Taurine and kidney failure/high protein
First the taurine thingie from:
http://rawfed.com/myths/standards.html
These "complete and balanced" and "not harmful" pet foods can destroy long-term health and cause disease and yet still be marketed as a healthy food for your pet. This has been PROVEN true. An example would be the lamb and rice commercial diets that had met or exceeded the nutrient profiles of AFFCO, and that had passed the AAFCO feeding protocol yet created a taurine deficiency in the dogs that ate them (Torres, C.L.; Backus, R.C.; Fascetti, A.J.; and Rogers, Q.R. Taurine status in normal dogs fed a commercial diet associated with taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. 87 (2003). 359-372.). The dogs suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy; what is particularly distressing is that dogs can synthesize taurine from the readily-available (at least, in raw food) amino acids methionine and cysteine (whereas cats cannot), yet they still developed cardiomyopathy from this AAFCO-approved food! As a result, taurine is added into many commercial diets, but what about the dog owners whose pets became seriously ill and perhaps even died as a result of this oversight?
Protein = kidney disease = from what I've been reading; there appears to be no link between high protein intake and kidney disease - either human, cat or dog.
If a dog is affected by kidney disease; visit this link, looks promising.
http://courses.vetmed.wsu.edu/vm552/urogenital/crf.htm#causes of CRF
Modification of dietary protein intake: It is generally agreed that reducing dietary protein intake can ameliorate some of the clinical signs of uremia. The controversial aspects of protein modification include when to restrict protein, how much protein is needed, and will protein restriction delay the progression of renal disease? Some studies in rats, humans and dogs demonstrate that high protein diets result in glomerular hyperfiltration that in turn contributes to progression of deterioration in renal function suggesting that protein restriction in patients with CRD may ameliorate glomerular hyperfiltration and delay disease progression. This is not accepted universally regarding dogs with renal failure (see Finco 1989 in Current Veterinary Therapy X).
The optimal dietary protein requirements for dogs and cats with CRF are not established. Current commercial renal failure diets contain
* Dogs - 1.9 - 5.2 grams of protein/100 kcal high biologic value protein
* Cats - 5.4 - 7.2 grams of protein/100 kcal high biologic value protein
The protein source determines the biologic value and usability of the protein. Proteins with high biologic value can be readily converted to body proteins with minimal waste production. Animal proteins have a higher biologic value than vegetable proteins. Eggs have the highest biologic value.
Protein modification can be achieved with
homemade diets or commercial diets such as Hills KD and UD.
Phosphorous appears to be more of a concern than protein; Phosphorus restriction may delay the progression of renal failure and will minimize hyperparathyroidism. Protein restricted diets are also restricted in phosphorus. If phosphorus remains increased while feeding a protein restricted diet, phosphate binding agents which bind phosphorus in intestinal tract can be administered. Allow about 2 weeks of feeding just the phosphate restricted diet to determine its impact on blood phosphorus concentration before adding phosphate binders. Samples to analyze serum phosphorus should be obtained after a 12 hour fast. Phosphate binding agents include aluminum carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. Phosphate binding agents are given with meals (or mixed with food) and are dosed to effect to normal serum phosphorus levels. Side effects may include hypophosphatemia, constipation, and aluminum toxicity. Aluminum toxicity causes encephalopathies and bone disease in humans, neither of which have been documented in cats or dogs. Calcium containing phosphate binding agents (acetate, carbonate, citrate) should not be used until serum phosphorus is reduced to < 6 mg/dl. Monitor blood calcium and phosphorus concentrations at 10 to 14 day intervals while determining the necessary dose, then at 4 to 6 week intervals when serum phosphorus has normalized.
Most meat portions that I have used have only been 10% to 20%, but you would want to calculate the phosphorous portions. I think it is significant that homemade diets for renal failure in dogs is even mentioned on a vet med site.
