Feeding & Supplements for "Bits"

[Zoomom7]

I have "Bits" a young mini aussie  (19 months) who has had kidney issues since birth.  She was diagnosed with CRF - Stage 4 when she was 3 or 4 months old.  Her BUN and Creatinine numbers were as high as the chart would allow.  I began feeding her Hill's K/D (canned) and gave her Standard Process Canine Renal Support as well as famotidine.  She has more energy when I add Azodyl to equation, but it's expensive.  Our vet recommended that I switch to dry Purina NF as its less expensive than the canned food; but after a month on the dry food, Bits' coat is no longer shiny.  I don't think that's a good sign and have switched Bits back to the canned K/D.  So, I'm looking for a less expensive alternative to Azodyl.  I've read that CoQ10 might help and that there are human probiotics with ingredients similar to Azodyl, but I don't know what the dose would be for a 15 lb. dog.  Any advice you care to share would be much appreciated.  Thank you.

[tonyb286]

Hi again. If Bits kidney function is down to 10%, then obviously you know the future isn't bright. It will be very difficult not to prevent the inevitable from happening, and sadly, this may not be too long away. I think you are doing just about everything you can possibly do to help her, and supplementing is unlikely to make much difference at this very late stage. That said, like all loving dog owners, I'm sure you'd try almost anything.

While Bits is eating okay - and drinking okay - then these are good days. Keep to the k/d diet, give a few alternatives now and then (small amounts of potato for energy, cooked chopped cabbage to help prevent stomach ulcers and some plain unsweetened yoghurt to help digestion and the immune system ... even a drop of natural salmon oil and/or honey will help).

Keep us updated with how things go.

Kind regards, Tony

[Zoomom7]

Tony, thank you for all the info.  Bits was the runt in my first (and last!) litter.  She struggled from the very beginning, and the vet and I fought to keep her alive.  Based on her bloodwork, the vet estimates that her kidneys are functioning at approx. 10%.  She has a wonderful appetite; and, for the most part, is a happy dog.  I question myself daily on whether or not I need to add supplements to her diet to help keep her feeling like this for as long as possible.  Unfortunately, my husband was seriously injured shortly after Bits was born so our financial situation doesn't allow me to do everything for her that I would like to do.  I'm trying to choose things that provide the most benefit -- such as the canned K/D over the dry kibble. Thank you again for the link to the info. and for providing the opportunity for people to share their information and learn from each other.

[tonyb286]

Hi. Sounds like you've done so well in keeping your very young dog reasonably healthy, given that she was born with this disease. Now to the tough part ... your vet is wrong, wrong and more wrong. DRY FOOD IS BAD, even for healthy dogs, and so much worse for CKF dogs. You did right in changing back to canned k/d food. Here's all my reasons why dry food should never be given to CKF dogs - please hand a copy to your vet, who should know better. Copy and paste the link into your browser (or open in a new tab so you don't lose your MedHelp page):

http://www.infobarrel.com/Why_Dry_Dog_Food_Is_Bad_For_Dogs

Next, Azodyl is probably the best of the supplements. I know it isn't cheap, and while there is no proof of how effective it is said to be, there are anecdotal stories from contented owners that have used it for their own CKF dogs, apparently with some success. Probiotics are a more complex issue, because there is no real evidence of it doing much good (most yogurt bacteria just never gets beyond the stomach, so cannot be absorbed or become beneficial). There are some probiotics that have been designed to survive into the lower digestive tract, but there remains no evidence even these probiotics help very much. Some say they can help support the immune system, but it's a very contentious claim.

The following article I did may help you decide which, if any, supplements to go for:

http://www.infobarrel.com/Supplements_Useful_For_Kidney_Failure_Dogs

Hope some of that helps. Let us know how you get on.

Tony