Homemade Low Protein Dog Food

What Can You Not Put In Homemade Dog Food

In making homemade dog foods, it is also important to know that there are certain foods that you should avoid.

For instance, ingredients like chocolate, xylitol, avocados, grapes, onion, and garlic should be avoided as they can be toxic for dogs.

Again, this is one of the beauties of making homemade foods. You have the authority on every ingredient that will be present.

Reasons For Choosing A Low

All living organisms require protein to function, as its a crucial biological building block for almost every process in the body. But some dogs may benefit from a low-protein diet, mostly because they are dealing with some type of major illness.

Liver Disease

In dogs, as in humans, the liver is a large organ that serves several major functions, including aiding in digestion, detoxifying a dogs entire system, and metabolizing proteins. Age-related liver dysfunction can affect the livers ability to efficiently perform its biological functions, and in dogs with chronic or age-related liver disease, a veterinarian may recommend a low-protein diet to help take some of the strain off the liver. Signs of liver disease in a dog include weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, confusion, and jaundice, and its typically diagnosed through blood tests or diagnostic imaging, such as an X-ray or ultrasound.

Kidney Disease

Bladder Stones

Dogs that are prone to a particular type of bladder stone, a urate stone, may benefit from a low-protein diet because the substances that create these stones are found in high concentrations food-based protein sources. Urate bladder stones are relatively rare , but some breeds are much more prone to them, including Dalmatians and bulldogs.

Senior Dogs Picky Dogs

One tip I can share is you can use riced frozen vegetables. I have used packages of riced cauliflower, sweet potato, and broccoli. All work great, save time and are convenient, but they are a little more expensive. These will work great for dogs that can’t chew well, are picky, don’t each much food, or won’t eat larger pieces of dog food.

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What Kind Of Snacks Can I Feed A Dog With Kidney Disease

Our dogs seriously LOVE snack time, but snack time has had to seriously change! Dogs with kidney disease should avoid meat based chews/treats that are high in phosphorus, so you may find that you need to explore new types of treats for your dog instead. My probiotic rich Pumpkin & Yogurt Bowlsare our dog’s favorite treat these days! They also really enjoy thin apple slices, blueberries, and fresh banana chunks. When it comes to crunchy chews they both are SUPER into dehydrated banana chips, pumpkin, and sweet potato. I swear, our dog’s drool for them like they are the jerky chews we used to treat them with!

Minutes Homemade Dog Food Recipes

There are many recipes for homemade dog food available online. The best way to find one that is right for your dog is to consult with your veterinarian. They can help you determine the best ingredients for your dog based on their health and activity level. Once you have a recipe, it is important to follow it closely to ensure that your dog is getting the proper nutrition.

Our 11 year old dog has a new lease on life after a year of homemade dog food made with lean ground sirloin, wholesome brown rice, fresh vegetables, hard boiled eggs, and tender herbs. If you are looking for an easy, cost-effective, and better-for-your-dog alternative to a kibbled diet, you can feed 100% human-grade dog food. In this Easy Homemade Dog Food recipe box, you will find my go-to homemade dog food recipe, which consists of lean ground sirloin, brown rice, carrots, hard boiled eggs, parsley, and a few tablespoons of oil. You can plug in or swap out any of the items listed below based on what foods your dog prefers/need to create their ideal dog food flavor profile. If you have kidney disease, you should use white rice instead of the phosphorus-rich food your dog is currently eating. There are also grain alternatives, such as oats, quinoa, and even whole grain pasta. One of the most common allergens for dogs is eggs, and the yolks are high in phosphorus.

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Before You Start Cooking: Homemade Dog Food Needs To Be Balanced

Your homemade meal must contain protein, fiber and carbohydrates. Puppies require about 25 percent protein in their meals, while 18 percent is sufficient for adults. However, protein needs change according to your dogs age and vary according to breed, so check with your vet regarding the right amount for your dog. You might have noticed that commercial dog foods often dont list the percentage of carbohydrates. Thats because the proper percentage of carbs in the dogs diet is still not set in stone by the veterinary community and regulators. If youre making Fidos meals yourself, you have the freedom to purchase the freshest, highest-quality ingredients available. Make sure you weigh your dog frequently to verify he stays a healthy weight. Take your dog to the vet before starting the homemade diet so your vet can determine Fidos ideal weight.

So We Went To Work & Spent The Days/weeks That Followed Researching Canine Kidney Disease Like Hooch’s Life Depended On It

After reading what felt like every article on the internet we were excited to know that there were a few really easy lifestyle changes we could immediately make at home. We hoped some of this would really help Hooch and make things easier on his kidneys. Here are a few of thebiggest impact changes we’ve been able to make:

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What Is High Protein Dog Food

Most dry foods contain 23 to 27 percent protein. Wet food a bit more.1

Since some recipes contain more moisture than others

We used simple math to first remove all the water from each recipe. This makes it possible to accurately compare the protein content of ANY 2 recipes wet or dry.

