Hi everyone, we had the vet out today and my 14-year-old dog is suffering from kidney failure (I think it’s already at quite an advanced stage as the vet told us not to restrict him at all). Has anyone else had a dog with this condition? What’s the best thing to feed him?
Needless to say, I know he hasn't got years left, but I’d still like to avoid putting any more strain on his kidneys by giving him foods that really aren't recommended for this kind of problem.
I’m heartbroken. The vet has prescribed some medication and told us to wait two weeks to see the effects, but said not to expect any miracles. If things don’t improve (he’s drinking a lot and urinating constantly), we’ll have to consider steroids, but only as a last resort...
He also said that things could progress very quickly now, so we should just let him have whatever he likes to eat.
I wish I was posting about something more cheerful, but there we go... :/
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
The vet gave him an anti-inflammatory jab and if he manages to get up tomorrow, we’ll carry on with the treatment as usual, but if not, we’ll have to think about putting him to sleep... He’s just lying there without moving and there’s nothing we can do; I feel so helpless. I know he’s old and wasn't going to live forever, but I’ve had this dog since I was six, I’ve grown up with him and it’s all moving so fast. His condition has gone downhill overnight; only yesterday he was still getting up...
Oh, and he's eating on his own but he's being quite picky about what he wants to eat :/
We've called the vet again and they're coming over early this afternoon to give him some pain relief for his back legs. The vet thinks he's probably in a bit of pain and that's why he isn't getting up anymore and his legs are giving way.
Hi, thanks for your replies. I think he must be in the second to last, if not the final stage, because the vet told us "just make sure you give him whatever he likes" and also that there was nothing more to be done, that he would end up dying from this... He offered us a blood test while saying that he was almost certain anyway and that it would mostly be a pointless waste of money... My neighbour saw him too for her dog that died of cancer; same thing, he'd told her that it was definitely that, but she went to another vet for more thorough tests and he was right in the end, so she really did just throw her money away for "nothing". I don't think a money-grabbing vet would tell us not to do a blood test, so I don't think I'll go for a second opinion... He's 14 and I can't face putting him through the car journey to the vet hospital, and even less leaving him there all alone for his final days... This morning, his back legs have given way. Since yesterday, all of a sudden, we noticed he was having trouble walking. Is it his kidneys? Or his arthritis? It’s all happening so fast...
I had a dog with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as well.
You can give him meat (white and red) with couscous or rice and vegetables. Otherwise, there is specific food for dogs with CKD, but for mine, I preferred giving him home-cooked meals as I don't really trust brands like Royal Canin. The main thing is ensuring the food isn't too high in protein, as the aim is to get those urea levels as low as possible.
What stage is your dog at? Do you know his urea/creatinine levels? Is he eating by himself? Do you know if he has any ulcers? Is he still energetic or quite weak? Has your vet talked to you about rehydration?
Anyway, I’m so sorry to hear about your dog :/ I really hope he can still enjoy life despite the illness.
