High protein diet is affecting Tigger's kidneys!

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amaier

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Hello!
It has been quite a while since I last visited the site. All of the information provided has been extremely helpful! Tigger's diabetes has been under control for several years now, strictly through diet. The problem I am now facing it the high protein in his food has resulted in the early stages of kidney disease :sad: . If I change his diet to a low protein ( for his kidneys) then his diabetes will go out of control. Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so, what food did you find worked best. The vet suggested GD by Hills Science Diet. I haven't tried this yet... I just spoke to the Vet this evening and plan to pick up samples tomorrow.

I hope i can find a happy medium so that I don't have to use insulin to keep his diabetes under control. Any advice and suggestions are welcome!
Thank you,
Amanda
 
Many of us have faced this issue - it isn't the diabetic diet that is causing your kitty's kidney problems, but you do need to modify the diet somewhat now that the kidney issues are occuring. Question: what are Tigger's BUN and creatinine levels? How about his urine specific gravity? How about phos, hemoglobin, etc? Does he really have CRF or is he just showing some higher BUN levels? higher BUN can be normal on a normal high-protein diet and I personally wouldn't be alarmed if that is the only issue. What really matters is how well his kidneys are concentrating his urine - the specific gravity values.

Current veterinary thinking (at least as I understand it - I'm not a vet) is that high quality protein is important for your cat's health - even with kidney disease. But, you don't have to use a renal diet right away. You can opt for canned foods with less than 200 as a phosphorus value - these are also found in Janet and Binky's food list. Sub-Q fluids and phosphorus binders may also be helpful. I found Tanya's CRF site to be a great resource, and there is a Yahoo CRF chat group that can also offer good advice.

Let us know how it goes - definitely visit those other sites. Laura
 
by early, what do you mean? do you have any current lab work with BUN & Creatinine levels, USG level?
and remind us how old he is?

i've had a CRF kitty and now have another one just diagnosed with very early kidney insuffiency and have learned that it is something that comes with age moreso than anything else i may or may not do for them is why i ask about his age.

I just went and refreshed my memory as i thought there was something about protein and it's role in causing kidney disease and yeah, from what i see on this site here http://www.felinecrf.org/nutritional_re ... tm#protein there is indeed some disagreement as to whether protein is that big of a factor in kidney stuff.

i'd like to look thru Dr. Lisa's site as I'm sure she probably addresses it too but I can't seem to sit here long enough to get a good read in (i'm at work :-) ) her site, in case you don't know it yet, is http://www.catinfo.org

for what it's worth, when my CRF Kitty was alive, she lived with my diabetic so we fed Friskies Special Diet flavors that are also low carbohydrate, thus feeding was easy and both kitties got what they needed. my vet wasn't concerned with her protein intake as much as she was her phosphorous intake.
 
amaier said:
Hello!
The problem I am now facing it the high protein in his food has resulted in the early stages of kidney disease.
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Hi Amanda,

This is a false assumption and one that is often made. Protein does not cause kidney disease, contrary to popular belief.

Laura and Cindy asked good questions below that need to be considered before any advice is given.

Please do not jump to conclusions that your cat needs a "kidney" diet at this time since many of those diets are very low in quality and not ones that I would ever recommend.
 
Blackie has diabetes and kidney disease. We feed Wellness Turkey and Chicken and we recently added a phosphorus binder to his food. What I've read indicates that it is high phosphorus foods that are hard on the kidneys more than high protein. Blackie's CRF diagnosis was in January 2009 and he is still doing well. We did have to start giving him SubQ fluids this summer and that's when we started the phos binder. He also gets some supplements that I think help keep him feeling good. Here's a link that is regularly posted on Health: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=28966
 
Okay.. It's starting to make a little more sense :roll:

I spoke to the vet today and she said that Tigger has lower urinary track disease, inflammation of his bladder. When this happens it can be very painfull, and as a result blood appears in his urine. So it's not CRF, but as I udnerstand can lead to CRF since his kidney's are showing signs of not functioning properly by not concentrating his urine. She also said that one on of his kidney's was elevated. The vet suggested Hills GD. I've never tried this but will slowly introduce it into Tigger's diet.
After looking over website Ele and Blackie posted, I can see that Tigger fits this description exactly. All the signs point to kidney problems - vomitting, excess water drinking, lethargic, weigh loss, and ( as I think back) even depression. I am hopeful now to get him on a more appropriate diet

I appreciate the food suggestions and web links.. they have been extremely helpful!! :)
 
I looked at the GD canned food. It is a lower protein, low phosphorous food with some other stuff. The ingredients are:
Water, Turkey, Pork Liver, Corn Flour, Barley, Powdered Cellulose, Fish Oil, Natural Flavor, Glycine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, DL-Methionine, Taurine, L-Cysteine, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Magnesium Oxide, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.

On a dry matter weight (J&Bs is based on % of calories) basis it is 38% carbs, 19% fat and 34% protein. I myself would go with a low phosphorous commercial canned food.
 
that sounds like FLUTD, which in all honesty, i don't know a whole lot about. I do believe though that Dr. Lisa has some info on her site in regards to that. if not, i'd definitely google it and/or start another post with something like "FLUTD experience needed" in the subject line as i know i have seen several here over the yeras who have dealt with it.

given the carb content in that GD food, I agree with Larry, I don't think I'd go with it as kitty will most likely end up back on insulin and most likely even not able to be regulated on such high carb intake
 
o it's not CRF, but as I udnerstand can lead to CRF since his kidney's are showing signs of not functioning properly by not concentrating his urine.
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You are not understanding this correctly. FLUTD does not lead to CKD (we are trying to get away from the term "failure"...too doomy, gloomy... and using chronic kidney disease, instead). The fact that he has dilute urine may...or may not...be indicative of CKD.

I can see that Tigger fits this description exactly. All the signs point to kidney problems - vomitting, excess water drinking, lethargic, weigh loss, and ( as I think back) even depression.
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You are jumping to conclusions since the signs above could point to many other problems. Cats with CKD that end up showing the above signs are clearly CKD on their lab report.

I am hopeful now to get him on a more appropriate diet
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And...as Cindy and Larry have mentioned....that would *not* be g/d.
 
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