Homemade recipe for low protein diet for dog with kidney challenges

[StephanieC]

Related to my earliest post re:Cooper and his diet.

Did some research for home-made recipes that are low protein. Came across one that I tried and wanted to get any feedback. @Dr. Jeff or others.

Here are proportions for approx 2-2.5meals for a 11lb bishon shih-tzu.

Using 1/2 cup of cooked chicken chopped into pieces (note : these are all portions after the ingredient was cooked)
2/3 cup of cooked rice (brown rice)
2/3cup of cooked broccoli chopped into pieces
Mixed all of it and separated into 2.5 portions. I also topped it with the supplement recommended by @Dr. Jeff

Note when I made this I cooked in a pressure cooked using an in-bone chicken leg. So the rice had a lot of bone broth and the mixture was somewhat moist (see pix below). Because i split the above into 2.5 meals each meal had very little chicken but the mixture was cooked with in-bone chicken. It was certainly a hit with Cooper. But wanted to see if there is any feedback on protein levels.

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

This is my go-to resource: Diet and Chronic Renal Disease

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Sounds like a great recipe!

However, I'd have no feedback on the exact amount of protein and phosphorus (which is just as, or even more, important than protein). For that the diet needs to be analyzed based on its' exact ingredients.

Since most recipes are not designed for long term feeding (months and years) you may want to try another one when this batch runs out and find a whole series that he loves.

Loving his food may be even more important than the protein levels!

 

[StephanieC]

Thanks @Dr. Jean and @Dr. Jeff .

 

[jsqueglia]

Related to my earliest post re:Cooper and his diet.

Did some research for home-made recipes that are low protein. Came across one that I tried and wanted to get any feedback. @Dr. Jeff or others.

Here are proportions for approx 2-2.5meals for a 11lb bishon shih-tzu.

Using 1/2 cup of cooked chicken chopped into pieces (note : these are all portions after the ingredient was cooked)
2/3 cup of cooked rice (brown rice)
2/3cup of cooked broccoli chopped into pieces
Mixed all of it and separated into 2.5 portions. I also topped it with the supplement recommended by @Dr. Jeff

Note when I made this I cooked in a pressure cooked using an in-bone chicken leg. So the rice had a lot of bone broth and the mixture was somewhat moist (see pix below). Because i split the above into 2.5 meals each meal had very little chicken but the mixture was cooked with in-bone chicken. It was certainly a hit with Cooper. But wanted to see if there is any feedback on protein levels.

Hi Mike,
This looks delicious! I am glad Cooper is eating it with enthusiasm. I am just catching up with Cooper's diagnosis. I am sorry to hear he has compromised kidneys. I know that your excellent care and guidance from this amazing community will afford him a vibrant and enriched life moving forward. He is an awesome dog and so lucky to have you and your family. You will do 100% exactly what is best for him. Please give him a pat from me and Dee.
Jackie

 

[LilF]

This is my go-to resource: Diet and Chronic Renal Disease

 

[LilF]

@Dr. Jean My JJ, 15 now has kidney issues and he eats a raw diet right now Northwest Naturals Turkey. So is a kidney diet best if cooked? Can sweet potatoes be switched for white potatoes (I assume that is what the recipe calls for?). So I struggle with the best kidney diet which seems to include potatoes and rice which are not good for cancer. I am not aware of a cancer but it is food for cancer cells which is why I typically would use sweet potatoe or squash but he tends not to like squash. I do include vegetables lightly cooked or raw dandelion or parsley. JJ is allergic to chicken and have avoided that and eggs (because they come from the chicken but do not know if that would be a faulty assumption to make about his sensitivity to them) I am getting blood work this afternoon to update . I just ordered Epakiten and Life Gold Kidney. I am not sure if I should give them both. What are other people giving their dogs with kidney issues---drug-wise or supplement wise. Thanks

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

The carbs are used to "dilute" the protein while still providing enough calories to prevent weight loss. However, you're right, so much carbohydrate is delicious to cancer. This seems to apply to most, if not all cancers. However, just for kidney disease, it's fine, and the carbs will help keep the weight on (which is crucial in CKD kitties).

You can absolutely use sweet potato instead; they have slightly less carbs and calories. Being lazy, I like to use Earth's Best sweet potato baby food. My cats have always liked it and preferred it to other flavors, and even preferred it compared to plain raw meat (I added all supplements regardless). They were also okay with meat-veggie combinations from Earth's Best, which might work for you as it is less carb-y.

Not all chicken-allergic pets are allergic to eggs, nor are they necessarily allergic to other poultry. Might be worth a try on the eggs, which are much lower in phosphorus. You can also sometimes get duck eggs, depending on the store, if chicken eggs don't work.

My philosophy with regard to cats is simple: feed them what they will eat. If your kitty likes raw, feed raw. If he prefers something else, go for it. Weight loss is the most deadly effect of kidney issues.

You can lower the protein/phosphorus in the raw diet with about 2 oz of sweet potato per pound of Northwest Naturals and still provide all the benefits of raw.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Lil, this great advice applies for dogs (like JJ) in addition to cats.

 

[StephanieC]

Thanks @jsqueglia for your kind words. Infact, will connect with you offline on something else Steph wanted to ask as well.

