Dog renal failure… will not eat

Hi David,
For your 8 year old Australian Shepherd, Rexie, with kidney failure due to Lyme Disease, I can offer a few suggestions to get you started. But, it would be much more beneficial for you to seek the help of a holistic veterinarian that can see Rexie on a daily basis.

I commend you on finding the Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy program! It offers some very good products. The advice they have at the end of the kidney program, regarding HYDRATION is of utmost importance.
“…about administering subcutaneous fluids at home… to ensure your dog stays as hydrated as possible.” Also, the ingredients would complement any homeopathic remedy.

So, to start, you will need to give Rexie 300cc of either Normosol R or Lactated Ringers Solution SQ two times daily at home. Although, it works faster if given in the hospital through an IV catheter. She could get her fluids at the hospital during the day, and you could take her home in the evening, and return her the next day. This needs to be done to flush the toxins from her system. That is what is making her nauseous, and not eat. Once her appetite is improved, she will not need the SQ or IV fluids so often.

Next, she will need to have B-Vitamin + B-12 injections on a daily basis for 7-10 days, given by SQ injection. B-vits will sometimes improve the appetite.

In cases where a patient is unable to hold down food, but they are able to hold down liquids, I will suggest giving chicken broth, or beef bouillon, or even tuna fish juice, so they have some protein in their system. Offer 1/4 cup every 2-3 hours and also provide water free choice. Another way to tempt them to take in nutrients, is to freeze some chicken or turkey broth in an ice cube tray, and offer some ‘chicken or turkey ice cubes’.

Products to assist in removing the nitrogen wastes (which causes her BUN to increase), include Azodyl, Renavast, and Renafood.

She should be on ALL of them. The most important ones are the Azodyl, available from amazon.com, and Renavast.

Azodyl comes in a capsule form, and usually is administered by opening the capsule and sprinkling it into the food. (The instructions may say to keep the capsule intact, but for dogs that are nauseous, I would NOT give them the enteric coated capsule, as it will not dissolve at all!) In Rexie’s case, it will have to be opened and sprinkled into a small amount of chicken or beef broth and squirted into her mouth. That is IF she is NOT vomiting liquids.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO

Hi David,
Here is the rest of my response.

I would not give her any conventional medications, especially not antibiotics. Antibiotics may upset her GI tract even more, by killing off the ‘good’ bacteria. If she HAS had some antibiotics, then she will need to be supplemented with Acidophilus. Given the same way as the Azodyl, opening the capsule and sprinkling it into some chicken or beef broth, and squirting it into her mouth.

Renavast is made mostly for cats, but can also be used for dogs as well. You can order it from their website.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Rexie is still not eating on her own we are feeding her by hand however she is drinking water on her own and holding it down. The five leaf is also staying down.

I’m sorry but the holistic vet is out of the question – we just can not afford it. We are a family of 6 if you count Rexie and we are doing everything we can on our own. I know this may sound foolish seeing as I just payed $10 for this service, but we could not find a holistic vet in our area for less than $150 per office visit our regular vet is $85 per office visit so $10 for your advice was our last option and we are very grateful for it.

We are going to try and gather as much money as we can to try some of your suggestions. We are going to stay with the five leaf because we already have it and there is about 2 weeks left if she show some improvement we will continue it.

Other than that we are out of options and out of money. My kids got together and sold their snowmobile to get us this far we just don’t know what else to do. Again, thank you so very much for your time and suggestions – we will keep trying and time will tell.

Hi David,
I understand your situation, and God Bless your kids for raising money by selling their snowmobile for Rexie!!

If she is holding down liquids, certainly trying chicken broth, beef broth, and water and the Five Leaf herbal medicine should help. The Sub Q fluids that you can do at home with B-vitamin/B-12 injections should also help to flush her kidneys.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
– Ticks & Lyme Disease in Dogs

I just wanted to say thanks for all your help. Rexie has lost the fight against Lyme disease. We had her laid to rest today and we will miss her so very very much. Life will not be the same for a very long time. Our house is so empty without her. Again, thank you for all your help.

Hi David,
My deepest sympathy to you and your family on the loss of your precious Rexie. I am very sorry to hear of her passing. But you can be sure that she is now at peace and not suffering.

I could tell from your posting that you loved her very much, and of course will miss her deeply.

She is now a little angel in heaven.

All of us here at Organic Pet Digest send you our deepest sympathy.

Sincerely,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

when i initially went onto there website and asked questions they where quick to respond. i ordered the product paid for it and sent numerous emails thereafter and did not get a single reply. having done a search for complaints on five leaf pet pharmacy i now see i am not the only one with this problem.thank goodness i checked and its only been 3 days since i started the programme. i am going to stop today.

