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CRF Dogs (Chronic Renal / Kidney Failure)
Recommendations & Reviews
About us
WELCOME TO CRF DOGS!
CRF Dogs exists to EMPOWER pet parents of Dogs and Cats with Chronic Renal (kidney) Failure with knowledge, courage and support by introducing them to the CRF community.
Our objective is to help pet parents to help themselves. We do our best to help everyone and answer questions as best we can but please realize we are doing this work on a volunteer basis. Please read posts and information to be sure you learn as much as you can for yourself and your pet.
Always consult with your veterinarian about any health or medicine changes. We are not vets - we offer information, support and our own experience. So again, always consult with your vet if you want to give your pet anything new or change any medication.
If your pet has just been diagnosed with CRF it is often overwhelming and scary. Take a deep breath and realize that there is A LOT you can do to help your pet.
Read the information below to get you started. It is based on the most common questions we get from new members – and also questions we as admins ask new CRF mums and dads.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask away! CRF is very complex and we are just touching on basics here!
We have a NOTES section with more information. To access this section look at the top of the main page under the large photo – there you will find About – Photos – Likes and Notes. Scroll through to find different articles. Please note that with most notes you have to click “View Full Note”to see all the information (Here is a link directly to the page: https://www.facebook.com/CRFDogs/notes)
When you post the first time we often need some basic info to let us know a little more about your pet. We will ask for:
Bloodwork/Lab results?
Diet: What are you feeding your pet? Have you made any dietchanges for your pet?
What were you feeding before you made the changes?
Did you start your pet on any new medications or supplements? Ifso which?
Are you administering SubQ fluids?
To learn more about... show more these questions…keep reading!
BLOODWORK/LAB RESULTS
Make sure you get a copy from your vet of the bloodwork test that was taken to diagnose your pet. This will help you understand the disease and gather the correct information to move forward. It will also help to have this handy if asking a question on this page.
Usually the most important “numbers” from this test are:
Hemoglobin (Hgb)/Hematocrit (Hct): Anemia can be caused by kidney disease, and is measured by Hematocrit (also called Packed Cell Volume, or PCV).The kidneys are responsible for producing the hormone erythropoietin. This hormone stimulates the bone marrow to produce red bloodcells (RBCs). As kidney function declines, so does the production of RBCs. Iron and B vitamins can be helpful to prevent and treat anemia (see Supplement List below for details).
Albumin. Total Protein and Albumin levels may be decreased if you are not feeding your dog enough protein, or if your dog has a protein losing disease. Albumin is needed to help absorb fluids, so it is important that it stays in the normal range.
BUN/Urea Nitrogen. (Blood Urea Nitrogen, also sometimes just called Urea) is also commonly used to diagnose kidney problems, although it is not kidney specific, and values may be elevated for other reasons, particularly if you did not fast your dog for 12 hours before the test was done.
BUN can also be elevated in dogs fed a raw diet. This elevation is safe and reflects a different "normal range" for dogs fed this diet. Read more in our NOTES section in an article by Dr Jean Dodds:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=129670903731336#!/notes/crf-dogs-chronic-renal-kidney-failure/how-raw-feeding-causes-normal-elevations-of-bun-creat-hct-issues-in-nutrition-je/382794985085592
Creatinine. When creatinine is elevated above the normal range (Usually about 1.6 mg/dL, or 141 µmol/L), this generally means that thereis a problem with the kidneys. It does not tell you whether the problem isacute or chronic, or what the cause is, or whether it can be cured, but it is a sign that your dog is having kidney problems and action needs to be taken. Creatinine is a better indicator than BUN of kidney function over time. BUN is affected by more factors and can fluctuate more day to day.
Phosphorous. Failing kidneys cannot eliminate excess phosphorus like healthy kidneys can. Excess phos builds up in the body. This excess phos is thought to make our pets feel bad overall. Excess phos then deposits in soft tissues like muscles and organs (yes, kidneys too!), causing them to mineralize which decreases function of those organs and tissues. High phos is one of the most destructive things for CRF kidneys because it progresses the disease more rapidly (See "Phos Binders" under "Medications" below).
