It's a special year for one of the dogs behind Bibim Paws.
Marley, one of the many furry faces behind Bibim Paws, turned 19 this past April and Joyce, founder of Bibim Paws, thanks his clean, fresh and organic diet for his longevity and health.
Marley was originally diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) after his vet noticed his kidneys had fluid cysts on one of his routine physical x-rays. After a couple specialist visits, they confirmed the fluid cysts on his kidneys and informed Joyce about this inherited kidney disease.
What is Polycystic Kidney Disease?
Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic disorder of the kidneys. Fluid filled cysts are found in the kidneys which affects the ability of the kidneys to perform their crucial role of filtering toxins in the body. The beginning stages of this disease start with small cysts in both kidneys that slowly begin to increase in size as the dog ages. Dogs who have PKD are given an average lifespan of only 8-10 years.
But Marley has defied these odds and is still thriving years after his diagnosis.
“Ever since bringing him home from the shelter almost over a decade ago, he knew what he needed and wanted. He hated any kind of dog food and would only want the same food the humans were eating. I just thought I had a really picky, spoiled dog. But I was wrong.
At that time, I didn’t know he had a genetic disease that affected his kidneys until one day his vet noticed weird cysts in his kidney area on his x-rays. A couple specialists later, he was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). It’s an inherited condition that causes multiple cysts (fluid pockets) in the kidneys. This explained why he may have had such a picky appetite. He must've felt so crummy with his kidney disorder so feeding time was always a slow process.
The kidneys play a vital role in filtering toxins in the body (the same way for humans) and so in my mind I knew Marley needed to be fed a very clean, moisture rich, high-quality food in order to keep the workload off his already compromised kidneys.
The vet’s recommendation was a special prescription kidney diet but I refused. I already knew the horrors behind these kinds of food and a 1 year prognosis with this diet was not promising, so I made sure to formulate the best food possible for him with the cleanest ingredients possible while still balancing his phosphorus levels.
During his diagnosis, the vet also informed me that the average lifespan of a dog diagnosed with PKD is about 8-10 years.
But here we are and Marley is living his best life at 19. I hope his story can reach other pet owners who also have dogs or cats with kidney disease so they too can outlive these statistics.
Currently, he eats mostly the Bibim Paws Beef formula with some rice or cauliflower mixed in a couple times a week. The ratio I use is: 1/2 cup of the beef bowl and 1/2 cup of organic rice/cauliflower. His vet informed me that dogs with kidney disease are recommended to eat a low protein diet to control levels of phosphorus which is crucial for the kidneys. So by only using high-quality protein and low phosphorus carbs, I can balance these levels for him.
I also supplement his food with:
- Bibim Paws Supaw Kimchi for Digestion
- Bibim Paws Hip Hip Hooray Joint Supplement
- And Standard Process Renatrophin and Musculoskeletal Support.
He just had his routine bloodwork and ultrasound in May with his Internal Medicine specialist and they are very pleased with his kidney levels and are amazed that he is still here.
This is what is working for Marley and I hope to share this information with anyone else who needs it. Kidney disease is sadly very common for pets but by sharing our stories, we can extend the lives of our animals with the healing powers of organic, real food.”
- Joyce + Marley