It offers some very good products. The advice they have at the end of the kidney program, regarding HYDRATION is of utmost importance.
“…about administering subcutaneous fluids at home… to ensure your dog stays as hydrated as possible.” Also, the ingredients would complement any homeopathic remedy.

Apparently, their customer/tech support is not very good.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

i spent my last 350 dollars on five leaf pet pharmacy. i live in south africa and wondered if you could look at there liver programme and tell me if i sould follow. i am desperate to the point of suicidal regarding my girl. i need to keep funds available for her us and blood works as well and cannot afford rhe online vet fees.

Dear Anonymous,
I am very sorry to hear that your dog has liver problems. I tried to check out the Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy liver supplements but their home page is not set up yet, and the only supplements they have listed are for heart, kidney, and carnitine/taurine. (see below)

FiveLeafPetPharmacy.com

Please click on one of our links below to visit the specific website you are looking for:

CanineHeartHealth.com
CanineKidneyHealth.com
Carnitine-Taurine.com

Our Home Page www.FiveLeafPetPharmacy.com will be completed soon. Please check back!

And while I am happy to help, we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber).

I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Do you have any information on Kidney Support Gold? I am using the 5 Leaf Pharmacy program along with fluids as you have suggested.

Funny, I am blessed that I am a kidney dialysis dietitian and am versed in phosphorus content and bone and mineral metabolism which has been beyond helpful as my 10 year old dog kidney failure. I have found blending the protein with the veg and or carbs makes it easy to mix with the phosphorus binder (most being calcium based which we can not use since Fiona’s calcium was off the chart — some coming from the Ringers solution so I have her on Normosol R now for fluids) She is doing well though she is skinny — she has not lost any further weight and is interested in her life again. This has been a challenge but we are finally finding a routine and it is getting better.

My vet has me giving her Reglan and Prilosec; at times, I also give her Pepcid to help with the production of acid – all recommended by my vet. I wonder if a small amount of baking soda, 1/8 tsp with water might be just as effective for acid; it is recommended in a larger dose at time for dialysis pts that are acidotic.

We walk and do the hydro therapy except I use a bag of ice and a heating pad. She continues to be interested in life — I use her desire to walk, begging for treats, being territorial over her food, and barking at the garbageman etc as my gauge. These are all indications to me that she is still having the quality she wants.

I will add these other products you have mentioned though Azodyl seems controversial as to working; I know it will not hurt her and has the potential to help. I was thinking about just getting the good bacteria from the Natural Food store as it might be cheaper. I’ve not added the Vit B supplements or the omega 3 via fish oils yet. I am relunctant to give iron supplements d/t the fact that it is hard on the stomach & can cause constipation — what is your opinion on liquid iron as recommended by some sites?

One point I’d like to make, which anyone faced with this will find, is that caring for your pet to this capacity is expensive and I wanted to suggest buying fluids online in bulk from a pet pharmacy versus from your vet. My vet sells the fluid for 4x more than the online pet pharmacys. You will need your vet to verify the prescription but it will allow you to extend the care in a more manageable way. Good luck — I pray too which always makes things possible!

Just a comment about 5 leaf Pharmacy. It’s not that it is a hoax; the information is on point as far as secondary hyperparathyroidism and the the medications related to kidney failure. I know only because I work in dialysis and the medications and I review the labs for humans and the way the kidneys work in dogs and humans is remarably the same. Now concerning the products, I can not speak for them since I am not versed in holistic therapies but I have been using them and the greens; my dog is maintaining but I also give give her fluids 500cc daily and meds for her nausea and acid production. Some dogs have more damage than others depending on how long it’s been going on. So I’d go as far as to say they do understand the kidneys and it’s funcitons and that is more than any hoax would bother to know.
As far as the emails, I never Emailed them but I did & do called them. I also left voice messages; she did call me back and when she didn’t, I called her. A woman named Amanda and she does know her stuff — I quized her; I think that the consumer must also know that there isn’t just one type of issue with kidney failure so it can’t be tied up in one box with a bow on it – there are issues with calcium that I don’t see addressed hardley ever but there is much talk about the binders most that contain calcium and I assure you that you don’t want to add calcium binders with high calcium blood values; you need to understand that at least to get the best plan. the lab values and I suggest you know in addition to the phosphorus, albumin and calcium are corrected calcium (if protein is not perfect) and PTH to know truly what’s happening and the correct approach. Kidneys are extremely complicated dealing with the heart, endocrine system, acid base balance, and anemia. If you want the best care, you really should seek out a kidney specialist for dogs that can advise you better than even your vet; though my vets are fabulous; I was better versed than them is how the system worked cuz I work with managing them everyday at work.

