Kidney diet stuff

Hi, Lynne

We talked in SA about kidney stuff. Here is some info from the kidney diet list. It is really easy to figure out the diet for your dog once you get started. The key values that you need to have checked all the time are for PHOSPHORUS and CALCIUM. Your goal in life is to get the phosphorus level down.

I am lucky in that Allie's phosphorus level is in the normal range and I can keep it there by adding 1/4 tsp of calcium carbonate powder to every meal. I keep an eagle eye to check for hypercalcemia. She does not need a phosphorus binder. However, if I were feeding plain Evo, she probably would. I haven't investigated exactly how much phosphorus is in Evo -- the percentages re: calcium look good, http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=nutrition-facts&pxsl=//product%5B@id='1246'%5D , but I would have to write to them to get the exact amounts.

Her current diet is:
1 lean, skinless chicken breast and the broth it was cooked in, 1 cup broccoli and carrots cooked in the same broth, 2/3 cup egg white, 1/2 cup sticky rice, about 2/3 cup Evo. I vary the veg -- she loves sweet potatoes, squash, peas, green beans ... She is slightly overweight on this. She also gets: 1/4 tsp Calcium Carb, 2 Omega 3, B-50, B-12, Co-Q 10, glucosamine and MSM. The Omega-3 is esp. important, as is staying away from Omega-6. Her only treats are Evo and Natural Balance roll cut up, in small quantities, for drill team.
I cook up her food a week in advance in a big pot, except the rice which I steam in the steamer, yummy.

Allie works out to
80 lbs = 36.4 kg
needs 1400 kcal (except lower for low-activity Arctic dog)
163.8 grams protein using 4.5 g/kg
880 mg phosphorus allowed

chicken breast = 8 oz (1 cup) 374.22 cal 70.31 g protein 517.10 mg p
egg white one large 16.7 cal 3.51 g protein 4.34 mg p (about 8/cup)
broccoli 1 cup 44 cal 92 mg p
carrots 70 cal 47 mg p
sticky rice 1 cup 233 cal 4.8 g protein 19.2 mg p
treats:
Evo 1 cup 537 cal plus protein & p (I'm not sure how to figure this)
So she gets around 93.71 g protein, 644.64 mg phosphorus plus whatever is in the Evo.

I don't weigh it out precisely, obviously, since if I went by the real guidelines, she'd be hideously fat, and we also don't have to watch phosphorus as closely. I am enclosing The Box for doing the actual calculations. Also a few sample recipes for small dogs that I have multiplied. The Box is according to Dr Stromberg and very conservative; I use slightly higher protein, the recommended levels for senior dogs. Am tending that way anyway since the U Georgia study. Enclosed is a short excerpt from Stromberg. Again, the main thing is phosphorus and HIGH QUALITY protein. Bioavailability is everything.

Cheers
C