Renal Diet Suggestions Needed
 

I have a little guy I rescued about 18 months ago who is between 10 - 12 years old, was neglected and is undoubtedly from a mill. When I got him Toto didn't know what dog food was. He apparently was only fed fast food and Chinese. He's always been a fussy eater although he has a good appetite. He'd rather beg and be miserable than eat a good brand of dog food.

Anyway, he was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease and was put on KD both wet and dry. He hates it. In the last 6 months he's lost nearly half a pound and when you only started out at 6 pounds that's a lot to lose. I've doctored the KD wet (he will snack on the dry) with bits of my other dog's food, cat food, added egg white, mixed in some of the cheap sandwich cookies he's so crazy about and he's still not eating. The vet is worried and told me to go ahead and give him cookies -- anything to get calories in him but to keep searching for healthy food he'll eat.

The home-cooked renal diets I've found online, I know he won't eat. He is not going to eat rice and green beans with a tiny bit of chicken. If I was raised on McDonalds and General Tso's chicken I wouldn't eat that bland crap either. So I have a little guy who is literally starving himself. The vet and I discussed whether it's worse to feed him what he will eat and lose him to kidney disease or to have a miserable little dog who is hungry all the time. Good question and not one I'd want to have anyone wrestle with.

Does anyone know of some foods I can try out?

Ask your vet about Azodyl & Epakitin. Kidney failure makes them have an upset tummy as the toxins are not being filtered out properly & these meds help greatly with this issue. Also get some (KD Feline) & try it. My Sparky has been eating this for 4 1/2 yrs now & is doing very well and there are other kidney foods you could try too. Ask your vet if the KD is the only one he carries & if it is then try calling around to other vets & see what they carry.