The best dog food for liver diseases is Royal Canin Canine Hepatic Dry Dog Food.
Your dog was recently diagnosed with a liver issue, and you are not sure what to do. Well, as the body’s largest internal organ, the liver can be affected by many ailments.
If your dog suffers from such an ailment, in addition to a proper treatment strategy, it will also need the best dog food for liver diseases manufactured specifically for dogs with liver issues.
Read the article below if you want to successfully navigate through the plethora of food choices the modern market has to offer.
#1 Royal Canin Canine Hepatic Dry Dog Food
The Royal Canin Canine Hepatic Dry dog food uses a highly palatable and easily digestible formula. With restricted copper content, it is specifically formulated to manage liver disease in dogs. Additionally, it contains added nutrients that enhance liver health and functioning. The fact that this diet uses moderate levels of vegetable proteins makes it even more liver-friendly.
Containing brewers rice, brown rice, corn, and soy protein isolate, this dog food offers as much as 339 kcal per cup of kibble. With such a high-energy offering, smaller amounts of food per meal can be enabled, thereby keeping your dog’s weight in check.
This product is also particularly rich in healthy fibers that promote easy digestion. The formula is fortified with a special blend of antioxidants that boost the immune system.
The Royal Canin Canine Hepatic Dry dog food is available in a 26.4-lb bag. Like any other prescription diet, it is relatively expensive, but it definitely serves its purpose.
Royal Canin Canine Hepatic Dry dog food is more than perfect for dogs with liver disease, such as shunts, elevated enzymes, and even hepatic failures. Generally speaking, copper tends to accumulate in the liver cells and impair their functions. Given its lower levels of copper, this problem is avoided with this diet. Ultimately, vegetable proteins are also much easier to metabolize than animal proteins.
Pros
- This product from Royal Canin contains highly digestible vegetable proteins that provide support for healthy liver functioning in pooches.
- The low copper levels of this hepatic dry dog food prevent the accumulation of the aforementioned mineral in a pooch’s liver cells, thereby avoiding further damage to these cells.
- This canine hepatic food product contains a significant amount of antioxidants that help strengthen a pooch’s immune system.
- The adapted density formulation of this hepatic food product ensures that dogs will gain significant nutrition from being fed a smaller portion of this dry dog food.
- This product comes in a sizable 24.6 lbs bag that can last pooches for a considerable period.
Cons
- The pebbles of this dry dog food may be too large for some small-sized pooches to comfortably chew and swallow.
- This dog food product can only be sold to customers that have received approval from their veterinarians for their pet dogs, and this is difficult for some customers to get.
We highly recommend this product for dogs with liver disease because it does not contain high levels of copper, thereby preventing further damage or scarring of the liver, and it has the perfect balance of vegetable proteins and dietary fiber for healthy digestion.
#2 CARNA4 Handcrafted Dog Food
The CARNA4 handcrafted dog food is a canine food product that provides dog owners with a healthy and natural alternative to home-cooked meals or a raw food diet. The synthetic-free CARNA4 formulation emphasizes a gentle baking method to destroy harmful pathogens that may be present in the ingredients.
This grain-free formulation is also ideal for pooches suffering from grain allergies and sensitive stomachs, with minerals, vitamins, and probiotics contained in each food package sourced from lightly cooked authentic food ingredients. Real meat in its natural state makes up one of the essential constituents of CARNA4 dog food.
CARNA4 nuggets are typically served like regular dry dog food, but due to the high nutritional concentration of this food product, it is recommended that dog owners serve them in smaller amounts.
Each CARNA4 food package is quarantined and tested for pathogens and toxins over two weeks to ensure the safety of its products. And food package orders that are certified safe to ship are promptly delivered.
Safety and nutrition are the focus when it comes to the formulation of CARNA4 dog food packages. With this sealed packaged product, you can rest assured that your canine buddy will be getting the best nutrition in the safest way possible. The packages are ready-to-serve, and the absence of grains helps prevent the occurrence of severe allergic reactions.
Pros
- The grain-free formulation of this handcrafted dog food product is ideal for pooches with grain allergies and food sensitivities.
- Each batch of this CARNA4 dog food product is quarantined for two weeks and tested for 15 different pathogens and toxins to ensure that the food is safe for dogs to consume.
- CARNA4 handcrafted dog food contains true food ingredients that are lightly cooked to ensure greater nutrient retention for a dog’s benefit.
