waste products are normally filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and excreted in the urine, but dogs with ckd will end up with an accumulation of these waste products in the bloodstream as the filtering process breaks down. for more information on this condition please see the handout “chronic kidney disease in dogs”. commercial diets for dogs with ckd are developed to prioritize these key goals. these diets are formulated to help dogs with ckd avoid metabolic acidosis …

phosphorus is a mineral that is essential in the formation of strong bones and teeth. a dog food that’s low in phosphorus will be made with less than 0.4 percent phosphorus. “if one switches to a low phosphorus dog food, but still gives treats that are high in phosphorus, this will add to the daily phosphorus intake, which would be counterintuitive.”  veterinarians often recommend a diet change as a first step after a pet has been diagnosed with changes in …