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My dog has end-stage kidney failure and won't eat. What now?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Labrador | Female | unspayed | 40.78 lbs

My dog is diagnosed with chronic kidney failure with a value ranging 25. She’s not eating nor drinking anything. The vet told she cannot survive as the kidney damage is extreme. Do you have any suggestions

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on November 19th, 2019

Unfortunately your vet is right, chronic kidney failure cannot be cured. If Jenny isn't eating or drinking anything, it sounds like her quality of life is very poor. You may need to consider letting her go, it may be the best option for her.

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2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My dog is in kidney failure. Her ALT 135, ALKP 337, BUN 99 & CREA 4.8 all high. The treatment the vet has her on at home is 100 cc subconscious fluids once a day. She doesn't eat on her own anymore. So I purée a kidney support wet food, pumpkin and
I think given your information you have provided this sounds like appropriate supportive care at home. Iv fluids are always better but much more expensive and not curative in the case of kidney failure. Cerenia can also be used (anti nausea medication) in end stage renal failure to keep them from becoming so nauseated they can't eat or hold down food. Dialysis is available at teaching hospitals or a few specialty hospitals around the country. I hope this helps. My best to you both.
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I have a cat who was recently diagnosed with CRF. She was hospitalized for around 3 weeks, on IV and had had two blood transfusions. She had also received two to three DPO injections. I was told to bring her home, that nothing more could be done for
I am so sorry about your poor kitty. Renal failure can be a very hard and frustrating disease to manage. This is especially true if we can't fix an underlying cause such as an infection, a tumor, or an exposure to a toxin. Usually once cats in renal failure require blood transfusions and those injections it is the end stage of the disease. There are a couple of veterinary colleges that do kidney transplants. One being The University of California at Davis. That would likely be her only option remaining. If you do not want to pursue a referral to a facility that does transplants, which I believe is very reasonable, it is important to keep Freya comfortable. This could include keeping her on a kidney diet, medications to control her blood pressure and G.I. protectants as well as potentially repeating the injections to increase her blood count level. Ultimately kidney failure is fatal. Therefore I would discuss with your veterinarian quality-of-life factors for her as well as what her ul
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog is diagnosed with stage 4 renal failure. Creative value was off the chart, bun 130, phos 16.1 is she beyond help b/c not eating much & lethargic. Or can I do something natural to make it better.
I am so sorry to hear Princess isn't felling well. The best way to help her feel better is hospitalizing her on IV fluids. This will help flush out some of the toxins her kidneys aren't filtering and could bring down the phosphorus. There are medications to add to her diet to help bind the phosphorus but this is only effective if she is eating. If she isn't eating, those numbers will only continue to climb without IV fluid support. Even with IV fluids, she may not improve but this is her best option. If that is not a possible option for you, I would consider her quality of life. If she no longer is eating, drinking, or interested in normal daily tasks, her quality of life is poor. Making these decisions are never easy but as long as you are keeping Princess's best interests in mind, you will make the right one. Good luck and hugs and kisses to Princess!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog won't eat. She got tested they think there's kidneys issues but we don't see a specialist for another week. We've tried it all including raw which was our best success but even that 4 days later she no longer has any interest. I've come to th
Poor Emma. If she is suffering from kidney problems and potential kidney failure. She may be painful, nauseous, or not feeling well from toxins that are building up in her body due to poorly regulated kidneys. I would recommend discussing with your vet about doing some fluid therapy on her and potential pain management as well to get her feeling better. If she does have advanced kidney disease, then starting fluids (either IV or subcutaneously) could potentially help her condition tremendously. Also offering her a liquid diet like Hill's Rebound liquid can really help keep her nutrition up. You can also try slightly warmed cans of baby food OR appetite stimulants (i.e. Mirtazapine) prescribed by your veterinarian. I hope your fur baby feels better soon!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Chloe has kidney failure and was improving. She started to eat and drink plenty of water. She is no longer listless and is showing more interest in her family and human food. She is very alert and wagging her tail still, but she has gone back to show
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Hello. I have a Shetland Sheppard dog. She is 12 years old. She became sick last week. Green stuff in her eyes, not eating, and vomiting. Vet here told me her kidneys were not working properly. She has been with IV drip since Thursday. She does not w
Unfortunately this is not a question one can answer without a hands-on exam and seeing the lab reports. Sometimes fluid therapy can significantly improve blood kidney values and then the disease can be slowed down with medications, a kidney diet and regular fluids to flush out toxins and hydrate the dog. So you really need to sit down with your veterinarian and discuss quality of life of your dog and set a limit until when she should have improved. I know this is difficult, especially as we do not want to lose a beloved companion. But we also do not want to drag it out if there is no hope. So I think it is reasonable to wait about a week on iv fluids, anti-nausea medication, phosphor-binding medicine and a kidney diet, if she eats. If the kidney values have not significantly improved by then it may be better to let her go. But as I said, your vet is at the source, he should be able to give you a realistic outlook.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog is diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. He is having creatinine at 15. He is 1year and 10months old. Can the condition be reversed?
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog has been diagnosed with kidney failure. We have been given specific food from vet but he's not going near it. However when I was eating chicken he was up st the plate wanting some. Is there any other type of food I can give him as he is not ea
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My dog is in last stage of kidney and liver failure,he stopped eating nd drinking.Is euthanasia better option?I dont want him to suffer anymore.
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog has started stage 4renal failure she is sleeping at least 22 hours a day. Stopped eating five days ago drinking water only ,her back legs give way and won't take her medication she is under a vet I don't know what to do for the best
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