Last two weeks had been really hard for me because Duffy, a 12 years old American Eskimo dog, kept throwing up and having a bad diarrhea. We took him to the vet and he had been diagnosed with CRF, Chronic renal failure in his kidney.

It got worse after I started doing "home cooking" for him and he likes chicken. I didn't realized that it made him sick and we have changed his diet to low-protein. He is eating U/D and I/D canned food from science diet. The vet wanted him to be on Intravenous fluids for four days to see if it clears up his CRF issues. I found out that it is going to cost us like 1,500 buck.

My mom said that he has lived with us for 12 good years so we chose not to do the treatment. We are sure it will help him, but there is always a possibility that he can get sick again and again. In the long run, it can get really expensive and will he enjoy us picking on him?

Lately, I have been looking for other options. I really want to try and see if it helps him a lot. Well, I really want to try the fluids, but it will be done at home. I have done my homework on how to administer fluids. I am aware that Duffy needs a very slow flow rate of fluids if he is getting it rapidly then it can do him harm than good.

I found a few website where they sell dogs and cats' medical supplies such as needle, syringe, fluids, etc. It is a website specifically for dogs and cats with CRF problem and their cost seems not to be so expensive. They required a RX from the Veterinarian.

I'm so sorry, Lindsay

Unfortunately there is no cure for renal failure...but giving fluids at home can give Duffy time and a good quality of life during that time. Much depends on how far along the CRF is but I've known of dogs and cats who have had a good 6-24 months of life with the fluid therapy.

A vet tech can show you how to administer fluids and answer any questions or concerns. I saw very nervous, much older people who were quite afraid of doing this procedure become pros at it.

Fluids, lines and needles shouldn't cost you very much, either online or from your vet. I used to buy this stuff for our hospital so I know the true cost and it's pretty cheap. Duffy will need blood tests to monitor the kidney levels and to determine if fluid therapy is effective.

Obviously you'll need to keep a close eye on Duffy. Loss of appetite, lethargy, depression can be signs that the kidneys are overloaded and you would need to contact your vet for a check up and blood test.

My last GSD had the same thing and she lived 2 1/2 years after the diagnosis. Without IV fluids. She was never dehydrated and drank water normally.

I wouldn't give her the crap food that the vet recommended. I tried it, she wouldn't eat it. I figured better to let her have pleasure eating the food she loved for the time she had left. That time ended up being 2 1/2 yrs. She never showed signs of lethargy until the very end and I'm convinced it wasn't as much lethargy as it was that she became very sick and wasn't able to do much. However for almost all of the 2 1/2 yrs, she chased balls, walked, showed joy in living.

Sarah,

Thanks for the support. Do you think it is worth to do fluids treatment for Duffy? I can ask a veterinarian technician to show me how to administer the fluids.

Sandy,

Wow! She lived for 2 years and half with no fluids. What make you decide not to give her any fluids? Duffy drinks a lot of water, but after the vet visit. I've noticed that he is losing his interest to drink water. Should I stop feeding him those crappy canned food? I know that his kidney can't handle too much protein.

If it were my dog or cats I would give it a try at home and assess the situation from there.

Yes, absolutely, a vet tech can show you how to do it and the fluids go under the skin, not in a vein, which makes it much easier for Duffy and for you.

In a nutshell, since Duffy's kidneys are no longer functioning properly he is unable to remove toxins from his system. The fluids you give him will flush the toxins out of his system through his urine.

I'm in agreement with Sandy about crappy vet food and feel sure there is a better alternative that won't make matters worse. If it were my dog, I'd consult a holistic vet on the food issue.

 Quote: Lindsay Janes

Should I stop feeding him those crappy canned food? I know that his kidney can't handle too much protein.

Lindsay, I'm not gonna' pretend like I know what I'm talking about, but here is a good link (via Connie Sutherland, of course) that talks about CRF and diet.

http://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html#protein

I'm not sure if the diet listed on that page is good or not. Not recommending it, but the rest of the information is good stuff. It should be a good place to start research.

I can't wait to hear what others have to say about diet. I'm with Sarah and Sandy. There is a better way than Science Diet. I am sure of that.

Sure am sorry about all this, though. Sucks.

The link from Michael Wise goes to the site of the person who does the diet research for Whole Dog Journal (Mary Strauss). In my humble opinion, it's hard to find anyone more reliable or knowledgable than Mary Strauss for any kind of canine diet question.

Sandy and Sarah -- I agree 100% with that assessment of the SD and other vet foods for kidney failure.

Lew Olson, PhD, is someone else in whom I have great confidence. This article addresses the need for quality protein in a kidney-disease diet:
http://www.newhopecattledogs.com/protein-bnaturals.htm

You will notice on her site that she references Mary Strauss too:
http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/kidney-diet/

I would read all three sites carefully before even considering the so-called prescription foods.

And no matter what, I would never consider a kibble (over canned) of any kind. Hydration is paramount, and that means that the food you give should have all of the fluid in it that "came" in it.

How dehydrated is the dog? You mentioned losing interest in water. I would absolutely offer baited water (but no salt) as well as water poured over the fresh food at the time of giving it.



But I am not a health professional.

I'd also take careful note of the discussion of the benefit of long-chain Omega 3s to distressed kidneys.

lindsay, sorry to hear it.

i can echo what connie is saying about quality proteins - i have a cat w/CRF, who for 3+ years was on fluids, fortekor part of time, and hill prescription diet. when i moved the rest of the cats onto grain-free kibble (wellness core or orijen) b/c of my foster w/thyroid issues and IBD, i moved him as well, and the improvement is huge. i haven't had to give him fluids in months, and his hydration is great - he is brighter, more alert and doing well despite being on high protein food - but it is quality protein.

but i would definitely learn how to give fluids - it's a handy skill - as at first he may need them, and you can also learn how to check for dehydration.

Lindsay, I would follow the recommendation of your vet. If you want a second opinion, seek one...there are MANY wonderful vets here in Tucson.

I disagree about the food, I work in a Specialty and Critical Care facility where we see some of the worst cases, the ones the regular vets refer to us because we are the last chance these animals have. I have seen several animals thrive on the prescription diets. SD also has a kidney diet for patients with kidney disease called K/D. The I/D is more of an intestinal, low protein diet...very similar to a 'bland diet.' I am not one of those in the veterinary community that will just subscribe to whatever claim a 'big food' company wants to give.

We feed our personal dogs holistic food but would have no problem switching to a prescription diet if it was necessary to treat a health condition. I had (lives with my parents) a male, neutered cat with urinary crystals and he has not had ANY issues since he has been on Waltham S/O for several years...he was previously on Innova Evo for cats when he was affected.

Take the info you get, consider the options and discuss it with your vet.