How to Stop Kidney Damage

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Our question this week was:

I recently received notification from Costco that the food I purchased from them under the Kirkland label was added to the recall list. My dog became very ill at the time of the initial recall but the food was not yet listed. She was given IV fluids and recovered.

Since notification I have taken her to the vet for further examination. She has suffered permanent damage in one Kidney. Luckily I feed her Holistic Dry Food from Eagle Pack and only used the wet food to add some flavor to her meal. She is doing well but I am concerned about future damage.

Can you tell me what I should do to prevent further deterioration of her Kidney? She is currently staying with my parents while I am out of town and is being fed homemade meals as per the Veterinarian's instructions.

Sincerely,

Adinah Alexander


Answer

Hi – thanks for your email.

I'm so sorry to hear about the kidney damage your dog suffered as a result of the food recall. If the one kidney is normal and healthy, your dog should be able to live a normal life. Many people and pets live with one kidney without problems.

To maximize the health of the kidney, I'd recommend any situation that could cause dehydration, make sure he always has plenty of fresh clean water and I'd periodically have his blood tested to ensure the values are normal. Your vet will probably also use care to avoid drugs that can have side effects that involve the kidney or if required to use, will take special cautions e.g. by ensuring your dog is properly hydrated prior to use.

An article that might be helpful to you is Chronic Kidney Failure in Dogs. This article talks about long term treatment if the disease were to advance and other precautions.

Best of luck!


Dr. Jon



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