After rating more than 5750 recipes, we consider any food that contains over 28% proteinhigh in protein.

Things You Need To Know About Kidney Disease

At one moment, due to different causes, the kidneys may lose their function. Or, that function can be weakened. If not treated properly, acute problems could develop into chronic kidney disease.

The main function of the kidneys is to filter blood and wash out toxins, which are extracted through urine. Kidneys extract phosphorous and calcium.

When there is a problem in their function, phosphorus and calcium can not be extracted, and they build up in the body. Over time, these sediments can cause further problems, such as heart failure or problems in other organs.

The problem with kidney failure is that one of the protein products is phosphorus. Due to the fact that this can not be easily extracted, you should prepare food that is low in phosphorus. It is important to know what the color of your dogs urine means so you can react in time.

Proteins are essential for muscle growth and overall health. That is why you want to keep them in a meal. All in all, it is best to use ingredients that are low in phosphorus, have a low sodium rate, and have a moderate protein level. That is the reason why it is good to use vet approved homemade food recipes for kidney disease.

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What Human Food Can I Feed My Dog With Kidney Disease

When choosing human food to feed your dog with kidney disease, remember to avoid sodium and phosphorus and stick to lower quantities of protein. Good options include green beans, baby carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, broccoli, blueberries, watermelon, and air-popped popcorn. When in doubt about whether your dog with renal disease can eat a type of human food, check its phosphorus and sodium content to ensure they are low. Feel free to give your dog high-fat, low-phosphorus foods in moderation, such as butter and whole milk yogurt.

Lets Talk Dog Nutrition Six Essential Nutrients Dogs Need

Here is a link to an article regarding Dog nutrition, originally published in Dogster Magazine in 2017. You can also link to the article by clicking on the picture below.

Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, M.S., is a canine nutritionist and co-author, with M. Jean Dodds, D.V.M., of two books including Canine Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health. Their online course, Complete Canine Nutrition can be found at myhealthydog.dog.

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Check Out Our Homemade Dog Food Mini

• unexplained weight loss
• hunched over posture

If your dog has been diagnosed with kidney disease, then you know that diet is a large part of the treatment regimen. Variables like your dog’s age, weight, activity level, and the stage of his kidney disease will all be factors in the type of diet that he will need.

When a dog digests protein, there is nitrogen left behind, and kidneys filter out the nitrogen. This is why low protein food is best for dogs with renal disease. Just remember that the amount of protein to include in your dog’s food will vary depending on the stage of his kidney failure.

Kidneys that arent in peak shape cant process phosphorus as well, either. Essentially, failing kidneys wont filter out certain substances as well, leading to imbalanced blood chemistry. Phosphorus is one of the biggest issues for aging kidneys. Because protein is essential, you still dont want to eliminate it be sure to opt for low-phosphorus sources.

In addition to offering our renal disease dog food recipe, ensure your pup only drinks distilled or filtered water. This will reduce the load on the kidneys compared to tap water. You also want to make sure your dog gets enough exercise. As in humans, the better shape your dog is in, the better his kidneys will work.

Preparing Meals For A Dog With Kidney Disease

Whatever you and your veterinarian decide to go with, whether canned or dry dog food, or fresh and cooked meats, the hardest thing about having a dog with kidney disease is often not what to fix but to make sure your dog is eating regularly, Dr. Bailey says.

Dogs with kidney disease tend to have trouble keeping weight on, Dr. Bailey says They tend to not have a great appetite, so I would lean towards feeding your dog a few times a day.

She adds that youll also want to make sure your dog has easy access to water. Thats vital for all dogs, of course, not to mention all living creatures, but especially so if your dog has kidney disease.

If your dog has not been diagnosed with it, it may be hard for you to know for sure whether your dog has kidney disease. But at least at feeding times and every time you fill the water bowl you can feel good knowing that youre making a difference in your dogs quality of life and possibly extending his or her lifetime by years.

As a general statement, a lot of what you do at home has a very good chance of extending your dogs life, Dr. Bailey says.

We can only make the recommendations. What you do at home definitely matters in this case. Its kind of like going to your cardiologist. They tell you to go on certain medications, and its your decision whether you do it or not, she says. Your pets health is to some extent in your hands, so you want to make sure you make good choices.