Calcium. Calcium and phos work together to keep each other in balance. Calcium is beneficial to monitor in CRF dogs, especially when using a calcium-based binder as a phos binder (Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Acetate, etc.), since these can elevate Calcium levels as well.
Urine Specific Gravity (USG). A urinalysis can be important in diagnosis of kidney disease. Often, low urine specific gravity (1.020 or below) will be the first indication that your dog's kidneys are not functioning properly (to be accurate, this test should be performed on the "first catch of the day", the first time your dog urinates in the morning after being in all night).
Abnormal results and measurements. If any other lab results were abnormal be sure to bring these up too. Please include the normal range as these vary from lab to lab and country to country.
In the US measurement of Creatinine and BUN/Urea are mg/dL. Outside the US BUN/Urea measurements are mmol/L and Creatinine are µmol/L. To convert BUN (Urea) from mmol/L to mg/dL, divide by 0.357 (or multiply by 2.8). To convert Creatinine from µmol/L to mg/dL, divide by 88.4. Here is a unit conversion calculator if you need it: http://www.vin.com/calculators/default.htm
DIET
Here at CRF Dogs we emphasize a DIET of low phosphorus, high quality proteins, NOT the low protein myth (Exception: proteinuria, PLNs)
The low protein diet is only necessary if your dog has a kind of kidney disease where there is protein loss in the urine (called proteinuria). Even then, only moderate restriction is often necessary. Otherwise, if there is kidney disease but no proteinuria, protein does not need to be restricted, as it does not progress CRF. However, meats are often high in PHOSPHORUS, so sometimes they need to be limited in order to cut back on phos. Phos is very harmful if levels are not controlled in CRF.
In very late stage, when the dog is uremic (BUN > 80),sometimes protein restriction can help relieve symptoms of nausea, vomiting and lethargy - but even that is questionable.
Read more in the article "Is a Low-Protein Diet Desirable or Necessary for Dogs with Kidney Disease?". Here is the link:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html
There is more info and recipes in our Notes section. Here is alink to our "World-Famous" Meatloaf recipe:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=148749971823429
MEDICATION
Important note. Please consult with your veterinarian about any health or medicine changes. The following are medications that are frequently used for CRF and it's complications. Ask your vet if they are right for your dog. We are not vets - we offer information and support. So again, always consult with your vet if you want to give your pet anything or change any medication.
Many kidney dogs have a poor appetite from increased toxins and increased acid in the stomach. These are some medications that are used:
Gastroprotectants/H2Blockers. Many CRF dogs get a gastroprotectant like Pepcid or Zantac. These will help reduce the acidosis in the stomach caused by CRF and this can help nausea and therefore appetite. Both are usually given twice a day since they last 12hr. Or at least given at bedtime as morning is usually when nauseais the worst. Check with your vet for direction on using these medications.
Slippery Elm Bark (SEB) also works well to soothe and coat the stomach and can be used alone or in conjunction with gastroprotectants. See this link for moreinfo:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/
Phosphorous Binders. If your dog’s phosphorus is high, which is almost inevitable in CRF, this will affect her appetite. It's also terrible for the kidneys. Most importantly, using a PHOSPHORUS BINDER like aluminum hydroxide (AH) or calciumcarbonate (TUMS or eggshell), to name a few, WITH MEALS to bind w/ phos (some of the phos is then pooped out instead of absorbed) will help to lower her phos levels. This is one of the most important goals in managing CRF and making your pet feel better. See link for more info:
http://www.zzcat.com/CRF/supplies/binders.htm
You can get binder like AH, and other CRF supplies, like subqfluids at thrivingpets.com. The owner, Ian, is a member here and very knowledgeable about CRF.
