The Best Snacks for Dogs and Cats with Kidney Disease: Safe and Risk-Free Enjoyment

“Water is soft and yielding; yet it has no equal for power.” – Sun Tzu

Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of kidney disease in both cats and dogs. Choosing the right snacks for a dog or cat with kidney disease can be a challenge. You want a snack that your four-legged friend likes but that is also safe for the kidneys.

This blog will help you understand which snacks are safe for dogs and cats with kidney disease, taking into account the different stages of the disease.

Always give snacks in moderation and also make sure you have a good basic diet

It is essential to always give snacks in moderation. The kidneys already have a big challenge to get rid of waste products, and an excess of snacks can cause extra strain. A general guideline is that the snacks should not make up more than 10% of the total number of calories per day . This way, you won’t disturb the balance of the main food and you’ll make sure your pet gets everything they need.

In addition, basic nutrition plays a crucial role. The main food should be specially tailored to your pet’s kidney disease. In this way, the kidneys can be supported as much as possible in their functioning, and the progression of the condition can be slowed down.

Some important points are avoiding too much salt in the diet, making sure that enough water is drunk, limiting the ingestion of phosphate also taking into account the type of phosphate in the diet, increasing omega-3 fatty acids, adding more antioxidants, monitoring potassium on the basis of blood tests and adjusting if necessary and limiting the amount of protein in later phases.

Renal Disorders and the Four Stages (IRIS Stages)

After the diagnosis is made, chronic kidney disease is classified into four stages according to the IRIS (International Renal Interest Society) stages. Each phase has its own characteristics and requires specific adjustments in diet and snacks. It is therefore important to know what phase your pet is in in order to make the right choices.

Renal disease is classified into the four phases based on blood levels (creatinine and SDMA). In addition, the amount of protein in the urine (UPC ratio) and blood pressure are taken into account. Of course, it is also important to look at the patient’s own symptoms (degree of dehydration, vomiting, etc.).

Phase 1: Early Stage

In this phase, the kidneys are already working less well, but the symptoms are usually still minimal. Often, this stage is detected by chance blood tests in healthy pets or in pets with mild symptoms. The kidneys can still do their job reasonably well. A reduction in the amount of protein in the diet is not necessary at this stage. It is important to provide good quality food and to make sure that there is not too much phosphate in the food and snacks.

Stage 2: Slightly impaired kidney function

The kidneys begin to show more signs of strain and waste products gradually accumulate. At this stage, animals may show a decreased appetite and slight changes in drinking and urinating habits. Snacks and foods that are low in phosphorus are important.

Stage 3: Marked impaired kidney function

In stage 3, the symptoms are more pronounced. Animals can lose weight, their appetite can fluctuate and they often drink and urinate more. It is important to further reduce protein and phosphorus intake and provide extra fluids. Snacks should be specifically tailored to put as little strain as possible on the kidneys, without depriving the animal of nutrients.

Stage 4: Severe kidney damage

This is the last and most advanced stage. Here, kidney function is greatly reduced, and the animal requires intensive care. Diet and snacks must be very tightly controlled, with a focus on extremely low levels of phosphorus, sodium and often protein. Snacks should be easy to digest and put minimal strain on the kidneys.

Snacks for Dogs and Cats with Kidney Disease: Do’s and Don’ts

In general, kidney-friendly snacks are:

• Low in phosphate
• Low in salt (natirum)
• Depending on the stage, medium to low amount of protein
• Preferably contain water/moisture
• Without additives such as dyes, preservatives, etc.

Fruits and vegetables can be an excellent, low-phosphorus, low-protein snack option for dogs and cats with kidney disease. In addition, they are low in calories and high in good nutrients such as antioxidants and phytonutrients.

These can be given at all stages:

• Vegetables: Carrots, cucumber, zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin, bell pepper, beetroot.
• Fruits: Banana, blueberries, apple (without seeds), pear, strawberry, blueberries, mango, melon/watermelon.

Note: Always give fruits and vegetables seedless and in small pieces to avoid choking hazards, especially with cats.

Meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products contain protein, and some products are also high in phosphate. There is, however, a difference in the amount of phosphate per product.

In IRIS phases 1 and 2 you can give small amounts of cooked chicken or turkey as snacks. In phase 3 you have to be a bit more careful with that and in phase 4 it is better not to give meat as a snack.

Cooked egg whites (without egg yolks) are a tasty snack with high quality protein and low phosphate for kidney patients in phases 1 to 3. Leave out the yolk because it does contain more phosphate.

You can make ice cubes from water or homemade broth without salt and give them as a snack. You can add small amounts of fruit or vegetables to make it more interesting. These are suitable for all phases.

For cats (and some dogs) who have less appetite, a little bit of melted butter without salt over the food can do wonders! Butter without salt contains little to no protein and phosphate.

Snacks You Should Definitely Avoid

Avoiding certain snacks can be as important as offering the right ones. Here are some snacks you should avoid giving to pets with kidney disease:

• ❌ Organ meats (liver, kidneys): High in phosphorus and protein
• ❌ Cheese and dairy products: High in phosphorus and sodium.
• ❌ Ready-to-eat snacks: Often rich in salt and phosphorus. Many ready-to-eat products contain excipients to improve taste, color or shelf life. These excipients can contain a lot of phosphate. In addition, this artificial phosphate is also better absorbed into the body than natural phosphate.
• ❌ Dried fruits: may contain a lot of phosphate
• ❌ Sardines and salmon: Although this is a favorite snack of many dogs and cats, these fish are high in phosphate and should be avoided if you have kidney problems.
• ❌Bully sticks, Rawhide, Raw bones: These are high in phosphate

Kidney disease in pets requires care and attention to their diet and snacks. By making the right choices, you can help your pet feel more comfortable and healthier. In this blog I have indicated what are suitable and less suitable snacks for dogs and cats with kidney disease. Not sure which snack is good? Always consult with your veterinarian to make sure you make choices that really suit your dog or cat’s needs.

Do you have any comments or questions regarding this blog? Feel free to send me a message, I’ll be happy to help you!