Renal disease in small animals: a review of conditions and potential nutrient and botanical interventions.

Nutritional and botanical approaches that may benefit small animals diagnosed with renal disease are considered with regard to their effects on renal physiology and ability to ameliorate specific pathologies. Suggestions are made for water- and fat-soluble vitamins, mushrooms, quercetin, and Western and Chinese herbs, based on their activities as free-radical scavengers, immune modulators, antimicrobials, anti-emetics, and erythrocyte production stimulators. Attention is focused on omega-3 fatty acids from fish and flaxseed, in addition to several other nutrients and botanicals. Renal anatomy and physiology is reviewed, as well as the etiology of chronic renal disease in small animals, its symptomatic presentation, and progression.