- This handcrafted food product is suitable for consumption by puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs.
- This CARNA4 product comes in kibble form that is ready to serve as soon as the food bag is opened.
Cons
- The kibbles of this handcrafted dog food may be too dry and hard for some pooches to conveniently chew before swallowing.
- Some customers have reported that this product’s kibbles do not dissolve in water easily, making it difficult for their dogs to digest this food product well.
#3 Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health Miracle Dog Food
Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health product is a dog food product that serves as a base mix for preparing several other balanced, homemade dog meals, with an emphasis on promoting kidney health in pooches.
Major ingredients used in preparing Dr. Harvey’s Miracle Dog Food include 9 different dehydrated vegetables, 6 eggshells, and 6 organic grains. The absence of harmful preservatives, dyes, chemicals, and low-nutrition fillers also helps ensure that this food product is safe for dogs to eat.
Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health Food is easy to prepare, with dog parents just needing to add hot water to the dehydrated canine health mix base. The resulting mixture is stirred for eight minutes to allow rehydration, and dog parents have the option of adding either raw or cooked proteins and organic oils to provide further nutrition for their pooches.
Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health food product makes it possible for dog parents to try a whole lot of food combinations for their canine buddies. And the rich ingredient list of this food product ensures that dogs get optimum nutrition, regardless of whatever combination is served to a pooch.
Pros
- Dr. Harvey’s miracle dog food is formulated with human-grade ingredients, such as dehydrated vegetables and crushed eggshells, to provide ailing dogs with the best nutrition.
- This dog food product is easy to prepare and can be ready for dogs to eat within minutes, after rehydrating with hot water.
- This product is devoid of fillers, by-products, artificial preservatives, and flavors that add no value when it comes to canine nutrition.
- Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health food is produced and packaged in facilities located within the United States of America.
- This food product is available in three bag sizes – 6.5 oz, 5 lbs, and 10 lbs – that cater to different dog feeding habits.
Cons
- Some customers aren’t convenient with the fact that this dog food product doesn’t come ready to serve.
- There is no notable return policy in the event that a pooch doesn’t like this dog food product.
#4 Wellness Complete Health
The Wellness Complete Health contains only natural ingredients and super nutrients which promote complete health for adult dogs. The formula is made of delicious deboned chicken, oatmeal, and peas. These ingredients give a feeling of satiation, thus promoting the maintenance of healthy body weight.
The Wellness Complete Health Natural is free from unnecessary fillers (corn, wheat, and soy), non-nutritious meat by-products, and harmful additives (colors, preservatives, and flavors). The formula is additionally fortified with added vitamins, especially vitamin E, which is crucial for the proper function of the liver, and minerals that promote healthy and strong immune systems.
The Wellness Complete Health is proudly designed and made in the USA.
The Wellness Complete Health, with its carefully chosen premium and all-natural ingredients, is ideal for promoting complete health. Being free from unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients, this formula is also beneficial for dogs with liver issues.
Pros
- The weight management recipe of this dog food product is ideal for pooches that are struggling with excessive weight gain.
- The ingredient list of this dog food product contains omega fatty acids and antioxidants that respectively help to ensure healthy skin and coat formation and encourage the development of a strong immune system in dogs.
- The high-quality protein that is present in the form of chicken in this food product releases nutrients that provide optimal energy for a dog to go about its daily activities.
- Wellness Complete Health is formulated without GMOs, meat by-products, fillers, and artificial preservatives that aren’t beneficial to dogs.
- This dog food product is manufactured in the United States with ingredients gotten from reputable sources around the world.
Cons
- Multiple customers have reportedly received moldy Wellness Complete Health food packages, implying poor quality control checks.
- The chicken and oatmeal flavor of this food product isn’t ideal for pooches that are picky eaters.
#5 Castor & Pollux Grain-Free Organix
This dog food product from Castor & Pollux is a grain-free and nutrient-packed superfood blend, suitable for dogs of all breeds and all life stages.
This dog food product uses organic, free-range chicken as its number one ingredient. Additionally, it contains organic flaxseed, organic blueberries, and organic coconut oil. The formula is particularly rich in omegas which promote healthy skin and coat.
In addition, the Castor & Pollux Grain-Free Organix has no filler grains, no antibiotics or hormones, no chemical pesticides, and no artificial preservatives. Last but not least, this recipe is prepared in organically certified kitchens in the USA.
The Castor & Pollux Grain-Free Organix dog food is often listed as top-quality dog food. It is USDA-certified organic, as proof of its indisputable quality and production of organic foods.
Pros
- The nutrient-rich formulation of the Castor & Pollux dog food is backed by an ingredient list that contains a blend of superfoods, such as organic flaxseed, blueberries, and sweet potatoes.
- The absence of grain and related products in this food’s ingredient list is great for dogs that suffer from grain allergies.
- Castor & Pollux Organix food products are manufactured in facilities that are approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.
- This recipe is free of additives and fillers, both of which do not provide any real nutritional benefits to dogs.
- This Castor & Pollux Organix product is suitable for consumption by dogs at all stages of life.
Cons
- The Organix dog food product has small-sized pellets that dogs tend to swallow whole, and this poses a choking hazard to these pooches.
- This chicken and sweet potato recipe is one of the more expensive options available on the market.
#6 Brothers Complete Ultra Premium Dog Food
The Brothers Complete Ultra Premium dog food is specifically formulated to mimic the dog’s natural diet. It is suitable for dogs of all life stages, and it promotes a healthy gut while preventing food-related allergies.
This product has turkey meals as its number one ingredient and whole dried eggs as its second ingredient. More than 90% of the proteins in this diet are animal-sourced. The formula is additionally fortified with digestive enzymes that promote easy digestion and better nutrient absorption, as well as with encapsulated probiotics and prebiotics.
The Brothers Complete Ultra Premium turkey meal is naturally preserved in specifically designed BHA and BHT-free bags.
Containing eggs, the Brothers Complete Ultra Premium dog food is particularly rich in both essential and non-essential amino acids. The added enzymes promote better digestion and reduce the risk of manifesting food-related allergies.
Pros
- This dog food product is free of grains and potatoes that have been linked with the development of allergy-related symptoms in dogs.
- Brothers Complete dog food is rich in animal-source proteins that contain taurine, which helps to improve canine heart health.
- The use of digestive enzymes and probiotics to produce this dog food fortifies a dog’s digestive system and ensures that the pellets can be easily digested by a dog.
- This product is packed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to facilitate healthy skin and coat development in dogs.
- This dog food product comes in three flavors – chicken meal, turkey meal, and goat meal – to cater to pooches that are picky eaters.
Cons
- Several dogs have reportedly developed diarrhea after consuming the Brothers Complete dog food.
- Considering the mere quantity provided in each bag, this dog food product is considerably expensive among its peer brands.
#7 WholeHearted Healthy Benefits Dog Food
As the name itself suggests, the WholeHearted Healthy Benefits dog food is a grain-free dog food formula that contains an easily digestible protein source derived from eggs, as well as several healthy fiber sources. It also contains added canine probiotics, which ensure proper and healthy digestion.
This dog food is particularly rich in vitamins and minerals. Plus, with so delicately chosen protein sources, because of its easy digestibility, this diet is beneficial for dogs with sensitive stomachs as well as for dogs with liver issues.
The WholeHearted Healthy Benefits dog food is the ideal choice for dogs with digestion issues and liver issues. Containing easily digestible proteins, healthy dietary fiber, and lots of probiotics, the formula ensures both digestive and liver health.
Pros
- This dog food product contains probiotics that support good bacteria in a pooch’s stomach, thereby helping to strengthen the dog’s digestive system.
- The inclusion of multiple fiber sources in the Wholehearted food ensures that a dog’s digestive system can conveniently break down consumed kibble to release nutrients.
- This product contains menhaden fish oil, which is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, that help to give dogs a polished skin and coat.
- Healthy Benefits dog food doesn’t contain corn, wheat or grains of any kind that can trigger allergies in pooches.
Cons
- Consumption of this food product induces diarrhea in some dogs.
#8 Forza10 Active Depura Daily Life Protection Dry Dog Food
The Forza10 Active Depura Daily Life Protection Dry Dog Food is specifically designed to ensure proper daily maintenance and protection. Classified as limited ingredient dog food, this formula’s main ingredient is wild-caught anchovy. This high-quality protein source also provides essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for improving cognitive health.
This dog food contains aloe vera gel concentrate, turmeric, red algae, tomato, papaya, and pomegranate, which are all-powerful antioxidant sources. Therefore, this formula boosts the immune system and ensures general and overall well-being.
Containing only natural and limited ingredients, the Forza10 Active Depura Daily Life Protection Dry Dog Food is suitable for dogs of all breeds and ages. It is particularly suitable for dogs with diagnosed food intolerances and allergies as well as for dogs with liver disease.
Pros
- The limited ingredient formulation of this dry dog food, which comprises single-source proteins and carbs, is ideal for dogs with allergies and food sensitivities.
- This dog food product contains a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are both important for canine skin health.
- Forza10 Active dry dog food contains ingredients such as turmeric, aloe vera, papaya, and pomegranate that help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, in addition to facilitating tissue regeneration.
- This food product is available in 3 different size bags – 6 lbs, 22 lbs, and 25 lbs – in consideration of customers’ budgets.
- Forza10 Active dry dog food can be purchased without needing to go through the rigors of getting a vet prescription.
Cons
- This dry food product is formulated for adult dogs only, hence it is not suitable for young puppies nor senior dogs.
- Some picky dogs reportedly refused to eat this food product.
Best Dog Foods For Dogs With Liver Disease Buyer’s Guide
The liver has several vital functions. It stores nutrients, detoxifies the blood, and helps to regulate circulation and body temperature. In particular, it makes bile, a liquid that is necessary for fat digestion in the intestines. Bile is stored in the gallbladder and enters the duodenum via the bile duct. The liver is also responsible for storing copper and then excreting it in the bile.
Diseases Of The Liver
Medical conditions develop if the liver cannot carry out a particular task. Some disorders develop because the liver cannot store a certain nutrient effectively, as in copper-storage disease. In others, the liver loses its ability to break down harmful products from microbes or man-made substances such as drugs. Digestion problems occur when bile does not circulate properly. The liver may also suffer physical damage. Circulatory diseases may cause it to swell and leak fluid into the abdominal cavity.
Generally speaking, regardless of the cause of liver disease, here are two important facts that vets will consider. The first is whether the condition is acute or chronic. This is because the liver has an excellent ability to repair itself after acute inflammation. However, chronic inflammation leads to cirrhosis, a condition in which repeated repairs lead to a buildup of scar tissue.
The second is whether it is a primary liver condition, in which a harmful agent such as an infection or toxin has a direct effect on the liver, or a secondary condition, resulting from a problem elsewhere in the body.
Symptoms Of Liver Disease In Dogs
Few conditions affecting the liver produce consistent clinical signs. This is because the liver has a superb ability to regenerate new cells. So if small or moderate numbers of liver cells are destroyed due to disease or injury, no signs appear. In fact, over 80% of liver function must be lost before a dog shows signs of liver failure.
Usually, liver conditions are accompanied by the following signs and symptoms:
- General weakness and fatigue
- Depression
- Stomach pain
- Appetite loss
- Progressive weight loss
- Vomiting
Which Nutrients Promote Liver Health?
Dogs with liver disease benefit from foods with high-quality protein sources, particularly from non-meat protein sources. If using animal protein sources, it is advisable to use either chicken or turkey.
Another important nutrient is dietary fiber. Dogs with liver disease need lots of healthy fiber, which can be found in carbohydrate sources like white rice, barley, pumpkin, and oatmeal.
Dairy products, like cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, goat cheese, and yogurt are highly recommended for dogs with liver disease.
Last but not least, the diet should include a source of omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil or coconut oil.
Which Nutrients Should Be Avoided In Dogs With Liver Disease?
Dogs with liver disease must not be fed foods that are high in copper. Many liver diseases are associated with excessive copper build-up. Therefore, in such cases, its intake must be carefully monitored and properly limited. Lamb, beef, duck, pork, salmon, and most organ meats are rich in copper and consequently should be avoided in dogs with liver disease.
Another nutrient that needs close monitoring is salt. Salt not only contributes to liver disease but also promotes fluid retention, which aggravates the pre-existing build-up of fluids in the abdomen associated with liver disease. In a nutshell, dogs with liver disease benefit from low-salt diets.
Final Thoughts
As previously promised, this article’s goal is to help you successfully navigate through the plethora of food choices for dogs with liver issues. All in all, having reviewed several food recipes, we believe our top pick is the best choice for dogs suffering from liver disease.
There are two main reasons why this highly palatable recipe is the ideal liver-friendly choice. Firstly, it uses vegetables as protein sources, and secondly, it has significantly lower copper levels. Rest assured that you’ll never go wrong with our top pick.
