Foster's Transformation Story

We wanted to share our experience with Foster, our founder's soon-to-be 17-year-old Terrier mix. Foster has been with us since the very beginning, and he's actually the longest-standing member of our BFB nutrition and gut health program.

In 2023, Foster was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Like many pet parents, we followed the recommended path, trying various medications and a specific kidney diet. But despite our efforts, his kidney markers (Creatinine and BUN) continued to rise, and his liver values began to worsen. On top of all that, he was also living with a Grade 3 heart murmur and arthritis.

It was heartbreaking seeing our senior boy struggle, and we were trying everything to make him more comfortable. At one point, he even stopped eating and was throwing up daily.

We decided to take him off the special kidney diet and switched him to BFB Chicken and Vegetables to help him keep his muscles and improve his gut health. We also stopped all his medications. This is just our personal experience with Foster, but over the last 16 months, his kidney disease has remained stable, and his liver numbers have improved. Even his poop looks healthier, and his breath and poop smell better! We also got some good news from our Vet – Foster's heart murmur has decreased from a Grade 3 to a Grade 2.

The Challenge

Foster faced multiple health issues including:

• Stage 2 kidney disease
• Grade 3 heart murmur
• Arthritis requiring pain medication
• Chronic digestive issues and inflammation
• Daily vomiting
• Poor appetite and decreased activity
• Multiple medication dependencies

His Progress

After transitioning to our personalized freeze-dried nutrition program, Foster experienced dramatic improvements:

• Stabilized kidney values
• Improvement heart murmur to Grade 2
• Significantly reduced liver enzyme levels (ALT and ALP)
• Resolution of digestive issues without medication
• Successful recovery from a C. difficile condition
• Consistent, healthy weight maintenance
• Improved coat condition and energy levels

Measurable Success

Regular monitoring shows:

• Stable weight maintenance for over 6 months using pre-portioned daily meal pouches
• Normalized blood work values
• Elimination of all previous medications
• Significantly improved stool quality with minimal odor, consistent with the results we saw in our feeding and digestibility studies
• Positive feedback from veterinarians and neighbors about his vibrant appearance

Foster's transformation demonstrates how precise nutrition can address complex health challenges while improving quality of life. His success story inspired the development of Best Friend Bioscience's personalized approach to pet nutrition and wellness monitoring.