We really are faced with a nutritional dilemma when we have to use
a prescription diet for our pet. The quality of these diets definitely
leave much to be desired and the cost is through the roof. Why aren't
there holistic or natural prescription diets available to us? Because
in order to be called a prescription diet used by veterinarians, the
companies have to fund considerable research trials to prove their
diets do what they say the are supposed to do, in their claims.
Many natural/holistic dog food companies simply can't afford to do
this kind of extensive research, and many are new to the dog food
scene. Hills' Science Diet has been around the longest and therefore
is the most used by veterinarians, but we see Eukanuba and Purina
on the scene as well.
We used to have a natural prescription diet called Innovative Veterinary
Diets that I would recommend when asked, it was made by Nature's Recipe
and was available online. But now Royal Canin has purchased the company,
so frankly, there goes the quality and I simply would never recommend
any Royal Canin products to my puppy buyers.
One does have an option if they want to cook a homemade diet, but
it's critical to find a recipe that is equivalent to the prescription
diet you need to be using. Then you can enhance the diet with whole
food vitamins, plant based or ionic mineral, digestive and dietary
enzymes and of course probiotics This can be done to the prescription
diet anyway, I will make some suggestions below.
Supplements Kits to enhance the kidney or prescription diet go to
www.FirstChoiceNaturals.com
and order:
Kit
#17 - Enhancing RX Prescription Diets - OR
Kit
#19 - Kidney/Renal Support
Diet for Renal Failure
(Kidney Failure)
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by Griffin, MD
and Carlson, DVM offer theses two homemade diets for chronic kidney
failure. It states; "It is important to have your vet do special
tests to determine if this ailment is reversible. It is important
in the management of kidney failure to replace salt lost in the urine
by giving them sodium chloride tablets by mouth, to feed a high-quality,
low protein diet and to give vitamin supplements to replace vitamins
lost by the kidneys".
(large batch to divide up for
smaller meals)
1 lb of lean ground beef or lean ground turkey or chicken
4 hard boiled eggs chopped
8 cups of cooked rice - white
12 slices of bread (crumbled)
A balanced vitamin/mineral supplement & sodium chloride tablets
OR You can use Hills Prescription diet k/d
or this homemade diet.
Editorial comment on diet #1.
There are supportive functional foods you can add to this diet to
enhance it but not raise the protein levels. I will make some suggestions
at the end of these recipes. Since you are instructed to use sodium
chloride tablets (discuss with vet for amount, I suspect what is recommended
on the bottle for an adult would be ok for a large/giant breed). I
would also use some regular broth (not low sodium) to make this more
palatable to the dog because it sounds pretty flat in flavor and dry
to eat! I would also offer fruits and veggies in moderation, either
as a treat or part of the food. Berries, carrots are good options
or you can purchase Honest Kitchen Preference - a dehydrated raw fruit/veggie
mix that you could add in moderation to the daily diet once it is
rehydrated.I would be concerned about fiber content so using
50% brown and 50% white rice might be a better idea.
10 cups of cooked rice
4 ounces of oil - vegetable or a healthy mixture
4 large hard boiled eggs
A balanced vitamin/mineral supplement & sodium chloride
tablets
OR you can
use Hills Prescription diet u/d
Editorial comment on diet #2.
Again, there are supportive functional foods you can add to this diet
to enhance it but not raise the protein levels. Since you are instructed
to use sodium chloride tablets (discuss with vet for amount, I suspect
what is recommended on the bottle for an adult would be ok for a large/giant
breed). I would also use some regular broth (not low sodium) to make
this more palatable to the dog because it sounds pretty flat in flavor
and dry to eat! I would also offer fruits and veggies in moderation,
either as a treat or part of the food. Berries, carrots are good options
or you can purchase Honest Kitchen Preference - a dehydrated raw fruit/veggie
mix that you could add in moderation to the daily diet once it is
rehydrated. I would be concerned about fiber content
so using 50% brown and 50% white rice might be a better idea.
Fresh garlic crushed would enhance the flavor of both of these
diets and be good for them and yes it is safe to use contrary to what
you read on the internet.
I would also use some UltraOil
for pets so there is a balanced Omega ratio of oil in this
diet - especially in diet #2 which calls for consider oil, I would
at least substitute part of the vegetable oil for Ultra Oil and I
would add it to Diet# 1 as recommended on the container for a normal
daily dosage.
Supplements Kits to enhance the kidney or prescription diet go to
www.FirstChoiceNaturals.com
and order:
Kit
#17 - Enhancing RX Prescription Diets - OR
Kit
#19 - Kidney/Renal Support
