I have been hospitalized twice in 20 years due to one tiny diverticulitis pocket. Saw the pocket on photo from test done and it is about the size of a pea. Food gets stuck in there and rots causing pain and inflammation. Mine starts with a twinge about 3 to 4 inches above the left hip. If I let it go it gets bad, really bad pain. Then the hospital and doctor put me on a liquid diet. Antibiotics Cipro and Flagel and a pain killer. The trick is not to let it go to the bad point. When I feel the twinge I immediately start drinking Slim Fast and Metamucil. Plus no solid foods only clear liquids. In a few days it is gone. The surprising thing to me was the change in attitude between the 20 year hospitalizations. 1st time I was told not to eat seedy things like tomatoes, cukes, nuts, etc. for the rest of my life. The second time I was told it had been discovered that "any small piece of food" could cause the problem. Doc and dietician said it could be a grain of rice, a crumb of hard toast, anything! Just make sure to handle it quickly, I didn't because the 1st time I didn't know what it was. Second time it was 4 days before Christmas and I thought it could wait. Mine is only one pocket, my girlfriend had a ton of pockets and they removed that piece of bowel and she has no problem now. Good luck.

Right now my back yard is pretty full of bromeliads, and I have I don't know how many different kinds, from pineapple to Portea petropolitana extensa. I also have Meyer lemon, Eureka lemon, blood orange, Kaffir lime, bay tree, white sapote, cherimoya, avocado, banana, papaya, Fuji apple, Bearss lime, and some shrubs. I also have a large collection of orchid cactus (epiphyllum) and a small collection of orchids, mostly epidendrums and cymbidiums, plus some cattelaya, dendrobium, and several others that I do not know the names of. I have one tiny orchid that makes flowers with an intense coconut fragrance. I also have quite a few South African succulents in the back yard. My dill is making flowers now, but I have basil, chives, Greek oregano, Italian oregano, and rosemary. I used to have some mint, but I don't know what happened to it. I also have a couple of chocolate Habanero plants that appear finally to be growing, but I probably won't get chilies from them until December. Here's a bromeliad that is just now blooming after my having it almost four years:Vriesea Mint Julep. Here are some more bromeliads in the pergolaHere are some in the back yard in front of my pitaya plant:I have to keep moving them around, and some of them cannot take too much sunlight, which makes this a somewhat difficult time of year. Anyway, I am trying to make my back yard a very pleasant place to relax while I am recuperating. I very much enjoy looking at all my flowers plus the hummingbirds and other birds that visit the yard. I need to clean out the fountains, but that can wait.

