Renal / Kidney
A kidney-friendly meal for dogs with chronic kidney disease and no other major health concerns. The recipe is built to keep phosphorus low and calcium balanced, which is one of the most important things you can do nutritionally for kidney health. Calgae is the only calcium source you should use here — bone meal would push phosphorus too high. Plan to recheck bloodwork with your vet every couple of months so portions can be fine-tuned.
Daily ingredients
Quantities scaled for 11 lb (5 kg).
- 48gcooked dark-meat chicken, 93% lean ground turkey, or 95% lean ground beef · ~1.7 oz
- 127gcooked jasmine/basmati rice, couscous, or macaroni (no whole grains) · ~0.64 cup
- 76gcooked chopped broccoli, spinach, pumpkin, squash, or kale · ~0.42 cup
- 1.7gsafflower oil · ~0.42 tsp
- 2.5gfish oil · ~0.64 tsp
- ¼scoopiViBlend(rounded up to nearest ⅛)
- ¼tspCalgae (do NOT substitute bone meal)(rounded up to nearest ⅛)
Notes & guidance
- · Provides ~25% of energy from protein, ~28% from fat, and ~47% from carbohydrate.
- · Targets ~60 mg phosphorus and ~100 mg calcium per 100 kcal.
- · Vegetables help alkalinize the diet and provide potassium plus polyphenols.
- · Calgae is the only calcium source to use — DO NOT use bone meal, which would elevate serum phosphorus.
Feeding instructions
- 1Cook the protein thoroughly — bake, sauté, or simmer until no pink remains.
- 2Cook the rice/couscous/macaroni and vegetables until soft for easy digestion.
- 3Mix the daily portion together with the supplements in one batch, then divide across two meals per day.
- 4Add iViBlend and Calgae after cooling — do not heat the supplements.
- 5Introduce supplements gradually over 10 days if your dog is picky.
- 6Refrigerate prepared food and use within 3 days, or portion and freeze for up to 2 months.
- 7Recheck phosphorus, BUN, creatinine, and SDMA with your veterinarian every 4–8 weeks. Adjustments may be needed based on the biochemical profile.
- 8Weigh your dog regularly — adjust the portion up or down by as much as 40% based on activity and body condition.
Important — please read
This recipe is intended only for dogs with renal disease and no other significant comorbidities, and only under the direction of a veterinarian. Please consult a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist on whether this diet is appropriate for your dog before feeding. Your dog's unique calorie requirements, biochemistry, medical history, and diet history can all affect whether this is the best option.
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