Liver diet

[JMM]

Here's the diet for the boys. It is titled "Diet Used for Maltese and Other Small Dogs with Eosinophilic Hepatic Venule Inflammation & IBD associated with either Portosystemic Vascular Anomaly or Microvascular Dysplasia"

1 lb Tofu
2 lbs Cottage cheese
4 cups rice
6 tbsp safflower oil
6 tsp dicalcium phosphate-calcium carbonate or bone meal
1 1/2 tsp salt substitute
1-11/2 tsp pectin
Multivitamin supplement

I've got nutritional info, too...

[Traci]

If your vet is the least concerned with liver disease (as a result of either condtion, as in progressive)..the last thing you want to feed your dogs is this diet, mainly because it is laden with high protein sources.

Most liver diseases require a low-protein diet. However, I'm not sure vascular anomalies fall into that category, only your vet can tell you that based on your dog's primary condition and expected progression (if predicted)

Where did you, or your vet gather this dietary information, and are there credible sources that prove in clinical studies that it is useful and beneficial and evidence-based (and not anecdotal)? I see this cropping up all the time in human and pet "natural" dietary issues, how does it apply to canine nutrition for specific disease? (just curious, I don't intend to persuade your decisions)

[JMM]

This diet is from Dr. Center at Cornell. She has had dogs on it for 8+ years. She has used this diet along with other treatments for dogs with the specific disease my dog has. Since we really don't know his prognosis, I'll go with what has been the most successful.

As far as protein goes, in my dogs' cases the type of protein that is most important. There are studies to support the use of soy protein. http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/128/12/2733S

I am interested in your sources stating restricted protein is better for eosinophilic hepatic venule inflammation.

[Traci]

I am interested in your sources stating restricted protein is better for eosinophilic hepatic venule inflammation.

I didn't say that, I said in most progressive liver diseases....what I had in mind was inflammatory hepatic disease, biliary disease, encephalopathy, and related conditions. Although, a low protein diet can also be used in portosystemic shunting (but you've ruled that out prior, yes?) and in inflammatory liver conditions (such as MVD). Any veterinary website with info on liver conditions will state to the effect low-protein is a standard in dietary maintenance, one such that you can start with is vetinfo.com (keep in mind the condition, symptoms, progression, response to other treatment or dietary approach). Equally as important is the quality of the protein used.

I'm not dissuading you in the least, if your vet feels this particular diet is working for your dogs, by all means, proceed as your vet recommends.

[JMM]

It is very frustrating not knowing much of anything about what at least one dog has...Right now, with Mikey's surgery less than a month a way I am preoccupied enough worrying about him surviving it.

Me being lazy, I was a wee bit disappointed I couldn't do a kibble LOL Yes, I HATE cooking, even not really cooking "cooking"