Aa
Supplements?
My 16 year old corgi was diagnosed with CRF a month ago today. He has never had any health problems and is in great shape (he worked goats until just recently). I noticed extreme thirst, multiple accidents during the day, restlessness, etc and took him into the vet. She told me he had a couple of weeks, well now it's a month later and he is somewhat better and I'm looking for any supplements you all have used with success. I give him sub q fluids every other day and all the symptoms he was having are now gone (although we do still have to go potty at two am, I'm chalking that up to his old man bladder). He's had the same vet since he was born but he recently retired. My first visit to the new vet yielded all this so I really have no way of knowing how long this has been going on..the old vet sent incomplete records so we don't have a baseline on his numbers, although he had a dental two years ago with full work up and vet reported no problems. He was fine with the sub q at first but is now starting to fight me. I just want to make him as comfortable as possible. He is eating science diet Kd but other than that no Meds. Thanks!
Update: my boy was given a few weeks in March and we are still snuggling. :) He still enjoys weekly trips to the lake and swimming around like a puppy. just in the last week he has dramatically lost interest in his canned KD. He is still loving the KD treats, eggs(fresh from my chickens) and any human food. I am heating up his food and putting a little bit of egg on it to encourage him but he is still only eating about 1/4 his previous amount. I'm thinking about moving away from KD for a while. Has anyone had long term success with something else (I'm in the Dallas, Texas area)? Also, he has started having little shaking fits every once in a while (maybe every other day or so). Is this just something I'll have to deal with or is there something I should be doing for him. The vet has basically said any more blood work is useless, he is end stage and we are waiting so any advice is appreciated. Hey, I've already promised him if we can make it to his 17th birthday the party will be AMAZING!!
1 Comments
If you can get hold of it, you might try drizzling a teaspoon of PURE coconut oil (you can get this online) on top of his kd food. It may encourage him to eat better - and also try feeding 4 or more very small meals a day. The reduced volume of food at intervals will mean the kidneys don't have to work as hard to deal with the by-products.
I have just finished updating my article on Supplements Useful for Dogs with Kidney Failure, adding a new section on the blue-green algae, Spirulina, which has been recently mentioned by another poster. You can access it here:
http://www.infobarrel.com/Supplements_Useful_For_Kidney_Failure_Dogs
Tony
http://www.infobarrel.com/Supplements_Useful_For_Kidney_Failure_Dogs
Tony
Hi and welcome to our family of friends. You have already received some fabulous replies from other Group Members above (thanks guys, you are awesome) and I agree with all they have said, particularly on reducing the use of heartworm meds and replacing with less toxic topical applications. The point here being the kidneys are already under severe stress and all medicines (good and bad) will simply add to that stress, because the kidneys are required to deal with and remove toxin by-products from them.
Your buddy is an elderly dog, who has seemingly worked pretty hard (with goats, amazing, would love to see any pictures you have of that and him in his golden days) and has seemingly stayed healthy throughout his long lifetime, until now. At 16, you probably already knew time was short, even before the diagnosis. So, the thing here is to do whatever you can to maintain a good quality of life and keep him pain-free. It's hard to say what time you have left with him without seeing the bloodwork numbers, it could be weeks, months or maybe a year or so. You are already doing a fair amount of good things. If he's still eating well, that's excellent, and there's no great need to add an anti-nausea med just yet - but the time will come, so prepare for it. You could start introducing a natural anti-stomach-ulcer product to the diet though, such as chopped boiled cabbage - just a dessertspoon to each meal. This will help prevent a problem starting.
Green tripe has some great qualities and is very good for kidney failure dogs. I would use it maybe once or twice a week, just so he develops a taste for it (and for some variety to the generally unpalatable kd food you are using). If he starts to go off his food, increase the use of green tripe and try a few other things too, on a rotational basis. You can also supplement with high quality proteins, such as human grade chicken, but small amounts and infrequently so as not to cause any problems.
Egg whites contain excellent high quality protein - but only if the eggs are high quality - so organic and free range eggs intended for human consumption is best. Again, use sparingly, maybe once a week.
Supplements have varied success, but some are frankly quite useless and there is little research to back up many claims. Azodyl is perhaps an exception, because there are lots of anecdotal success reports ... so definitely worth trying. Milk thistle also has some good properties and is worth adding to the diet regime.
As time goes on, it would be worth feeding smaller amounts of food more often. This will reduce the work the kidneys are expected to perform and make dealing with toxins slightly easier.
Okay, that's enough for now. Any questions, just ask.
Tony
Your buddy is an elderly dog, who has seemingly worked pretty hard (with goats, amazing, would love to see any pictures you have of that and him in his golden days) and has seemingly stayed healthy throughout his long lifetime, until now. At 16, you probably already knew time was short, even before the diagnosis. So, the thing here is to do whatever you can to maintain a good quality of life and keep him pain-free. It's hard to say what time you have left with him without seeing the bloodwork numbers, it could be weeks, months or maybe a year or so. You are already doing a fair amount of good things. If he's still eating well, that's excellent, and there's no great need to add an anti-nausea med just yet - but the time will come, so prepare for it. You could start introducing a natural anti-stomach-ulcer product to the diet though, such as chopped boiled cabbage - just a dessertspoon to each meal. This will help prevent a problem starting.
Green tripe has some great qualities and is very good for kidney failure dogs. I would use it maybe once or twice a week, just so he develops a taste for it (and for some variety to the generally unpalatable kd food you are using). If he starts to go off his food, increase the use of green tripe and try a few other things too, on a rotational basis. You can also supplement with high quality proteins, such as human grade chicken, but small amounts and infrequently so as not to cause any problems.