Here's another canine renal diet from my clinical nutrition textbook, based on an 18 kg dog: 237g cooked white rice 78g cooked regular beef (not lowfat) 20g boiled egg 50g white bread 3g vegetable oil 1.5g calcium carbonate 0.5g iodized salt 1 adult vitamin per day This is a reduced protein (21%), phosphorus restricted (0.22%) diet, appropriate for early renal failure. Sounds a lot like the one you already found. Dr. Pitcarin's for dogs is: 1/4# hamburger (not lowfat) 2 3/4# cooked white enriched rice 2 large beaten whole raw eggs 1/4 cup cooked carrots 2 tablespoons cold-pressed safflower, soy, or corn oil 1 slightly rounded teaspoon eggshell powder 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt 20 milligrams vitamin B complex 1000 milligrams vitamin C optional- 1/2-1 clove minced garlic Mix and serve raw if accepted. Or mix everything except the vitamins together and bake 20 minutes in a moderate oven and wait until it cools to mix in the vitamins. Occasionally substitute 1-3 teaspoons liver for part of the meat. Will feed a 40# dog for 1 day. Provides slightly less protein (17%) 25% fat, and 55% carbs, low phosphorus. If you can calculate recipe nutrients or have a program that can do that, here are the recommendations from my clinical nutrition book for dogs with early renal disease: Phosphorus: 0.15-0.3% dry matter Protein:Sodium: Potassium recommendations vary based on individual- some animals especially cats become hypokalemic, whereas dog may become hyperkalemic. If Taco has normal potassium levels now, try to feed the same amount but make sure you monitor her renal profile including potassium on a regular basis so adjustments can be made. omega 6: omega 3 fatty acid ration There has been considerable debate on when to restrict dietary protein in dogs with renal disease, and by how much. I would definately have the urinalysis done on Taco to determine if she has proteinuria. If so, she needs more restricted protein than if not. However, the protein in either case should be high quality and easily digestible, like the eggs and hamburger meat, not plant-based which is harder to digest. My personal belief is that you should restrict the protein as little as necessary and monitor the pet to see how the diet is working. If you switch diets and the BUN (especially sensitive to dietary changes) goes up, may have to reduce the protein a little bit and recheck. The appropriate protein level will vary among individuals and by the stage of renal disease. You have to adjust as needed. It is not 100% true that there are no meds to help with kidney disease. Any medications are based upon the symptoms of each individual pet, and applied on an as-needed basis. For example, if Taco is protienuric, an ACE inhibitor such as Enalapril may be beneficial. Secondary hyperparathyroidism may require more restricted phosphorus or phosphorus binders. Anemia may require erythropoietin. If she is dehydrated and cannot drink enough water to compensate, she may need subcutaneous fluid maintenance. If she has GI signs such as vomiting or nausea, then histamine blockers (cimetidine) or proton-pump inhibitors (omeprazole) may help. If she develops hypertension, the ACE inhibitor may help but if that is not enough then can add calcium channel blockers. Proteinuria is managed through the diet. Keep in mind that you can only safely restrict the protien by so much, since protein is required for a healthy immune system. Also at some point, restricting the protein more can contribute to worsening protein-losing nephropathy, which is definately not wanted. Chronic renal disease affects pretty much the entire body. But quality of life and survival can be enhanced by careful frequent monitoring (I'd do blood pressure, CBC, renal chemistries every 3-6 months depending on progression of signs) and appropriate treatment of signs as they occur. It is not easy nor inexpensive, but I think it's worth it to keep on top of things. The single most important thing to be careful about, as others have alluded to, is water. Even a short episode of dehydration in a pet with kidney disease can be devestating and send the animal over the edge and into failure. Second most important thing is to make sure she eats well. Eating doggie junk food is preferred over anorexia, even in animals with kidney disease. The best thing though, as always, is the easiest- provide lots of love and attention as you already do. Good luck.

I have not read about this particular diet, but I'm trying to get more fiber in my diet to help with diverticulosis. Here is some information I have found: ~ making your own whole grain or multi-grain bread is a good idea; just watch how much plain (white) all-purpose flour is in the recipe as that is not the way to get whole grains; add unprocessed wheat bran and wheat germ to bread recipes ~ add more barley, oatmeal, and brown rice to your eating habits; I cook up both barley and brown rice in 2 cup (uncooked) portions then freeze the extra in 1 cup (cooked) portions for later use ~ eat 3-5 servings of fruit and veggies every day, with as many of them eaten raw as you can ~ add cooked dried beans (mashed) to meatloaf, meatballs, casserole, meat sauce, chili, taco meat; or you can add 1 TB unprocessed wheat bran to these recipes as you are making them ~ for snacks, eat fresh fruit (not fruit juice), pretzels, baked tortilla chips with bean dip, fresh veggie sticks with an herbed yogurt dip. Brown rice might take some getting used to, but the more you eat it the better it tastes! A Mexican pizza could be made with a flour tortilla, topped with seasoned mashed pintos or refried beans, some taco seasoned ground beef if you want, cheese - then top with shredded lettuce, diced onion, tomato, olives, peppers, jalapenos, any topping you like on a taco. You could drizzle some taco sauce or salsa over all if you like a spicy sauce.