I have a shepherd who has kidney failure. We had her on K/D, but she won’t even eat that. I tried brown rice & ground beef and got her to eat that only twice. Last night tried some chicken, which she ate a little bit of. What do you recommend? Please help.
Thank you.
This may sound crazy, but I have had luck with valium in dogs as well as cats, oral as well as IV. Another option would be the antihistamine chlorpheniramine. Both are appetite stimulants.
Good luck,
Joy N. Ritz, DVM
try an appetite stimulant called mirtazapine
Phillip McHugh, DVM
Park Veterinary Hospital
Durham, NC
If you can liquify the food and syringe feed your Shepherd, giving him the appetite stimulants until he’s able to eat on his on, that would help keep his strength and weight up…also, a renal support supplement called Epakitin, it’s primary ingredient is Chitosan, has been wonderful for my cat. I don’t know if it works the same for dogs, but it brought my cats kidneys into good health. Homeopathic mercury added 3 years to another one of our cats life years ago whose kidneys were failing…the Epakitin is used at veterinary clinics…the homeopathic remedy, you’ll need to consult a holistic vet…also, a website called wholesomehound.com would be good for you to check and talk with the proprietor Anne. She is very helpful with good information about the best kinds of food for your shepherd, call her. Changing the diet and providing kidney support may give you some good time.
good luck and bless your sweet shepherd.
Hi There,
I would try fresh prepared foods with raw meat for him. If he is not accustom to raw meat, then I would introduce this to him gradually. The old school of thought would be to feed less protein. This is now thought to be untrue. Reducing the protein has little impact on the progression of kidney disease. It actually can cause the kidneys to function less.Besides ,REAL food tastes better and I think he will thank you for it.
Thank You,
Dyanna McCain DVetHom.
Dyanna McCain, DIHom DVetHom
Holistic Animal Healing, Los Angeles, CA
A full kidney (renal) evaluation is recommended including serum PTH, blood gas analysis, blood pressure determination, urine culture, and urine protein quantification, as well as an ultrasonographic study of the kidneys is warranted to evaluate for underlying undetected factors which may contribute to inappetance.
A good medical appetite stimulant is mirtazapine in conjunction with Pepcid AC, and a anti-nausea medication called metaclopramide. Consult your primary care veterinarian re: both the diagnostics and treatment.
Good luck,
T. L. Medinger, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)
VCA Aurora Animal Hospital
Aurora, IL
need HELP please, my 11 yr old female American Eskimo has kidney disease and hypertension. she is doing much better on Norvasc and Enalapril medication (her protein levels are a bit better and blood pressure is much better) BUT she does not want her food(prescription K/D, which the Dr. said to give her low protein diet) she is not interested in her new diet. she is on a low protein diet and not really thrilled with the new choices like rice, potatoes – I have tried all sorts of combinations and adding little bits of chicken and tuna but that is really all she wants to eat but can’t have too much of it (only a cup of protein a day). she must eat and I am running out of ideas… anyone have any suggestions??? I have tried warming up the food, rice, potatoes, carrots and peas she like but too much is gassy, cottage cheese she did not like at all- please help, whatever I put down she just walks away from the bowl, i know she is hungry because she eats the tuna, chicken… please help
thank you , Juli
The dogs suffering from loss of appetite has me more concerned with their problems of their kidneys due to another malady that could have brought this on, like Tick Fever. Are these dogs having frequent blood tests to evalute them periodically?
I feel people put all of their hopes in their vets. Sometimes vets also miss symptoms even when it is staring them in the face. Always remember that vets are human, but we are those animals pet parents and we have the right to question and suggest treatment to correct the vet’s overlooking conditions. Do your homework, do research online, even look in human medical sites, call various vets, even take the dog that is ailing to another vet for a second opinion. It’s your money and it is your dog, so do not take the word of one vet nor their doomed prognosis. Stay firm, stay strong, stay aware and, most of all, stay close to you beloved pet even if it means losing some sleep to watch over the ill pet. Sleep can be made up, an animal cannot be replaced; we can get other animals in our life, but each is unique from any other…