Tips for Dogs with Kidney Disease

by Christy Caplan | August 23, 2022

Our dog Sherman lived for over a year with kidney disease and eventually died from cancer. However, his kidneys were stable when he passed. I wanted to share some valuable tips I learned as he thrived with renal disease, and it didn’t keep us from crossing almost everything off his bucket list.

Sherman was diagnosed in April 2021 and passed away in July 2022.

The worst thing about renal disease is inappetence. So my advice – grab an appetite stimulant ASAP. We used Entyce, and it was clear this would improve the quality of Sherm’s life.

We didn’t hyperfocus on what stage of the disease he was in, as this didn’t help Sherman. Instead, we made sure he lived his best life. Every. Single. Day. 

Here are some tips we learned, and we’re confident this will help any pet parents with a doggo suffering from kidney disease.

Tips for Pet Owners

•   Hydration: Try bone broth and water “fountains” to encourage your dog to drink throughout the day
•   Appetite stimulants: Entyce saved Shermie, and he was hungry for every meal
•    Diet Try everything and cook if you need to; we combined a fresh food diet and kibble he liked. I also used cans of a kidney diet for lick mats and pills
•   Supplements: Introduce a kidney supplement called – Aminavast and, if possible, schedule time with an integrative or holistic vet, as herbs also likely helped Sherman.
•   Regular labs and bloodwork: It’s essential that your vet sees your dog every few months to monitor bloodwork and make sure the kidneys are stable.

@Sit, Stay, Photogrpahy

The Benefits of a Holistic Vet

It is wonderful to have a holistic vet on your medical team. I’m confident the acupuncture helped with Sherman’s appetite, and the herbs supported his kidney disease. We were able to ensure Sherman was evaluated from a holistic perspective. We discussed his quality of life and the various herbs he tolerated, from powders to capsules. Also on the agenda was gut health, which plays a significant role in overall dog wellness.

Why is gut health important?

Keeping your dog’s GI flora happy is a priority for pet owners. Research shows that up to 80% of our pets’ immune systems are based in the gut. Your dog’s immune system is what fights allergies and many other common health issues. With that in mind, you must maintain your dog’s gut health and gut microbiome.

Protecting the gut is a priority for anyone that lives with a senior. Gut bacteria can help with the following:

• Digestion and nutrient absorption
• Prevent diarrhea and inflammation
• Support optimal immune system function
• Synthesis of vitamins

Herbs for Kidney Disease

Milk thistle 

Milk thistle is the name of the herbal remedy and also the plant. The active biochemical is known as silymarin and is extracted from the milk thistle seeds. It is widely used for liver issues but also for kidney disease. 

Rehmannia in any supplement 

This herb helps the kidney system to enhance the tonic effect of Rehmannia, namely by promoting its draining action.

The above tips worked for our sweet Sherman, who thrived for over a year after his renal disease diagnosis. I hope this helps with your doggo.