[Rambo and Fancy]

My vet prescribed Hills L/D, it’s protein is just less then 17 %. Anyone know any good foods with that amount of protein?

Thanks

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Rambo and Fancy –

The problem is the minimum protein level allowed by the AAFCO for adult maintenance is 18%, so you’re probably not going to find anything lower than 18% (dry matter) unless you go with a prescription food. If your dog can handle 18% protein some options would be Addiction’s dehydrated line (they have a couple formulas that are 18% protein), Solid Gold Holistique Blendz, Flint River Ranch Senior Plus, Verus Weight Management (this formula actually has 17% stated, would be 18% dry matter), First Mate Trim and Light and First Mate Pacific Ocean Fish Senior/Weight Management.

Here are some links with information about homemade low protein diets for dogs with liver disease if home-cooking is something you’d be interested in:

www(.)dog-health-guide(.)org/canineliverdiseasediet(.)html
www(.)canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels(.)com/liver_diet(.)htm

(you’ll have to remove the parenthesis around the periods, for some reason whenever I post a link the forum puts my post in the spam folder so I have to disguise the links lol)

[Rambo and Fancy]

Thanks for the info. At least the first ingredient isn’t corn although it is brewers rice. From Hill’s website:
“Brewers Rice, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Egg Product, Soybean Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Flaxseed, Pork Protein Isolate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Dried Beet Pulp, Calcium Carbonate, Glycerol Monostearate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (source of vitamin K)), Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, L-Arginine, Taurine, DL-Methionine, minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, L-Tryptophan, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.”

I’m gonna have to do more research on the subject.

[Rambo and Fancy]

17.8 % protein dry weight

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Rambo and Fancy –

Another “prescription” option that would be much higher quality than the Hill’s prescription food is one of the formulas from Rayne Clinical Nutrition. They have a low protein formula for dogs with liver issues. The ingredients are: sweet potato, water, egg, butternut squash, canola oil, sunflower oil, vitamin and mineral mixture, fish oil, calcium. It’s 11.2% protein on a dry matter basis. The foods come in trays, probably similar in texture to a canned food, and are made using human-grade ingredients. I have no idea what the prices are (not cheap, I’m sure), but if it’s something do-able for you it’d be something to talk to your vet about. I’m not sure if you have your dog on a support supplement – but Standard Process has some good supplements that are available through veterinarians only. They have a “Canine Hepatic Support” supplement that utilizes herbs and glandulars that are known to support the liver. Just some more things to think about.

[Rambo and Fancy]

The Rayne looks good but it is kinda high. This my be a silly question but can’t I just give him less of the high quality and mix it with more vegetables? He doesn’t even eat a half cup of food at a time, so what if I cooked some carrots, sweet potatoes etc and mixed it together. Then fed 1/4 cup of the mix and 1/4 cup of my regular grain free?

Does that make sense?

[Author]

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