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04-23-2008, 08:36 AM | #1 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| Low Protein, High Quality Dog Foods Because Logan's liver enzymes are elevated, I'm taking the vet's advice and switching to a low protein food. Logan has been eating Evo, which is too high in protein for him (46%). An article I read on liver shunt (which he has not yet been diagnosed with but has been tested -- results tomorrow) said that dogs should eat food that is 18% protein or less. This is difficult to find. The closest I have found is Natural Balance Potato and Duck puppy food which is 21% protein. If your Yorkie is having the same problem or has been diagnosed with liver shunt, what food are you feeding your dog? I'm wondering if 21% protein is too high. |
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04-23-2008, 08:51 AM | #2 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Rarely will you find a food that low in protein unless it is prescription (Sci. Diet L/D canned, Natural Balance Vegetarian and Royal Canin LS 14 kibble are best). RC kibble has made several Yorkies very itchy though. It will be impossible to fine 18% in a puppy food. Twenty-one percent is fine til you get a diagnosis and the vet will have to decide if they would rather the food be low protein or puppy food. Red meat should be avoided in liver compromised dogs. Poultry and game is also not the best but I would give poultry until you have a diagnosis.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
04-23-2008, 09:13 AM | #3 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | I know Nutro has the same percentage of protein. This is the adult variety of food. Many puppy formulas have a higher percentage than the adult variety... Hope you get good news tomorrow.
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com |
04-23-2008, 09:14 AM | #4 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| Does Logan have any symptoms? Is he ever a picky eater? Natural Balance Vegetarian as Ellie May mentioned is about 18% protein, but it's important to find out if your dog is in fact liver compromised... In the meantime, this one will be good or even a poultry based food that is 21% protein as long as there are *no* symptoms whatsoever. If he is, then the prescription foods are usually the way to go. They contain higher amounts of vitamins and minerals that they need like zinc and vitamin E and lower in the ones they need less of like copper. Canned L/D (not the dry) and Royal Canin Hepatic LS 14 are the two that I like to recommend. These foods are also vegetarian or soy based which are two good sources of protein for liver compromised dogs since meat proteins are so harmful to them.
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
04-23-2008, 09:23 AM | #5 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| I wonder if I should go ahead and continue feeding him the Hill's Science until I get a diagnosis. I just changed his food to Evo last month, and yesterday I started the Hill's Science based on the vet's recommendation. If I go buy something else today, it may all change again tomorrow once we get a diagnosis. The vet I talked to today said the elevated enzymes, which she didn't considers minimal, could be a result of Logan being a puppy with continuing bone growth. So, should I wait until tomorrow and continue the Hill's until I know something for sure? No matter what the diagnosis is, I will stop the Hill's and change to something more nutritious. |
04-23-2008, 09:43 AM | #6 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| What kind of Hill's is it?? I thought I read somewhere that it was regular Hill's science diet, which has red meat protein(I believe)... This is not recommended if liver problems are suspected. Did they do a bile acid test? This is the first thing they should do to check liver function. Regular bloodwork won't typically show *serious* problems until the liver is 75% damaged.
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
04-23-2008, 10:12 AM | #7 | |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| Quote:
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04-23-2008, 10:46 AM | #8 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| I would stick with the Science Diet if there is no red meat in it until you get the bile acid test results. Then you will have more of an idea about what kind of food he should be on and there is no reason to change it and then have to change again in a couple days...
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
04-23-2008, 11:01 AM | #9 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| Yes, the bile acid test is what I was talking about. It's good that it's chicken instead of red meat...Does your baby have any symptoms?
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
04-23-2008, 11:06 AM | #10 | |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| Quote:
I will probably need advice if the test is negative. Either way, I will be back | |
04-23-2008, 11:12 AM | #11 | |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | Quote:
Hoping the best for Logan...
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com | |
04-23-2008, 11:41 AM | #12 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| Oops. I meant negative for a diagnosis of liver shunt. If his level is abnormal, we'll probably get the ultrasound done to confirm. |
04-23-2008, 11:51 AM | #13 | |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | Quote:
Remember elevated levels do not always mean liver shunt...what it means is there is a problem with his liver function. Nothing will have been diagnosed until further testing.
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com | |
04-23-2008, 05:30 PM | #14 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| As mentioned, bile acid tests do not confirm liver shunt...Further testing has to be done to determine what is causing the elevated numbers...
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
04-24-2008, 04:43 AM | #15 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: AL
Posts: 465
| The vet's office has been talking as if elevated test results would definitely mean liver shunt. Interesting. I guess I should know something later today. I'm nervous! |
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