Ask a Vet: Diet & Kidney Failure in Cats
October 21st, 2008 by Dr. Donna SpectorQ: We brought our five-year-old cat Sterling to our vet due to constipation and poor appetite (He always ate dry food and generally wouldn’t touch wet). He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, high calcium, and kidney failure — and the prognosis of living about a year more at best. After enemas and flushing, she prescribed a special diet of food with the ingredients below. Can you share your opinion about if that diet seems on the right track, or what diet we should be seeking?
Ingredients from the prescribed food (dry):
Rice, ground corn, chicken fat, corn gluten meal, chicken meal, natural flavors, cellulose powder, dried egg powder, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, brewers yeast…etc.
A: I am always hesitant to recommend a diet with rice, corn and corn meal as the main ingredients for cats. Cats are carnivores, and their metabolism is best suited to a high quality meat-based diet. However, the kidney failure that Sterling is experiencing may require that he eat a lower protein diet. Ask your veterinarian if there is another diet they recommend that could provide higher quality meat ingredients, even if in lesser quantities. Good luck with Sterling.
Dr. Donna Spector, DVM, DACVIM
Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.
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October 21st, 2008 at 10:57 am
My cat, Cal, is 10 years old and for the past two years has lost patches of fur on his head and neck when the weather gets colder (fall/winter). I haven’t actually caught him scratching, but have seen scratch marks. Last year our vet (without blood testing) said it was feline endocrine alopecia and gave him a cortisone injection. The fur grew back shortly after. I, on the other hand, now believe it is some sort of seasonal allergy since it only happens around this time of year.
We have replaced all of our air filters with ones for allergies and two weeks ago I started him on Halo Dream Coat and he has not lost anymore fur. I also just ordered Spot’s Stew Lamb canned food to go along with the Innova Evo dry cat food he already eats. I would like to try something natural and try not to use steroids. Can you recommend any supplements to help him with this condition?
January 17th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Our cats will not eat not very much wet food and one eats none at all. I am worried about problems with urinary health. We use a low ash/magnesium formula now, but saw Halo and was wondering about the ash/magnesium content in the dry cat formula? Thank you
March 11th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
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March 12th, 2009 at 11:43 am
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January 15th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
My dog, who has no history of urinary problems, was recently diagnosed with mineralization of the renal pelvis bilaterally. This diagnosis was made from a CT scan for an unrelated issue and was later followed up by a negative urine culture, so we do not have any more detailed information about what exactly caused the mineralization. Our vet suggests switching to a prescription diet with these ingredients:
RICE, GROUND CORN, CHICKEN FAT, CHICKEN MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, NATURAL FLAVORS, DRIED EGG POWDER, SODIUM CHLORIDE, CELLULOSE POWDER, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CALCIUM SULFATE, TAURINE*, VITAMINS [DL-ALPHA TOCOPH should also mention that oEROL ACETATE (SOURCE OF VITAMIN E), BIOTIN, D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, NIACIN, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), VITAMIN A ACETATE, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINEE MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID], TRACE MINERALS [ZINC OXIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, COPPER SULFATE, MANGANOUS OXIDE, SODIUM SELENITE, CALCIUM IODATE], PRESERVED WITH NATURAL MIXED TOCOPHEROLS, ROSEMARY EXTRACT, AND CITRIC ACID.
I know that this prescription diet is designed to increase water intake in the dog, increasing the volume and frequency of urination, but it appears low quality to me. Instead, I am considering switching from Spot’s Stew dry to canned food, to increase the water content of the food, along with getting him to drink water more frequently, which we can usually do by encouraging him and offering fresh water. What do you suggest? Thank you!
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Dear Christine,
Increasing water intake is undoubtedly one of the most important treatments to promote kidney health and to prevent canine urinary stones! Drinking more water produces dilute urine. Dilute urine contains less concentrated minerals so they are less likely to form calcification and then stones.
You can increase your dog’s water intake by feeding canned food. Some dogs will drink more voluntarily if a pet-designed continuous water fountain is used. Also try large bowls placed around the house in all of your dog’s favorite places. The addition of light salt (potassium chloride) to your pet’s food can also effectively increase the amount of water they take in.
Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector