It is difficult to find info online regarding changes that should be made to the diet for a bird with kidney issues. Can you advise dietary changes? Also, since bird kidneys are different than human kidneys, does dietary advice for people with kidney disease have relevance for birds?
Hi Heather,
Here is Dr. Lamb’s response:
Great question and the reason it’s hard to find information online about diet in kidney disease in birds is because we don’t have great studies to know exactly what all the dietary needs are for birds with kidney disease. Therefore, we can’t say that what applies to mammals (humans included) applies to birds. However, the general things we do know is that there needs to be appropriate vitamin A and also omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful in the diet. Making sure they are receiving adequate nutrition in other ways (appropriate protein, fats, minerals) is recommended as well but this is not specific to kidney disease. The main things we know specifically that are important in kidney disease is omega-3 fatty acids because they reduce inflammation and vitamin A because deficiencies in this have cause kidney disease in many birds. In some mammals we know that lower protein is necessary for kidney disease but we do not know this for birds.
