A kidney under strain struggles to process protein and phosphorus the way a healthy one does, which is why a renal diet's defining feature is not an added ingredient but a deliberately restricted one — less for the kidneys to filter, not more of something beneficial.

VetCare Renal Hydrolysed Chicken with Sweet Potato leads with hydrolysed chicken (63%), sweet potato and pumpkin. Protein is restricted to 5% and phosphorus to 0.11%, both notably low, and it includes potassium citrate (0.1%) which Arden Grange describe as urine alkalising.

• 395g tray (Arden Grange also sell a dry version of this range, sold separately)
• Hydrolysed chicken (63%)
• Protein restricted to 5%, phosphorus to 0.11%
• Potassium citrate (0.1%), described as urine alkalising
• Metabolisable energy 113kcal/100g

On the dry version of this range. Arden Grange also sell a dry-bag version of VetCare Renal Hydrolysed Chicken with Sweet Potato. Its composition and analysis differ from this wet tray's, since the two are separate recipes for the same purpose rather than one recipe in two formats — this page is written from the wet tray's own card.

Who it's for: a dog with chronic or transient renal insufficiency, or oxalate stone formation, being fed this on a vet's direction — this is not a food to start without a kidney function diagnosis and ongoing veterinary oversight, given how restrictive the protein and mineral levels are.