http://www.thrivingpets.com/index.php/chronic-conditions/kidney-renal-disease.html
SUBCUTANEOUS FLUIDS (SubQ)
Excess water consumption in kidney disease is caused by the dog urinating more, not the other way around, so it may be difficult for your dog to drink enough water to keep himself hydrated, particularly if you are feeding a dry food, or if your dog does not like to drink water. Since dehydration can be very bad for the kidneys, the use of sub-q fluids can help ensure that your dog stays properly hydrated. Your vet should be able to show you how to do this procedure yourself at home. Here is more info:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneymedical.html#subq
Besides dehydration, subQ fluids also help to flush out excess toxins in urine and may help lower BUN and Creatinine. Besides dialysis,nothing else besides intravenous (IV) and subQ fluids is capable of doing this. IV fluids are more effective at this in crisis situations and some pets may need to be admitted to a vet for a period of time to receive IV fluids in crisis situations.
SubQ fluids may be administed by a vet. Many CRF pet parents learn to do this themselves at home. This saves time and money and makes more frequent administration feasible. Initially, the stress is high for most people learning to do this. With time and experience most people are comfortable doing this themselves. This video is a very helpful intro to administering subQ fluidsat home:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/kidney-disease/subq-fluid
SUPPLEMENTS
We have a Supplement List you can look at here:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=129670903731336
LEARN ABOUT CRF
Be sure to check out the kidney section of dogaware, which is a wealth of info. Admin Carolyn printed this whole section out (about 50 pages)and put in a binder so she could sit in a comfy place and make notes and highlight. Here is the link:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidney.html#
K9Kidneys is a Yahoo group that you also can join to get support. All of the admins are members in this group.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KIDNEYS/
WELCOME! ~ Your Admins: Carolyn, Amanda, Diana, Barb & Wendy show more
CRF Dogs exists to EMPOWER pet parents of Dogs and Cats with Chronic Renal (kidney) Failure with knowledge, courage and support by introducing them to the CRF community.
Our objective is to help pet parents to help themselves. We do our best to help everyone and answer questions as best we can but please realize we are doing this work on a volunteer basis. Please read posts and information to be sure you learn as much as you can for yourself and your pet.
Always consult with your veterinarian about any health or medicine changes. We are not vets - we offer information, support and our own experience. So again, always consult with your vet if you want to give your pet anything new or change any medication.
If your pet has just been diagnosed with CRF it is often overwhelming and scary. Take a deep breath and realize that there is A LOT you can do to help your pet.
Read the information below to get you started. It is based on the most common questions we get from new members – and also questions we as admins ask new CRF mums and dads.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask away! CRF is very complex and we are just touching on basics here!
We have a NOTES section with more information. To access this section look at the top of the main page under the large photo – there you will find About – Photos – Likes and Notes. Scroll through to find different articles. Please note that with most notes you have to click “View Full Note”to see all the information (Here is a link directly to the page: https://www.facebook.com/CRFDogs/notes)
When you post the first time we often need some basic info to let us know a little more about your pet. We will ask for:
Bloodwork/Lab results?
Diet: What are you feeding your pet? Have you made any dietchanges for your pet?
What were you feeding before you made the changes?
Did you start your pet on any new medications or supplements? Ifso which?
Are you administering SubQ fluids?
To learn more about... show more these questions…keep reading!
BLOODWORK/LAB RESULTS
Make sure you get a copy from your vet of the bloodwork test that was taken to diagnose your pet. This will help you understand the disease and gather the correct information to move forward. It will also help to have this handy if asking a question on this page.
Usually the most important “numbers” from this test are:
Hemoglobin (Hgb)/Hematocrit (Hct): Anemia can be caused by kidney disease, and is measured by Hematocrit (also called Packed Cell Volume, or PCV).The kidneys are responsible for producing the hormone erythropoietin. This hormone stimulates the bone marrow to produce red bloodcells (RBCs). As kidney function declines, so does the production of RBCs. Iron and B vitamins can be helpful to prevent and treat anemia (see Supplement List below for details).