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Vitamins And Nutrients For Dogs

Humans dont get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need from a one-stop-shop kind of a diet and neither do our dogs! Whether your dog is eating a diet that consists of kibble or you are dishing up a homemade dog food recipe like this one, your pup needs vitamins and minerals just like you do! We really like and use the brand Dog Greens every single day! It is a plant based vitamin and mineral powder that we sprinkle over the dogs food with each meal. They love the flavor and we love knowing that all of their nutritional needs have been met each day!

What Foods Should Your Dog Never Eat

As a dog owner, youve likely come across this essential list before, but its always good to have it on hand as a reminder, especially if youre cooking dog food from scratch. The principal toxic foods include:

For a more extensive list, check out this article on foods not to feed dog.

Did you know that most pet insurance policies cover accidental injury and poisonings? Find out what else is commonly included in our pet insurance comparison.

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My Recipe Bone Broth For Dogs

Bone broth is a wonderful addition to your dogs diet it provides amino acids and vitamins and is an excellent source of glucosamine and chondroitin for your dogs joints.

I use a crock pot for my bone broth and there really isnt any strict recipe to follow, just take raw joint bones such as knuckle bones or beef or uncured pork hocks , turkey, duck or chicken necks, chicken feet and marrow bones. Place them in the crock pot put in enough water to completely cover the bones and add apple cider vinegar about 3-4 Tablespoons for a large crock pot.

I cook mine on high until it boils maybe about 2 hours then reduce to low to medium and let cook for about 24 hours. Beware your house will smell so dont make this before company comes over. I have noticed that the more vinegar you use the longer you will need to cook it so the smell of the vinegar is less noticeable.

After its done let it cool, you can leave the fat that forms on the top or remove and discard it, my dog is very active so a little extra fat is not a worry for me, I place it in the 16 oz freezer containers and freeze until I make the next batch of dog food.

I have also used this as a topper for the cats food as well, all my fur babies love it.

What Is Considered Low Protein

There isnt a single legal or regulatory protein level thats considered low. However, a dog food labeling organization has established a minimum acceptable protein content in dog food of 18%, and our analysis found it was safe to consider anything between 15% and 28% protein to be a low-protein dog food.

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Its No Different For Dogs

Nothing affects the health of your dog more than the quality of their diet. Fresh, whole foods have been proven to nourish and heal. That means real ingredients you can actually see in your dogs bowl.

If a loved one were sick, youd feed them healthy food. For 30 years, Ive been teaching people to nourish their pets the same way with the healing power of real whole foods. Dr. Harvey

Feeding processed kibble will only make your dogs kidney problem worse.

Thats because kibble is

• dangerously low in water content can cause chronic dehydration
• loaded with preservatives, artificial colors & synthetic additives increasing their toxin load
• a huge stress on your dogs already weakened kidney and vulnerable immune system

Switching to a nutritious, balanced diet comprised of REAL whole food ingredients, high quality protein, and high water content can support and restore health. See the difference feeding Canine Health can make in your own pup.

Complete Nutrition From A Veterinarian

That said, homemade dog foods can require a significant amount of time and effort to get right. Homemade dog food needs to contain nutrients dogs need to be healthy. But those nutrients should be right amounts so as not to get too much or too little of any nutrient. A veterinary nutritionist has specialized training to help pet parents like yourself make nutritionally balanced meals for your dog. The recipes in this article have all been reviewed by our veterinary consultant with this goal in mind.

Its a good idea to have the recipes in this article handy in case you run out of dog food. Treat your dog like any of your other family members by preparing nutritious food from trusted ingredients.

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Homemade Dog Food For Renal Disease Recipe

You NEED to consult with a vet or canine nutritionist before switching your dog to a kidney-friendly diet. The professional you work with will likely recommend either a low protein homemade dog food diet or some low protein dog food brands with lower phosphorus levels and are made with high-quality proteins.

• 1 cup boiled chicken
• 1 hard boiled egg
• 2 tbsp. plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup steamed carrots
• 1/4 cup steamed green beans

At The End Of 2019 During Our Yearly Vet Check We Received The Horrible News That Our Dog Was In Stage 4 Kidney Failure

Honestly, I was in total shock, how did we miss this?! He is with me all day, every day!! He just seemed like he was dealing with some symptoms of old age frequent urination, sometimes excessive water drinking, and I would notice occasionally that he would have a mild case of diarrhea. It definitely didnt feel like life threatening symptoms to us! As much as the diagnosis was a shock, the price tag of the prescription diet that we were told he would need to eat for the remainder of his life was pretty horrifying too! When I asked our vet how long we had left with him the prognosis wasn’t good, 3-6 months maybe 9 if we were lucky. We had to wait 6 weeks for a follow up blood panel to really know what kind of timeline we were looking at.

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