Renal Disease

Many animals suffer from bladder and kidney problems, ranging from simple bladder infections to chronic or acute renal disease and failure.  Cats are especially at risk for these issues, along with some dogs, due to the lack of moisture in foods that they eat.  Cats are hunters built to eat fresh meat with 70% or more moisture.  The invention of dry food diets for our pets, which gained popularity in the 50’s and 60’s after the war, is highly convenient for us and nutritionally balanced for our pets… but it has some serious deficiencies!  Cooked dry kibble has an altered pH and it lacks the moisture that animals are evolutionarily built for, which places our pets in a state of constant dehydration.  This lack of moisture in the food (which is absorbed and held by the body, not rinsed through like a drink from a glass), even if you think your pet drinks a lot of water, leaves them dehydrated. This leads to highly concentrated urine, bladder infections, and can eventually lead to kidney disease.  In addition, the pH in cooked food is opposite that of fresh, raw food, this wrong pH in the bladder and kidney puts a lot of pressure on the system.  But it’s easy to make a big difference with a few small changes:

  • Add canned or raw foods to meals as a topper, or switch completely to a canned, fresh or raw diet
  • Boost hydration with bone broth (we have organic!), goat milk, or wet treats. 
  • Add a bowl, glass, or fountain to the house, and consider moving water bowls away from food bowls (many animals dislike drinking water where they eat!)
  • Use a freeze dried or dehydrated food option, rehydrating with water when serving
  • Explore offering alkaline diets, foods, and water to adjust body pH
  • Add supplements specifically designed to support a healthy bladder and kidney like our Bladder Support supplements or Kidney Tinctures

*The staff at The Natural Pet Market are well educated & our products are well researched, but we are not licensed veterinarians and cannot provide medical diagnosis or prescription, nor can we be a substitute for visiting a veterinarian.  We believe in holistic care and treatment and we strive to support you with the best advice in holistic care of your pets.