A low protein diet is generally recommended by vets for dogs suffering from kidney or liver disease. This diet is also beneficial for dogs with congestive heart failure or for those pets that have recurring urinary stones. However, if a low protein diet is administered to a pet that doesn’t need it, it can result in malnutrition. Hence, you should feed your pet such a diet only if it is recommended or prescribed by the vet.
Low Protein Food for Dogs
The primary advantage of a low protein diet is the production of fewer toxins. Digestion of proteins generates nitrogen wastes and toxins. A dog suffering from kidney disease finds it difficult to filter out the wastes and toxins from the body. Hence, a low protein diet helps in reducing the symptoms of kidney disease.
The primary function of the liver is to remove toxins from the blood. It is believed that a low protein diet slows the progression of liver disease by generating fewer toxins. Commercial low protein dog food requires a prescription as a low protein diet, if not required, can make your pet sick. The food is available in both dry and canned form.
Commercial Low Protein Dog Food
Commercial low protein dog foods include:
- Hill’s Science Diet
- Flint River Ranch Senior
- Eukanoba Veterinary Diet
- Purina Veterinary Diet
- Select-Care
- Waltham’s Royal Canine
Home Made Low Protein Dog Food
Alternatively, you can prepare low protein for your pet at home using rice, eggs, cheese, poultry and cottage cheese. You can add these ingredients as required to ensure that your pet’s meal contains the requisite amount of proteins. This ensures quick recovery and the continued good health of your pet.
Administration of Supplements for Low Protein Dogs
In order to ensure that your pet receives all the nutrients that are essential to his well being, you should include vitamin and calcium supplements to his diet.
Precautions You Must Take
You should monitor your pet’s health carefully once you put him on a low protein diet and watch for symptoms such as loss of weight, weakness, increased thirst and urination, dehydration, low amounts of urine or walking with an arched back. Such symptoms can signal complications that need to be attended to by the vet at the earliest.
Tips for Pet Owners
You should ensure that the commercial dog food you buy has the required amount of protein that’s ideal for your pet’s age and weight. Restricting proteins unnecessarily can complicate the pet’s condition by impeding recovery and impairing tissue regeneration. The proteins contained in the food should be high in quality and easily digestible to ensure minimal build up of toxins in the body.
The food should not contain any preservatives or additives. A low protein diet that contains high quality carbohydrates is especially beneficial for dogs suffering from liver disease. The food should also contain low amounts of phosphorus as phosphorus tends to be retained by the body and can cause an imbalance between levels of calcium and potassium.
A low protein diet, if recommended for your pet, should be tailor made to suit his specific needs.