Albumin. Total Protein and Albumin levels may be decreased if you are not feeding your dog enough protein, or if your dog has a protein losing disease. Albumin is needed to help absorb fluids, so it is important that it stays in the normal range.
BUN/Urea Nitrogen. (Blood Urea Nitrogen, also sometimes just called Urea) is also commonly used to diagnose kidney problems, although it is not kidney specific, and values may be elevated for other reasons, particularly if you did not fast your dog for 12 hours before the test was done.
BUN can also be elevated in dogs fed a raw diet. This elevation is safe and reflects a different "normal range" for dogs fed this diet. Read more in our NOTES section in an article by Dr Jean Dodds:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=129670903731336#!/notes/crf-dogs-chronic-renal-kidney-failure/how-raw-feeding-causes-normal-elevations-of-bun-creat-hct-issues-in-nutrition-je/382794985085592
Creatinine. When creatinine is elevated above the normal range (Usually about 1.6 mg/dL, or 141 µmol/L), this generally means that thereis a problem with the kidneys. It does not tell you whether the problem isacute or chronic, or what the cause is, or whether it can be cured, but it is a sign that your dog is having kidney problems and action needs to be taken. Creatinine is a better indicator than BUN of kidney function over time. BUN is affected by more factors and can fluctuate more day to day.
Phosphorous. Failing kidneys cannot eliminate excess phosphorus like healthy kidneys can. Excess phos builds up in the body. This excess phos is thought to make our pets feel bad overall. Excess phos then deposits in soft tissues like muscles and organs (yes, kidneys too!), causing them to mineralize which decreases function of those organs and tissues. High phos is one of the most destructive things for CRF kidneys because it progresses the disease more rapidly (See "Phos Binders" under "Medications" below).
Calcium. Calcium and phos work together to keep each other in balance. Calcium is beneficial to monitor in CRF dogs, especially when using a calcium-based binder as a phos binder (Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Acetate, etc.), since these can elevate Calcium levels as well.
Urine Specific Gravity (USG). A urinalysis can be important in diagnosis of kidney disease. Often, low urine specific gravity (1.020 or below) will be the first indication that your dog's kidneys are not functioning properly (to be accurate, this test should be performed on the "first catch of the day", the first time your dog urinates in the morning after being in all night).
Abnormal results and measurements. If any other lab results were abnormal be sure to bring these up too. Please include the normal range as these vary from lab to lab and country to country.
In the US measurement of Creatinine and BUN/Urea are mg/dL. Outside the US BUN/Urea measurements are mmol/L and Creatinine are µmol/L. To convert BUN (Urea) from mmol/L to mg/dL, divide by 0.357 (or multiply by 2.8). To convert Creatinine from µmol/L to mg/dL, divide by 88.4. Here is a unit conversion calculator if you need it: http://www.vin.com/calculators/default.htm
DIET
Here at CRF Dogs we emphasize a DIET of low phosphorus, high quality proteins, NOT the low protein myth (Exception: proteinuria, PLNs)
The low protein diet is only necessary if your dog has a kind of kidney disease where there is protein loss in the urine (called proteinuria). Even then, only moderate restriction is often necessary. Otherwise, if there is kidney disease but no proteinuria, protein does not need to be restricted, as it does not progress CRF. However, meats are often high in PHOSPHORUS, so sometimes they need to be limited in order to cut back on phos. Phos is very harmful if levels are not controlled in CRF.
In very late stage, when the dog is uremic (BUN > 80),sometimes protein restriction can help relieve symptoms of nausea, vomiting and lethargy - but even that is questionable.
Read more in the article "Is a Low-Protein Diet Desirable or Necessary for Dogs with Kidney Disease?". Here is the link:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html
There is more info and recipes in our Notes section. Here is alink to our "World-Famous" Meatloaf recipe:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=148749971823429
MEDICATION
Important note. Please consult with your veterinarian about any health or medicine changes. The following are medications that are frequently used for CRF and it's complications. Ask your vet if they are right for your dog. We are not vets - we offer information and support. So again, always consult with your vet if you want to give your pet anything or change any medication.