September 14, 2013

Dear Jan and Anonymous,

Regarding the 5 Leaf Pharmacy and Kidney Support gold, if you would like my opinion you can start a new link.

I am happy to help, but we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber). And the conversation is straying a bit from holistic medicine.
Please sign up and submit your question and photos. I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

I successfully used all the products from Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy when my Buster was diagnosed with kidney disease. I indeed spoke with Amanda in the beginning and as the years went by, and the product became more popular, she was harder to get ahold of for sure. However, that didn’t matter to me because if I didn’t do something my Buster was going to suffer and die sooner rather than later. Four years I kept him going and stayed on the rena cleanse, hepara cleanse and blood cleansers. I have the blood work to prove that we actually reversed his disease, held it at bay by not stopping the herbs. Every time we ran out, Buster’s vomiting returned the longer we waited for a new shipment. I then made sure I didn’t run out – period. Now with that said, I took my dog Buster and the rest of my pack (six dogs total) off of commercial dog food period. I make all their meals from organic and human grade beef, bison, lamb, sardines, fruits, veggies and grains… THAT’S RIGHT FOLKS, Buster ate lots of rice and pasta because he needed the carbs for energy. I also followed Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy’s advice on water therapy and we administered sub-q-fluids every single day. I used Epakitin, we fed tripe from Tripett on a daily basis and found lots of other wonderful supplements for his health. When our Chihuahua Lucy was diagnosed with liver cancer or liver disease or gallbladder disease, we gave her the same herbs that we gave Buster and changed her human grade diet to match what people eat who have liver problems. Lucy’s bloodwork returned to normal in 7 weeks. Do your research and do not give up.

September 12, 2014

Hi Lou,
That is wonderful that you did the research and helped your dogs pull through some serious illnesses! Good for you.

And, thank you so much for your wonderful testimonial on the benefits of a raw diet!

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

My Experience with Canine Kidney Disease & Five Leaf Pharmacy Herbs

In April 2015, my 14 yr old Shitz Shu, Ariel was diagnosed with Kidney Disease. She was kept at my vet’s clinic for 3 days for fluids and meds. She was discharged with a case of K/D (a commercial dog food made for dogs w Kidney disease), some meds and supplements (I requested a holistic approach). she continued to receive fluid therapy 3 times a week. Over the course of 3-4 weeks, she went down to less than 9 lbs because she completely stopped eating. By this this time I also saw a holistic vet and was prescribed a food supplement to help filter toxins out of her blood and a homeopathic med. Nothing worked. She was emaciated, weak & trembling, could hardly walk down half a street block. I look into her eyes and saw the suffering because she was so hungry yet could not eat anything. when I asked my vets for advice, they told me to cook for her or find any food she likes. By this time, I was depressed and desperate, she was literally fading before my eyes. Yet I could not accept that I can only have 7 short years with my little girl.

I searched the web and found the Canine Kidney Health Program made by the Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy. This program sounded so promising to not only stop canine kidney disease, but possibly reverse it too. I tried contacting the company to ask for advice about possible interactions with other meds, but nobody returned my calls. Even though it sounded too good to be true and the program demanded a lot of work, I was determined try anything to see her get well if possible. I ordered the kit and started seeing results within 3 days.

My dog is in the 5th week or 2nd cycle of the program, it has been a miracle to see her improvements everyday……every week. Before the Five Leaf Program, my dog was so weak and lethargic, she could barely walk. Although still not 100% yet and walks slower, but she now walks long city blocks and even does a little running or trotting every now and then. This weekend, she started climbing stairs! I now take great pleasure in picking after her poop everyday, because it shows that she is ingesting enough nutrients. She has also gained weight (the vet told me it is very hard for dogs to gain weight with kidney disease) and is now almost 10lbs. Most importantly she has shown interest in certain foods and treats which is good sign that she is feeling better.

I am not posting my story to endorse anything. I am only letting anyone who is interested to know that there is hope if your dog or cat is diagnosed with kidney disease. By not responding to customers who try to contact them, Five Leaf Pharmacy’s action promotes lack of credibility. I have read many postings on-line that people think that they are a hoax. It’s a shame, because, in my experience, the Five Leaf Canine Kidney Program is legitimate and has literally saved my little girl, Ariel.

July 3, 2015

Hi Jade 1300,
Thank you so much for your experiences using Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy herbs. And I am happy to hear that Ariel is responding well. What great news.

I am no longer acting as the online consulting veterinarian for Organic Pet Digest. But I still review questions that come in to the site.

Take care
Dr Tillman