Low Protein Dog Food

Has your vet has recommended a low protein dog food for your pet? Find out why a low protein formula is better for some pets, as well as where to find one.

Low protein dog food is manufactured in both dry and canned varieties. The protein is lower than the protein in normal dog food and is often recommend by a veterinarian to address certain health issues. Many of these foods can only be obtained with a prescription because, unless there are health issues, dogs require approximately 25 percent protein in their diets. Putting your dog on a low protein diet without consulting your veterinarian could make your pet sick, so make sure this level of protein is appropriate for your pet before making a change.

Low protein food may be prescribed by your vet for a number of reasons. Although many people think that they should switch to a low protein food as their dog ages, this is not necessarily true. Low protein foods are indicated when there are serious health problems, generally those that affect the urinary tract.

Relevant health issues include:

• Acute kidney failure
• Chronic kidney failure
• Congenital kidney disease
• Genetic kidney problems
• Glomerulonephritis
• Kidney failure due to Lyme and other parasite born diseases
• Congestive heart failure
• Tendency for urinary stones

Healthy animals excrete uremic toxins in the urine, but these toxins can build up when a dog has kidneys that are not functioning properly. Digesting protein produces the toxins, so you can keep the toxins at lower levels by limiting the protein in your dog's food. This way his body will not have to work so hard.

Besides just trying to find a food that is low in protein, you should also look for a food that is high quality. When a dog has renal disease, it has several nutritional issues that need to be handled.

• Be sure that the food has low phosphorus levels. Phosphorus can be retained by the body and cause an imbalance between calcium and potassium.
• The protein in the food, although low, should have easy availability. This is often called "bio-availability", and it refers to how much of the protein the body can easily utilize. This means that there is less waste and less build up of toxins in the system.
• Look for natural ingredients that have no chemical preservatives. Any toxins that are introduced to your dog's body will have to be filtered through the kidneys and liver. This can cause excess strain on these organs.
• High vitamin D3 levels are important.
• Increased calcium is important because your dog is not able to absorb calcium normally. Less calcium can lead to bone fractures.

• Flint River Ranch Senior is specially formulated for the lower protein requirements of older dogs. It contains all natural ingredients and no chemical preservatives. This is one of the highest rated low protein dog foods.
• Purina Veterinary Diet is a prescription dog food that many vets recommend.
• IVD Select Care is formulated specifically for renal failure.
• Hill's Prescription Diet is a low protein food.
• Eukanuba Veterinary Diet is formulated for the early stages of kidney disease.
• Waltham's Royal Canin is available in canned as well as dry forms. The company had a recall of their product in 2006, but has not had problems since then.

One of the biggest problems often encountered with a low protein kibble is that dogs simply do not like them. A lot of the flavor of the food is in the protein, and the food can be tasteless when that is removed. This does not make a difference to some dogs, but for many of them this lack of taste turns them into picky eaters.

This may tempt you to feed your dog scraps or treats. Do not do so because you will be increasing the protein in your pet's diet. Always follow your veterinarian's advice and continue to feed the low protein diet as prescribed. This will result in the best possible quality of life for your pet.

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