Many kidney dogs have a poor appetite from increased toxins and increased acid in the stomach. These are some medications that are used:
Gastroprotectants/H2Blockers. Many CRF dogs get a gastroprotectant like Pepcid or Zantac. These will help reduce the acidosis in the stomach caused by CRF and this can help nausea and therefore appetite. Both are usually given twice a day since they last 12hr. Or at least given at bedtime as morning is usually when nauseais the worst. Check with your vet for direction on using these medications.
Slippery Elm Bark (SEB) also works well to soothe and coat the stomach and can be used alone or in conjunction with gastroprotectants. See this link for moreinfo:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/
Phosphorous Binders. If your dog’s phosphorus is high, which is almost inevitable in CRF, this will affect her appetite. It's also terrible for the kidneys. Most importantly, using a PHOSPHORUS BINDER like aluminum hydroxide (AH) or calciumcarbonate (TUMS or eggshell), to name a few, WITH MEALS to bind w/ phos (some of the phos is then pooped out instead of absorbed) will help to lower her phos levels. This is one of the most important goals in managing CRF and making your pet feel better. See link for more info:
http://www.zzcat.com/CRF/supplies/binders.htm
You can get binder like AH, and other CRF supplies, like subqfluids at thrivingpets.com. The owner, Ian, is a member here and very knowledgeable about CRF.
http://www.thrivingpets.com/index.php/chronic-conditions/kidney-renal-disease.html
SUBCUTANEOUS FLUIDS (SubQ)
Excess water consumption in kidney disease is caused by the dog urinating more, not the other way around, so it may be difficult for your dog to drink enough water to keep himself hydrated, particularly if you are feeding a dry food, or if your dog does not like to drink water. Since dehydration can be very bad for the kidneys, the use of sub-q fluids can help ensure that your dog stays properly hydrated. Your vet should be able to show you how to do this procedure yourself at home. Here is more info:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneymedical.html#subq
Besides dehydration, subQ fluids also help to flush out excess toxins in urine and may help lower BUN and Creatinine. Besides dialysis,nothing else besides intravenous (IV) and subQ fluids is capable of doing this. IV fluids are more effective at this in crisis situations and some pets may need to be admitted to a vet for a period of time to receive IV fluids in crisis situations.
SubQ fluids may be administed by a vet. Many CRF pet parents learn to do this themselves at home. This saves time and money and makes more frequent administration feasible. Initially, the stress is high for most people learning to do this. With time and experience most people are comfortable doing this themselves. This video is a very helpful intro to administering subQ fluidsat home:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/kidney-disease/subq-fluid
SUPPLEMENTS
We have a Supplement List you can look at here:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=129670903731336
LEARN ABOUT CRF
Be sure to check out the kidney section of dogaware, which is a wealth of info. Admin Carolyn printed this whole section out (about 50 pages)and put in a binder so she could sit in a comfy place and make notes and highlight. Here is the link:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidney.html#
K9Kidneys is a Yahoo group that you also can join to get support. All of the admins are members in this group.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KIDNEYS/
WELCOME! ~ Your Admins: Carolyn, Amanda, Diana, Barb & Wendy show more
Recommendations and reviews from 1 person
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Referral from
August 8, 2014
Karen H. asked:Good news Nikon is eating better after starting on him an appetite stimulant this past weekend. He's showing an interest in food. Anyways, now that he is eating better I really want to look at what I am feeding him to manage his phoshorus levels better. He's been fed raw for years, typically feed ground meats with bone and I'd prefer to continue to but can you manage the kidney's feeding raw? If, so are there protein sources that are better than others?Diana F. replied:https://www.facebook.com/CRFDogs?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark
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