Egg whites contain excellent high quality protein - but only if the eggs are high quality - so organic and free range eggs intended for human consumption is best. Again, use sparingly, maybe once a week.
Supplements have varied success, but some are frankly quite useless and there is little research to back up many claims. Azodyl is perhaps an exception, because there are lots of anecdotal success reports ... so definitely worth trying. Milk thistle also has some good properties and is worth adding to the diet regime.
As time goes on, it would be worth feeding smaller amounts of food more often. This will reduce the work the kidneys are expected to perform and make dealing with toxins slightly easier.
Okay, that's enough for now. Any questions, just ask.
Tony
I would say at 16 i would just stop the heartworm meds. Just my opinion but i would use a natural mosquito repellent when outside such as geranium oil mixed in witch hazel. It would take awhile for the disease to progress to the point of causing problems and if you minimize exposure (not out at dusk or dawn, always use repellent. There are even some.good plants to have in your yard to repel. But if at this point you are fighting for time and toxin exposure will tax the kidneys. The topical ones have even more than one insecticide in them. If you do decide to use hw preventative stick with the original heartgurd ir has only one chemical so is a little less toxic than other brands or even the plus version.
As others have said Azodyl and a phosphate binder are a must. Also adding as much moisture to the diet as possible. Even with the extra fluids dehydration will always be a struggle. So canned food (for the moisture) or adding water to the kibble would be better than just dry food.
Do you have the actual numbers from the bloodwork? Mainly bun, creat, and phos? That will help to figure out some different things.
I wish you and your.baby the best.
As others have said Azodyl and a phosphate binder are a must. Also adding as much moisture to the diet as possible. Even with the extra fluids dehydration will always be a struggle. So canned food (for the moisture) or adding water to the kibble would be better than just dry food.
Do you have the actual numbers from the bloodwork? Mainly bun, creat, and phos? That will help to figure out some different things.
I wish you and your.baby the best.
I reserved to make comment initially, but, the fact that your Vet hasn't already discussed 'supplements' is not a good thing. Take DogBlog's comment about her Vet prescribing 'Ranatadine' to help keep the dog eating or have an appetite while being bombarded with nausea.........this is an indicator of a Vet that is on the forefront.
You need to have a long talk with your Vet, besides, ...the simple fact that only two weeks were given AND one month later your Dog is not only still with you,.......he/she 'STILL' has a great appetite!?
Some Vets just need to have a fire placed beneath their posterior.
Good Luck
You need to have a long talk with your Vet, besides, ...the simple fact that only two weeks were given AND one month later your Dog is not only still with you,.......he/she 'STILL' has a great appetite!?
Some Vets just need to have a fire placed beneath their posterior.
Good Luck
Our vet changed our dog from oral heartworm to Revolution which is topical (like Frontline). Revolution handles heartworm and fleas/ticks. The vet did not want her kidneys processing the oral med.
It's great your dog is still eating. Eventually, we mixed in a 1/2 tums (small dog) and 1/2 of a ranatadine when she started having trouble eating. Worked for a long time!!!
It's great your dog is still eating. Eventually, we mixed in a 1/2 tums (small dog) and 1/2 of a ranatadine when she started having trouble eating. Worked for a long time!!!
Sorry to hear of the situation. Tony is the one who will respond to you and I believe he is due back soon from vacation, but, I will tell you that the fact that he is still eating good is a VERY GOOD THING. Tony will probably confirm with your 'Egg Whites' and 'Green Tripe'....the key is to provide them with a GOOD SOURCE of Protein, but keeping the phosphorus levels DOWN-DOWN. As per supplements, you should talk to your Vet about 'Phosphate Binders' such as Epakitin and as per their gastrointestinal maintenance....AZODYL. These are expensive products, but, they helped keep my companion alive for a long time, but her CKD was caught early and you must remember your Dog's age, etc., in comparison. Probiotics and acid reflux meds such as Pepsid AC for their stomach upset.
As per diet, fresh green beans/carrots/100% Pumpkin(~ 1 tablespoon per day) would be great to add to food, especially the fiberous activity of the greenbeans and pumpkin. Just remember, from this point forward, the toxins in the blood as gastrointestinal will start to have an effect and must be controlled the best you can.
In the meantime while you hear back from Tony, you should call your Vet and discuss the aforementioned. The earlier you get a jump on it the better.
Hang in there.
Earl,
As per diet, fresh green beans/carrots/100% Pumpkin(~ 1 tablespoon per day) would be great to add to food, especially the fiberous activity of the greenbeans and pumpkin. Just remember, from this point forward, the toxins in the blood as gastrointestinal will start to have an effect and must be controlled the best you can.
In the meantime while you hear back from Tony, you should call your Vet and discuss the aforementioned. The earlier you get a jump on it the better.
Hang in there.
Earl,
Just wanted to add after reading your article that his appetite has not changed at all. He still eats all his food. I wasn't too sure if the added egg whites are a nutritional benefit or just a substitute for dogs who aren't eating. Also, do you feed the green tripe every day in place of a meal or just every once in a while in addition to the canned food? Also, I live in Texas (land of Mosquitos and heart worms) and just not comfortable taking him off monthly heartworm Meds. I don't suppose there is an alternative hw medicine that iseasier on the kidneys?
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.
You are reading content posted in the Chronic Kidney Failure in Dogs Group
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
