
- Cook the fish thoroughly.
- Boil the sweet potato until soft and mash it.
- Combine and serve.
Additional Recipe Considerations
- As a general guideline for dog with early-stage kidney disease, who does not have protein in the urine, you want to feed about half meat and half low phosphorus grains, pasta and veggies, with additional eggs and egg whites, small amounts of liver and kidney, and small amounts of high fat, low phosphorus extras like butter, whole milk yogurt, and heavy whipping cream, as long as your dog has no problems tolerating fat. The percentage of meat should decrease, and the percentage of carbohydrates should increase, for dogs with moderate kidney disease in order to reduce phosphorus levels still further.
- Here is a sample diet for a 40 lb dog. Amounts shown are for about one pound (two cups) of food, plus a couple of extras, which should be about right for an inactive 35 to 40 lb dog, though individual dogs will vary. Note that 8 ounces by weight is approximately 1 cup of food, but this will vary depending on how tightly packed the food is. Compare the mg of phosphorus per 100 kcals (73) to the amount in Hill's k/d (57) and notice that there is very little more phosphorus in this diet while providing much more (and higher quality) protein, which is beneficial for dogs with kidney disease as long as phosphorus is limited. Note that the meats in this diet are raw. If you prefer to cook the meats, the nutritional values will change somewhat based on how it is cooked and whether you preserve the fat.
- There are additional sample recipes for dogs of various sizes in the K9KidneyDiet Files section, but you'll need to join the group in order to access them.
- This diet can be fed cooked or raw (except for the cereal, rice and sweet potatoes, which should be cooked). If you do cook it, light cooking is better than overcooking. You can break the diet down into two or three meals a day (you can also feed just one meal a day, but it is supposed to be easier on the kidneys to feed multiple smaller meals). You can mix the foods together, or feed them separately, depending on what your dog prefers and what is easiest for you.
- The diet shown here, for a 40 lb dog, would provide 1.2 grams of protein and 13.8 mg of phosphorus per pound of body weight. For comparison purposes to prescription kidney diets, it is about 0.41% phosphorus on a dry matter basis. As fed, this diet contains 9.9% protein, 10.5% fat, 6.7% carbohydrates, 0.5% fiber, 0.7% ash, and 72.6% moisture (based on the USDA Nutrient Database).
- Feeding a variety of foods is better than feeding just the same thing all the time, both for nutritional purposes, and because your dog will be less likely to tire of the diet, but if there are foods your dog won't eat, it's OK to avoid them. Use only low phosphorus grains and vegetables. You may add the extras (butter, heavy whipping cream and yogurt -- see below) to the grains and veggies for added flavor -- you can also try low or no sodium gravy or broth. Winter squashes are the hard bodied ones, such as Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, and Butternut Squash. You may want to alternate between the suggestions below so that your dog doesn't get tired of always eating the same thing, but it is OK to use only the ones your dog likes.
- Use at least one egg white per each whole egg you feed, for lower phosphorus (most of the phosphorus is in the yolks, but eggs are such nutritious foods that it's good to feed at least some whole eggs). Although these foods are high in phosphorus, they also have a lot of vitamins and nutrients and are good to feed in small amounts. It is not necessary to feed them every day, but don't feed large amounts at one time, as too much can lead to loose stools. Although liver is easier to find, try to include some kidney in the diet if possible. Add low phosphorus, high fat foods for extra flavor and calories without adding much phosphorus. Butter (use real butter, not margarine -- use unsalted if your dog's blood pressure is high) and heavy whipping cream are great for adding flavor to rice, cereal and vegetables, but they're high in fat, so use sparingly. Whole milk yogurt is higher in phosphorus, but is still good for variety in small amounts. Beef fat and bacon grease could also be used, again in very small amounts, to add flavor without too much fat. Be careful when increasing fat in your dog's diet, as too much fat can lead to loose stools and sometimes even pancreatitis, in dogs that are prone to it. Increase amounts gradually, and back off right away if you see signs of problems, such as discomfort after eating, or any vomiting or loose or mucousy stools.
- To reduce phosphorus even further, feed more egg whites and fewer whole eggs, feed less organ meat (liver and kidney), and feed a little more cereal/rice/sweet potatoes and a little less meat. Compare the calories to the amount of phosphorus to look for the lowest phosphorus amounts per calorie -- those marked in green are the best foods for low phosphorus, while those marked in red have the highest amount of phosphorus per calorie. However, they are still important foods to feed for nutritional purposes, unless your dog is in end stage renal failure.
Additional Tips for Managing Canine Kidney Disease
While a nutritionally-optimized diet is a cornerstone in managing kidney disease, comprehensive care involves a few more layers of attention and action.
- Regular Vet Visits: Ongoing veterinary care is essential for monitoring your dog's kidney function and adjusting treatment plans as needed.
- Hydration: Ensure your dog always has access to clean, fresh water.
- Limited Exercise: Intense physical activity can exacerbate kidney issues.
- Environmental Comfort: Stress can be harmful for a dog with kidney disease.
- Medications and Supplements: Your vet may recommend specific medications or supplements to support kidney function.
- Alternative Therapies: Therapies like acupuncture and herbal remedies can sometimes complement conventional treatments for kidney disease.
- Close Observation: Watch for symptoms like lethargy, loss of appetite, or changes in urination patterns.
Commercial Alternatives
If you're not comfortable preparing homemade meals, consider commercially available kidney-support diets. These diets are formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of dogs with kidney disease.
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