Veterinarians generally recommend low-protein dog food for your dog for certain health conditions. Protein is essential for the correct growth and development of dogs, as well as for the maintenance of their immune system. In addition, the correct proportion of protein in the food consumed is required for the production and repair of body tissue. Therefore, these foods are usually available by prescription and even if you can get them without a prescription, it may not be a good idea to do so without expert advice, as dogs generally need 25% protein in their diets.
Such food comes in two types; dried and bagged as well as the moister canned variety. This dog food can be found at pet stores, veterinary offices, and specialty dog food stores. Health issues that require you to give your dog low protein dog food are:
Tendency to urinary stones
congestive heart failure
Genetic kidney problems
congenital kidney disease
chronic renal insufficiency
acute renal failure
Glomerulonephritis
Renal insufficiency
When your vet writes the prescription, let him know you want a high-quality, low-protein dog food. Along with that, there are other attributes to look at because when your dog has kidney disease, there are usually other nutritional issues that go along with it. Things to look for include;
1. Low phosphorus levels: Phosphorus in high amounts can cause an imbalance of calcium and potassium.
2. The protein in the food should be easy for your dog to absorb. This will ensure less build-up of toxins in your body and less waste for your diseased kidneys to process.
3. You will need to select dog food that has all natural ingredients. Having condoms will make the dog’s kidneys and liver work harder, which will only make his condition worse.
4. Make sure you get a low-protein dog food with high levels of vitamin D3
5. Food that has high levels of calcium is preferable as your dog will have trouble absorbing calcium and therefore it needs to be available in large quantities.
Low protein dog food is not just a fad diet for dogs; is made specifically for dogs that have problems that affect their kidneys. These types of dog foods should only be given to your dog if recommended by a veterinarian, as dogs need to have an adequate amount of protein. Her vet will guide you through the process and you can discuss all of her questions and concerns with him or her. It’s important that you don’t make her decision based on advice from friends, family, and blog posts. Your decision should be based on the recommendation of a professional.