# Low protein, high calorie and tasty



## Pomom (Apr 9, 2014)

Pippin had some kidney numbers elevated on his last blood test and his vet said to put him on a food that was low protein. The prescription foods are so low calorie though and he is having trouble keeping a healthy weight. Any recommendations for a Canadian food, 21% protein or less, 400 kcal/cup or more (without being full of fat) and something he might actually eat? He is on Go! Venison which meets the first two criteria, but he doesn't want to eat it, which makes the calorie content moot. I was crumbling liver treats on it til I realized that was VERY high in protein, making the first requirement a fail. At this point I feel like he is either gonna waste away or die of kidney failure. Freaking out a bit perhaps!?


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Can you get FirstMate in Ontario? Their Lamb and rice formula is 21% protein and 490 cals/cup, the "Trim and Lite" is 18% protein and similar calories/cup.

I found a couple other options at ~24% protein, but it sounds like that'll be too high for you.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I know that Kathyy has done a lot of research on feeding dogs with kidney issues. My understanding is that there are two schools of thoughts on feeding dogs with minorly elevated kidney levels and that is either aiming for low-protein or feeding normal protein and controlling the phosphorus amounts/balance. 

Have you tried drizzling a little homemade broth or just warm water over the food?

Don't know what is available in Canada, but The Honest Kitchen Keen formula is 21% protein as fed (23.2% dry matter basis) and 470 calories per cup as fed. He might like the texture and aroma of a rehydrated food like THK

Its really hard to get both high calorie and low protein/low or moderate fat since the fat is where the calories are really packed in.


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## CorgiKarma (Feb 10, 2009)

What about satin balls? I've never made them but my sister in law used them on her beagle that wouldn't put weight on.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

CorgiKarma said:


> What about satin balls? I've never made them but my sister in law used them on her beagle that wouldn't put weight on.


Satin balls are pretty much the definition of high protein and high fat as far as dog food stuff goes


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## CorgiKarma (Feb 10, 2009)

Good to know, I've never made them. I didn't think there was any protein in them!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

CorgiKarma said:


> Good to know, I've never made them. I didn't think there was any protein in them!


They're about 95% ground beef and egg. They're INTENSE. Useful, but intensely high fat and protein.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Kidney dogs just plain don't like to eat as they get stomach aches from excessive acid. Old dogs can take a long time to eat and get tired. Which is it? Could be both as he is getting on in years! That venison kibble sure looks like good stuff if he would only eat it. Soften it? Grind it?

Did the vet put him on K/D? Stuff looks and smells like corn pops. Sassy happily ate the huge amount she needed but that was before she got really old and tired out. I think it is pretty easy to crunch up. It comes in canned if you would rather.

If he just plain gets tired maybe switching to canned food would help and keep him better hydrated as well. Kibble must be harder to get down than soft canned stuff. Sassy would not drink water when she was old but she could get her daily requirement down if I fed her soup 3-5x a day. If his kidneys are compromised the very best thing you can do is keep his water intake up. Ask the vet though, there are likely some situations where you have to restrict water.

Sassy got more protein as she aged and she stayed on her feet to the end in spite of a nerve problem with her rear end, vet called it degenerative myelopathy. Senior dogs need more rather than less as their aging systems aren't as good at utilizing nutrients. It was thought that restricting protein lengthened life but studies have shown that it doesn't help. I'd rather my dog be able to get around easily and lean muscle mass helps that. See dogaware's pages on kidney disease for more info.

If you think he is getting acid stomach ask the vet. You will see him want to eat but then refuse as the food smells good but he knows his tummy will hurt if he eats. I thought Sassy was done first time she stopped eating. Vet gave her famotidine and she happily ate again, it was really amazing. Foods with low phosphorus help keep acid down but only prescription foods are going to be really low phosphorus as it is an essential nutrient. Dogaware has a chart of phosphorus amounts per cup of a number of dog foods. 


So long as he is getting some 'complete' food down then give him whatever he wants. Sassy got Trader Joe's Ginger Cat Cookies when she got her daily subcutaneous fluid treatments and she was just delighted at getting special human cookies that Max didn't get. You can check nutrition databases for phosphorus and protein and fat and all that. Those particular cookies are leavened with baking soda rather than baking powder so are low phosphorus.


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## CorgiKarma (Feb 10, 2009)

CptJack said:


> They're about 95% ground beef and egg. They're INTENSE. Useful, but intensely high fat and protein.


Wow! I thought it was a big ball of filler!


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## Pomom (Apr 9, 2014)

Thanks everybody! My vet didn't suggest K/D, as it was just a mild elevation. I have some suspicions that he can't smell well and that that is throwing his eating off as he gobbles up really smelly things and doesn't sniff the ground outside like he used to. Today I put canned pumpkin (a dog formula from Fruitables) on his Go! and he ate quite well. I bought one can each of a bunch of different things at a very high end dog food store so I could try them all in case he rejected most of them. The pumpkin was the first thing I tried and I had high hopes as he loves vegetables. His favourite thing in the world is cucumbers and the sound of chopping makes him so excited. Well it worked. I have this gut feeling that it won't work indefinitely, but if I can get a quality food in him I'll take it. I'll look for the honest kitchen too. I've never heard of FirstMate, I don't think we have that here. In any case I feel better now that I've spoken to you all and learned how many options there are. It gives me hope that if he goes off again, I can try something else.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Pomom said:


> Thanks everybody! My vet didn't suggest K/D, as it was just a mild elevation. I have some suspicions that he can't smell well and that that is throwing his eating off as he gobbles up really smelly things and doesn't sniff the ground outside like he used to. Today I put canned pumpkin (a dog formula from Fruitables) on his Go! and he ate quite well. I bought one can each of a bunch of different things at a very high end dog food store so I could try them all in case he rejected most of them. The pumpkin was the first thing I tried and I had high hopes as he loves vegetables. His favourite thing in the world is cucumbers and the sound of chopping makes him so excited. Well it worked. I have this gut feeling that it won't work indefinitely, but if I can get a quality food in him I'll take it. I'll look for the honest kitchen too. I've never heard of FirstMate, I don't think we have that here. In any case I feel better now that I've spoken to you all and learned how many options there are. It gives me hope that if he goes off again, I can try something else.


If anyone in Ontario carries it, Global Pet Foods does. They list it on their website, but I know each branch carries different stuff.


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## sandgrubber (May 21, 2014)

Low protein, high calorie, low fat is almost a contradiction of terms. Fat has about twice as many calories per unit weight than either carbs or protein. If you want to up calories without upping fat or protein content, you have to feed more carbs. I'd say, look for some sort of hi carb treats that your dog enjoys . . . brand really doesn't matter. Worth making sure that the protein and fat your dog does get are well balanced in terms of amino acids and on the high side for omega 3 and 6.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Pomom, FYI - Firstmate is available at lots of places in Toronto. Shouldn't be hard to find.


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## Pomom (Apr 9, 2014)

Thanks you guys. He has since gone off dog food of all kinds. My vet sent me a recipe and I will cook for him tomorrow. Very worrying. Don't actually know how old he is...I go with 15 but he could be older.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Sorry to hear that. I hope he's okay.


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

How's he doing today? Maybe switch him to canned food? Worrying for you!


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## Pomom (Apr 9, 2014)

I got him some Royal Canin Recovery canned food from his vet and he's eating that. I keep switching food though to try to get him to eat so of course he has diarrhea. I'm stressed to the max


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

Aw, that's rough!! Hang in there. Hopefully he'll eat the Recovery consistently so his belly can calm down. Hugs to you!!


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