Dietary management of renal failure in the dog and cat

● Dietary therapy is a key element in the conservative medical management of chronic renal failure (CRF) in dogs and cats. ● Appropriate dietary modifications can alleviate clinical signs of uremia and may help to slow progression of renal damage. ● Although the restriction of dietary protein is of clinical benefit in uremic patients, excessive protein restriction can cause protein malnutrition in both dogs and cats. ● Feeding an energy-dense diet, in which the energy content is derived primarily from nonprotein sources, helps to avoid tissue catabolism and to reduce nitrogenous waste production. ● A staged approach to the dietary management of CRF is currently recommended for dogs. INTRODUCTION