Dog owners want the best for their four-legged friends. With the irregularity of life, unfortunately, even the healthiest dog today can become ill tomorrow. One of the fatal conditions your dog might have to deal with is kidney disease. Although common in senior dogs, renal conditions affect dogs of all ages.
The diet you give a dog suffering from a renal disease is a significant determinant of the course of the condition. Low-protein dog food should form the cornerstone of your dog’s new diet. Protein restriction will slow the condition’s progression and reduce most of the symptoms associated with kidney disease.
Here are the other constituents you should consider in your dog’s food.
Minerals
Potassium, sodium, calcium and phosphorous are the minerals you should pay attention to in diets for canines with kidney disease. Phosphorous is low in these diets since the renal condition leads to retention of phosphorous.
Sodium restriction also prevents the development of hypertension. Potassium and calcium may be increased, decreased or remain normal depending on your dog’s response to kidney disease.
Vitamins
In renal disease, your dog has an increased urine volume and consequently a heightened loss of water-soluble vitamins. The loss of water-soluble vitamins contributes to anorexia. As such, the dog’s diet should contain an increased level of these vitamins including vitamins C and B.
Fat
Foods designed for dogs with renal conditions have increased dietary fats. This compensates for the reduced protein intake and makes the food palatable for your pet. The fats also contain a higher energy density compared with proteins, and thus your animal can eat less and still meet their energy demands.
With the info above, some pet owners might think it is easy to formulate a balanced homemade recipe for their dog. This is however not the case as one needs proper research to get the precise levels of these constituents. Choosing a reputable dog food brand is, therefore, your best choice.