Thanks @Dr. Jean @Dr. Jeff for the recipes

As for the diet am catching up on thread now. So should I not have carbs in most meals if its a potential cause of cancer? I havent tried sweet potato but will do next time. Pls advise if carbs is an issue and if I need to moderate it down?

As for the food, what I did is cook the potatoes + i added some chopped zucchini + I put a chicken on the bone. I cooked it in pressure cooker. This way i make masked potatoes with little zucchini and the potatoes have cooked in tbe bone broth so thats what fives the flavor he likes. I take the cooked chicken out and the. Out in some raw ground meat (in the proportion of the recipe).

Some times I also just use the cooked chicken and chop it into pieces but main reason I cook potatoes with chicken is to get the brothy flavor i to the potatoes, which makes the melish delish for him.

Any advise on using the cooked chicken? Or better to take it out and use raw ground meet? Also advise on potatoes (carbs in general)?

 

[StephanieC]

Any feedback @Dr. Jeff @Dr. Jean

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for drawing our attention back to your questions Mike.

So should I not have carbs in most meals if its a potential cause of cancer? I havent tried sweet potato but will do next time. Pls advise if carbs is an issue and if I need to moderate it down?

No, carbs are not an issue in this case. Actually, just the opposite in that the carbs (and fats) can be used to increase the bulk and palatability of the diet while decreasing protein and phosphorus.

Any advise on using the cooked chicken? Or better to take it out and use raw ground meet? Also advise on potatoes (carbs in general)?

The lightly cooked whole chicken is great and should be even more palatable.

Perhaps start by finding the foods and recipes he loves to eat and then we will focus on the protein and phosphorus.

For now tho, love and happiness are most important. These are the things that can best help optimize his body's ability to eat.

Perhaps try a Mine Pet Platter to help him eat better:

Mine Pet Platter: The Best Way to Feed Dogs & Cats

The mine Pet Platter is the best feeding platter for dogs and cats. Natural feeding territory, the best way to feed dogs and cats. It's the ways our pets are meant to eat!

minepetplatter.com

 

[StephanieC]

Thanks @Dr. Jeff .

 

[LilF]

Reading this thread, I am doing all the wrong things diet wise for JJ's renal problem. First, I cannot cook like this. I am feeding him primal raw right now topped with some turkey or bison. He will not eat sweet potato, squash but I could chop some parsley or dandelion, and seems to be very picky and not eating well since his last adequan shot on Jan 4th.(along with his blood tests that were high and terrible indicating inflammation.... I am sure his diet is not palatable. He is allergic to chicken and I suspect eggs but will try them today again. Last week I did something wrong (fed Answers raw turkey with duck eggs and diarrhea all over the floor at 2AM and the next morning. He is depressed and not even taking his thyroid pill past 2 days rejecting it so I syringe it. I do not cook like above posts and do not have crock pot. I pan boil on low heat but can't make such a wonderful "meal" so tasty and healthy. This would be a huge learning curve. He is not doing well. He rejects his supplements even though I try canned dog food for them.
Lately if I added a powder to his meal he eats around it. BTW is phosphorus in a multi ok for a renal dog?. His phosphorus was a 5.1 on the blood pane so not super high (6.1 was the upper limit). I need a prepared diet but do not want to go through a veterinarian as a way to get it as some of these places want. I could try feeding him some left over Open Farm gently cooked that I fed Gabby when she was alive but thought I offered it to JJ once and he did not like it. Will try the egg for his meal today. Maybe I should fry in coconut oil? and just give the white? No wonder he is a mess, his diet is not good. What can I do?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

What can I do?

Lil, perhaps try adding Aventi kidney complete or other phosphorus binder/probiotic to his current diet.

Do you know what his last phosphorus (or other) blood test values were?

 

[jsqueglia]

Thanks for drawing our attention back to your questions Mike.



No, carbs are not an issue in this case. Actually, just the opposite in that the carbs (and fats) can be used to increase the bulk and palatability of the diet while decreasing protein and phosphorus.

The lightly cooked whole chicken is great and should be even more palatable.

Perhaps start by finding the foods and recipes he loves to eat and then we will focus on the protein and phosphorus.

For now tho, love and happiness are most important. These are the things that can best help optimize his body's ability to eat.

Perhaps try a Mine Pet Platter to help him eat better:

Mine Pet Platter: The Best Way to Feed Dogs & Cats

The mine Pet Platter is the best feeding platter for dogs and cats. Natural feeding territory, the best way to feed dogs and cats. It's the ways our pets are meant to eat!

minepetplatter.com

Thanks @Dr Jeff for the Mine Pet Platter suggestion. I am a huge fan of feeding off of lick mats but this platter is a great idea and one that i think one of my dogs would prefer for sure. I was not aware of the Platter before your suggestion.

 

[StephanieC]

@LilF i am new at this so not one to give advice.

But try cooking the potatoes/sweet potaes along with a meat on the bone. The flavor it pits into potatoes is what gets Cooper going. I mash the potatoes with small quantity of meat but the cooked potatoes (also throw in some veggies) get mashed with fresh bone broth and thats what makes them tasty for him.