Raw feeding and renal problems?

TwyfordM

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 December 2013
Messages
5,622
Visit site
Up until now haven't been able to look into raw feeding as haven't had the freezer space but now do.. Only problem now being I've now taken on my nans dog who has renal problems so is on a special dry food although i wouldn't say he's doing the best on it. He has constant skin problems, lethargic etc can't be on any other foods as he gets bladder stones.

My greyhound is fit, healthy so obviously normal rules would apply but worried about the little guy, he's a jr x chihuahua so obviously very small and lots of genetic problems as he got the short end of the stick and is due to have operations on both back legs due to slipping patellas.
 
What stage of renal failure is he in or is it urinary stones that are the issue?if its stones... what type of stone... Those are very very different underlying issues to manage so very much depends on what the underlying condition is?

Without knowing exactly what's been diagnosed dietary advise given could be very detrimental to the dog.
 
What stage of renal failure is he in or is it urinary stones that are the issue?if its stones... what type of stone... Those are very very different underlying issues to manage so very much depends on what the underlying condition is?

Without knowing exactly what's been diagnosed dietary advise given could be very detrimental to the dog.

He's not in renal failure, it's urinary stones. Not 100% sure what type of stones. I can possibly check with vet as he's always been under the same vet as ours. But not sure how it would work getting information now nan has passed.
Food he's currently on is struvite management
 
Has he been on the food for very long? Any confirmation on if the stones were confirmed dissolved or did he have to have surgery to remove them?
 
Best bet is get the full med history.

See exactly what stones were diagnosed...that gives you an idea of what the ph needed is going to be- as it differs by stone type..
find out what the current expectation for recurrance is( also differs by stone type)
plus or minus a urine sample/xray (again depending on stone type involved-only some viable on xray)
see what the current stone status is...active crystals present or not... what the current urine ph is...
and if its working to manage the condition ..
then see if the diet can be changed.

Blindly changing without the full information..particularly to a raw diet that may significantly modify the calcium level and urine ph isnt something I'd do lightly to a dog who needed surgery in the past for the issue.

Go information hunting then reevaulate would be my advise.
 
Best bet is get the full med history.

See exactly what stones were diagnosed and what the ph needed is going to be as it differs by stone type..find out what the current expectation for recurrance is( also differs by stone type) plus or minus a urine sample/xray (again depending on stone type involved-only some viable on xray) to see what the current stone status is...active crystals present or not... what the current urine ph is and if its working to manage the condition ..then see if the diet can be changed.

Blindly changing without the full information..particularly to a raw diet that may significantly modify the calcium level and urine ph isnt something I'd do lightly to a dog who needed surgery in the past for the issue.

Go information hunting then reevaulate would be my advise.

Thanks, no plans to change unless it would work for him. I'll have to get digging when I take him in to get the ball rolling on these surgery's on his back legs 🙈
I remember having the conversation with nan about getting him as I was worried about health problems.. Sods law i end up dealing with them....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aru
Also if hes fat focus on that as well as a priority.Sometimes if its a low grade patella luxation weightloss and muscle build up can help avoid surgery...ina larger proportion of cases then youd expect.
If its high grade then poor dog he really didn't win the genetic lottery!
 
Also if hes fat focus on that as well as a priority.Sometimes if its a low grade patella luxation weightloss and muscle build up can help avoid surgery...ina larger proportion of cases then youd expect.
If its high grade then poor dog he really didn't win the genetic lottery!

He was fat when he arrived with nan but at a good weight now. That was one thing i made sure happened ASAP as he was hugely overweight 😳 at a year old too. Muscle build up hasn't helped, I've tried all i can but hes hopping after three strides now, feel awful it's been left this long but we've been dealing with nan, now he's with us for good we can get it sorted.

He's a Jr body on chihuahua legs. He bombed the genetic lottery, he's like someone's tried to glue two breeds together and done a bad job 😡 breeders should be shot. He has the chihuahua collapsing windpipe too...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aru
He's not in renal failure, it's urinary stones. Not 100% sure what type of stones. I can possibly check with vet as he's always been under the same vet as ours. But not sure how it would work getting information now nan has passed.
Food he's currently on is struvite management

If you have a copy of the death certificate and explain you now own the dog they should be able to let you have his clinical history.
 
Top