TLC

Our dogs can easily sense our moods and emotions, and so it makes sense that whenever you are stressed or worried about something, your dog will pick up on that too. Being stressed can make any illness feel worse, so it is important to try and keep your home, yourself, and your dog, as calm as possible.

Dull coats are a common sign of kidney disease, so do not forget to regularly brush your dog’s fur and give him a bath.

But a few dog beds and scatter them around the house. This way your dog will have somewhere soft and comfortable to lie no matter which room he is in.

Water/Proper Hydration

All dogs require fresh water daily, but dogs that have kidney disease should be able to have access to fresh water at all times. The easiest way to ensure this is to place at least two water bowls in different parts of your house.

Give your dog bottled spring water as it contains no harsh chemicals that are found in tap water. These chemicals can easily upset your dog’s stomach.

Make sure that the water is always at room temperature before you offer it to your dog.

Food for a Dog with Kidney Disease

You should feed your dog a low protein, low salt diet that is also low in minerals.

If you are not feeding your dog a prescription dog food from your veterinarian’s office, make sure that you read the ingredient label carefully before feeding any commercial food to your dog.

Try to avoid lower quality foods that are grain-based.

If you are preparing your dog’s meals yourself, try to avoid feeding organ meats and dairy products.

Multivitamins that contains Vitamins B, C, E, as well as Omega-3 fatty acids can also be given to a dog with kidney disease. Not only do they replace depleted vitamins and minerals, but the Omega-3 has been shown to reduce kidney inflammation as well as slow down the progression of kidney failure.

You can talk to your veterinarian about using natural remedies to support your dog’s kidneys. However, your veterinarian may be a bit reluctant, especially if he runs a traditional practice. Therefore, you might be better off consulting with a holistic vet.

Another option is to supplement your dog’s diet with Tripsy, an all-natural remedy formulated by a leading naturopathic veterinarian. The great thing about Tripsy is that it is created using a powerful combination of herbs that, together, are proven to be a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever for dogs. Tripsy is an effective treatment for kidney disease in dogs as treats both kidney stones and kidney failure thereby improving kidney function. It also fights kidney infections and promotes a healthy urinary tract. Plus, Tripsy is safe for long term use.

Whilst any breed of dog at any age can be affected by Chronic Renal Failure, it is more prevalent in senior dogs, with the average age of diagnosis being 7 years old in dogs. However, there are a small number of dog breeds that are believed to be more susceptible to Chronic Renal Failure:

Cocker spaniel

Golden retriever

German shepherd

Shih Tzu

Doberman pinscher

Lhasa Apso

Soft-coated wheaten terrier

Cairn terrier

Bull terrier

Samoyed

Norwegian elkhound

How The Kidneys Work

Food that is digested by dogs produces waste products that are then carried by the dog’s blood to the kidneys where they are filtered and then excreted via the urine. Kidneys are basically a very unique filtration system for a dog’s blood as it removes harmful waste products through the dog’s urinary tract.

But, when something goes wrong and the kidneys are not able to filter these waste products properly, they start to build up inside the dog’s blood. This is when a dog will start to show clinical signs of having Chronic Renal Failure.

To compensate for this, most dogs will increase the water intake in an attempt to flush their bodies of these harmful toxins. Because of the increased water intake, a dog with Chronic Renal Failure will also urinate more. However, since the kidneys are no longer filtering out the waste, the urine will be almost pure water.

Causes

Chronic Renal Failure affects nearly every bodily system and function and so causes quite a few changes in a dog’s body, such as:

A failure to manufacture red blood cells

A failure to manufacture hormones

Inadequate blood filtration leading to retention of waste products

Disruption of electrolyte, fluid, and acid-base balance

There are several different ways in which Chronic Renal Failure can be caused:

Inadequate blood flow to the dog’s kidneys

Insufficient oxygen in the blood

Immune system disorder

Infections

Inflammations

Cancer

Toxins

Treatment of Chronic Renal Failure in Dogs

Unfortunately, the symptoms of Chronic Renal Failure in dogs do not present themselves until the disease is at relatively advanced stage. This is usually when a dog’s kidneys are only functioning at mere 25% capacity.

Most veterinarians, upon diagnosis, will be quite skeptical and state that there isn’t anything that can be done to help reverse the damage and will usually recommend treatments and medications to merely ease the dog’s pain and discomfort and to alleviate any symptoms.

However, dogs who have Chronic Renal Failure can actually live for quite a few months, and even years, longer after their initial diagnosis, depending on how the disease is treated.

Using a herbal supplement, like Tripsy, can be a wonderful compliment to any treatment plan that is recommended by your veterinarian as it was formulated by a naturopathic veterinarian. Tripsy contains a powerful combination of herbal extracts to help fight kidney infections and to improve the overall health of a dog’s kidneys.

Since there is such a rapid decrease in kidney function, the physical symptoms that present themselves are usually more intense with Acute Renal Failure.

How The Kidneys Work

A dog’s kidneys are used to filter its blood so that it can remove any and all waste, which is a product of metabolism, and then eliminates them through the urine. Another function of the kidneys is to regulate both the composition of the fluids inside the dog’s body, such mineral concentrations and acid base balance, and the volume of such fluids as well. The kidneys also help to create hormones that are used to stimulate the making of red blood cells, as well as to regulate calcium balance.

Causes

Whilst no specific breed of dog is more prone to having Acute Renal Failure, senior dogs are somewhat more susceptible. This is thought to be due to the natural aging process of older dogs.

Causes of Acute Renal Failure are diverse:

• Obstruction of the kidneys

• A ruptured bladder that prevents proper elimination of urine

• Blockage of the dog’s urinary tract from a kidney stone

• A decrease in the amount of oxygen that is delivered to the kidneys via the blood

• Shock or heat stroke that can lead to inadequate blood flow to the kidneys

• An infection

• Medications, such as anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen

• Poisoning by ingesting harmful toxins, especially ethylene glycol

It is interesting to note that Acute Renal Failure occurs more commonly during the colder months because dogs are more readily exposed to anti-freeze, which contains ethylene glycol. Therefore, working dogs, such as service dogs, and unsupervised dogs, have an increased risk of developing Acute Renal Failure.

No matter what the cause, there is a sudden disruption of the renal system, and this is what leads to quick kidney failure.

Treatment

Because kidney failure is so sudden with Acute Renal Failure, it is imperative that you take your dog to a veterinarian as soon as you notice any symptoms. Unfortunately, these symptoms are not very specific and can often be misunderstood as a different illness or disease. Therefore it is very important to discuss any and all symptoms and changes in your dog’s behavior with your veterinarian.

A great treatment to give to your dog at home, in conjunction with your vet’s treatments, is a herbal supplement called Tripsy, which was formulated by a leading naturopathic veterinarian. Made up of strong herbs, Tripsy helps to improve the kidneys by fighting any kidney infection. Tripsy also works to improve your dog’s urinary flow and discomfort.