Kidney failure is a common medical condition that can occur in any dog. Unfortunately, there are more than one type of kidney failure, so different home remedies for kidney failure must be accepted by all dogs alike.
Home remedies are not the most reliable way to diagnose kidney failure, as the dog may be able to continue drinking and urination but does not necessarily mean it will remain like that. Even if it does continue to lose weight, it may not be in a consistent manner, and if it has no appetite, then how can you know?
In this article, we will discuss ways to know if your dog has kidney failure by using an exam. We will also discuss ways to prevent further water and protein loss through diet and/or treatment changes. We will also cover some general tips on how to care for an affected dog that needs treatment.
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Give more protein
If your dog has kidney failure, you should give him more protein. Protein helps keep your dog full and happy. More protein causes develop muscle, which helps hold water in. This helps make the stretch procedure easier on your dog.
Muscle stores fluid, nutrients and waste. When it becomes inadequate, its condition can prevent it from losing or securely storing fluid, nutrients and waste. If this happens, you can safely stretch her legs or take her to the vet to have her kidneys tested.
By giving her more protein, she becomes more healthy and stabilizes her body condition index (BAC). The test comes back normal so she doesn’t need a replacement of protein unless she loses weight. Spaying is painless and early in order to help with restoration of body condition index (BAC).
Give more salt
If your dog has kidney failure, you can give more salt. This helps alkalize the blood and prevents too much water from being consumed. It also helps to pull out excess fluid.
Too much water makes the body waste it and cannot process it. When this happens, the doctor may recommend a diet that is less high in fat and more high in vegetables. A diet with fewer healthy foods can make your dog feel worse because he may not eat anything but dry food.
By giving more salt, you can prevent too much water from being consumed which causes kidney failure.
Give more water
When your dog is suffering from kidney failure, it is important to give them enough water. Even though they may not be able to drink enough, you can give them water if you mix it with filtered water so it goes a long way.
It may take a few days for them to drink enough water, so take advantage of that time to also give themwater. Many dogs do not consume the necessary amount of water when they are suffering from kidney failure, making making sure they have enough water difficult. Make sure they get enough water even if they do not drink a lot of it.
Giving extra weight might also help in preventing or treating progressive dehydration. Some drugs used for treating kidney failure can cause metabolism issues, which can lead to lack of appetite or difficulty in staying hydrated.
Give more vitamins
When your dog has kidney failure, it is important to give them enough vitamin D. Vitamin D helps thermo-regulate your dogs body temperature.
When vitamin D is not available, you can give him less of it. More than enough is fine!
Your dog must be correctly hydrated too. If he is not, then he will dehydrate even more and less of the needed vitamin D. This can also happen with older dogs that did not get enough in their life.
Then there are vitamins that your dog does not need. While it is true some people may use them for side effects, neither my vet nor I had ever heard of anyone doing that with dogs.
Try herbal remedies
There are some things seen as remedies for kidney failure in dogs. Some things works in a way for the kidneys, so do a quick internet search to find them. Many of them are very clear and easy to understand.
Try trying triedicials such as trypan blue or neem oil on your dog if they have kidney failure. These two drugs were found to help improve kidney function in dogs. Neem oil is a common compound found in many plants and can be used as a remedy for dogs with kidney failure.
Another remedy is thought to be resveratrol, an important component of grapes which has been shown to help improve health and function of the kidneys in dogs. Resveratrol has been found to reduce blood stream pressure and decrease fluid loss from the kidneys.
Talk to your vet about medication for your dog
Several drugs can protect the kidney in dogs. Most of them are fairly common in drug stores and pharmacies. Some of them are only available by prescription. All of them are very effective and could be a way to treat kidney failure.
Most of these drugs work by preventing fluid and electrolyte loss that occurs when the body is unable to properly process urine. When this happens, the kidneys miss out on necessary water and salt which results in poor health outcomes such as kidney failure.
However, some of these drugs cannot be given to dogs in their normal state of health because it could cause side effects such as nervousness or vomiting.
Monitor urine output
While kidney failure in dogs is typically symptoms-based, closely observing the output of your dog can help determine if the kidneys are failing.
An increased output of urine is a clear sign of kidney failure. It may also be accompanied by increased appetite, frequent drinking, and reduced sleeping.
To help prevent constipation or reduce amount passed out, your dog should lose weight. This may be achieved by diet or a bladder retraining drug such as pentobarbital or phenobarbital.
Losing weight may also affect the flow of urine. If there is a significant volume loss between regular toilet sessions, it may be worth checking. Some doctors recommend monitoring urine output every two to four hours to make sure the dog does not go undetected as needing more water or urinary treatments.
Take your dog to the vet if output decreases significantly
Kidney failure occurs when the liver function in your dog is decreased or eliminated, and the kidneys are not working well also.
This can be due to many things such as chronic renal disease, diabetes, malnourishment, old age, or even if your dog has a normal kidney test result, then their kidney is not working well.
There are tests for kidney function including a blood test or glomerular spot check. The glomerular spot is where the kidneys process water and where treatment can be applied to improve its production.
If your dog has kidney failure, they may have output decreasing and/or more crystals appearing. If these conditions are observed, it is important to take them to the vet as soon as possible so they can determine whether or not remodeling has occurred and whether or not it is permanent.
Given this condition occurs over time, it is important to observe output and the signs of change for several days until a final outcome is determined.