How can I prevent my dog from developing struvite bladder stones in the future?
Dogs that have experienced struvite bladder stones will often be fed a therapeutic diet for life. Diets lower in protein, phosphorus and magnesium and promote acidic urine are recommended. The preventative diet is NOT the same as the diet that promotes dissolution of the stones. In certain cases, medications to acidify the urine may be required. In addition, careful routine monitoring of the urine to detect any signs of bacterial infection is also recommended. Bladder x-rays and urinalysis will be performed one month after successful treatment, dietary or surgical, and then every three to six months for life. Dogs displaying any clinical signs of urinary tract infections such as frequent urination, urinating in unusual places, painful urination or the presence of blood in the urine should be evaluated immediately. Keep in mind that the greatest risk factor for developing struvite bladder stones in the dog is a urinary tract infection.
Above link is an excerpt from: http://www.michigananimalhospital.com/page/452425598
http://www.entirelypets.com/k-plus-potassium-citrate-plus-cranberry-300-tabs.html?cmp=nextag&mr:referralID=2b34b4bd-6c95-11e2-b779-001b2166c62d
All I know is that it appears to be working for my dog, he had both struvite and calcium oxalate stones. He has not had a recurrence since his surgery (2011) he turns 15 next month. I listened to the advice of a veterinarian.
DL-Methionine is a prescription medication that I am not familiar with, my vet told me to try the potassium citrate supplements first. After testing a few times his ph lowered nicely. I still think increased water is the key.
For dogs, calcium oxalate stones are more concerning than struvite, often the struvite clears up when the infection (antibiotics) is eliminated and increased water is added to the diet.
The treatment for cats is different than for dogs, that’s why it is important to work with a veterinarian regarding treatment choices. Not a DIY
Articles are not always correct, neither is information shared on the internet, I take it all with a grain of salt.
LM-
You have mentioned using potassium citrate supplements. Don’t they increase pH? With struvite crystals, the pH needs to be lowered. DL-Methionine is the supplement that I have seen mentioned in a few articles that reduces the pH to help avoid the formulation of struvite crystals.
Why don’t you just cook and chop up some chicken breast and add a tablespoon to her kibble? Add water to her meals.
Also. if you use the search engine above on the home page forums to look up struvite, I think you will find a lot of related information that might be helpful.
She has had struvite stones.Do you recommend any particular brand?
I have a Bulldog who has had problems with struvite crystals. She had to have stones removed when she was 4 months old. She was also put on the Hills for life. I just hated the ingredients and thought she was not getting the proper nutrition. It was recommended by folks on here or another forum( I read so many) to try Solid Gold Berry Balance, it is a supplement you can add to a better ingredient food. Depending on weight of your dog you add twice a day for the first month then once a day 3 times a week. AND IT HAS WORKED. I check her urine on a regular basis and her ph has been good, no problems. I just ordered my second shipment, the first one lasted over 2 months.
Another question? I feed my dog Grandma Lucy’s Dehydrated “Pre-Mix” and I add in Evangers canned food. I am trying to stop his proclivity to struvite crystals and excess proteins and high Ph levels. He seems ok on it, but doesn’t like the carrots and I think excess garlic. I have fed him a couple of sample bags of Sojo’s dehydrated pre-mix. He loves that, but you have to soak for at least 15 minutes. My dog goes crazy waiting the 15 minutes knowing I have mixed it up. Can you mix it up the night before and refrigerate till morning? Will this do anything bad to it, sitting in the fridge overnight?
Has anyone had experience with Wysong Biotic Ph-? It is supposed to prevent and eliminate struvite crystals and proteins. It is a powder to mix into the dogs food. I used it for about a week or so, but my dog stopped eating the food if it had it in it. He usually eats anything, in fact, I figured he couldn’t even taste his food he ate so fast. At first he seemed to have acid reflux and then even threw up a little bit of bile. So I stopped giving it to him and he seems fine now with only that one change.
Hi Carrie-
I’m not sure if you read my comment on your other thread, but I sort of hit on that very subject. Lol! I was assuming they were struvite crystals due to vet suggesting the s/d food, but then started to wonder if you really knew if they were or not. If they are oxalate, the food will not dissolve and maybe even cause harm. I’m glad you are getting them removed. After experiencing a blockage, I wouldn’t want any other pet to go through it! Good luck!
Hi Carrie-
Do you know for sure if the stones are oxalate or struvite? I was assuming they were struvite in the other thread due to the fact that the vet wanted you to feed the Hill’s s/d prescription food. You probably know this, but just want to make sure. Only struvite crystals and stones can be dissolved. The oxalate stones cannot and can only be surgically removed. If you feed the s/d food and nothing happens, then the stones are most likely oxalate and the s/d food could be harmful rather than helpful. Good luck to you!
In my opinion, an infection and/or a few crystals in the urine are an entirely different situation than four large stones.
I guess until you have actually experienced a pet suffering from a blockage caused by struvite crystals and/or stones, you can’t understand the true life-threatening emergency it is. It will be landing your pet in an ER hospital for two or three days with a 50% chance of surviving. And a HUGE vet bill!
I wish I had followed a vet’s advice more closely!
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This reply was modified 8 years, 11 months ago by
crazy4cats.
Carrie,
You can find information of dissolution of struvite stones here http://www.wvc.org/images/session_notes_2013/2013_SA323.pdf
Carrie- From what I have read about struvite crystals in dogs and cats they can be managed WITHOUT a rX diet. You can however for a short time feed the s/d and then just like C4C said, PLEASE talk to a holistic vet (they often do free phone conslutations) about a better diet for your dog.
I do not think that rX diets are worth the money and I think (and others do too) that they are another marketing tool to force you to spend your money with them for the rest of your life. I was told when my cat had a UTI that he had to stay on Royal Canin Urinary SO for the rest of his life. I wish I had known what I know now about just keeping him on a species appropriate canned diet.
Hi Carrie-
So, they must be struvite crystals then. The Hill’s s/d diet does dissolve crystals and I wouldn’t mess around with them. I feel that you should follow the vet’s advice. The s/d is to be fed only until the crystals are gone. It is not a long term food. The Hill’s c/d can be fed long term. I would assume that your vet would recommend to use that after the stones are gone. Definitely try to use as much of the canned s/d as you can afford and that she will eat rather than the dry. Also continue to make sure she gets as much water and potty breaks as possible. There are other brands of urinary vet food that you may want to look in to such as, Purina, Iams, Wysong and Royal Canin that may look better to you. But, for now, I would feed the s/d until dissolved.
After the stones are gone, maybe with the help of a holistic vet or a canine nutrition expert, you can transition to a non vet food. Another thing that is helpful in keeping pH levels more consistent is to feed smaller frequent meals and very little kibble. Good luck to you!
Hi Kirsten-
Sorry about the troubles with your pup. I also have experienced a blockage due to struvite crystals with one of my cats. It was terrifying and expensive! They gave him only a 50% chance of surviving due to bladder damage. I have probably read 50 to 60 articles regarding this issue since. The most important thing is like the others have said, add as much moisture as possible. I read on another thread where you said your dog wouldn’t eat the Hill’s C/D canned. Right after my cats blockage, I fed him a variety of Rx canned that included, Hills Iams, Purina and Royal Canin. Your doc will need to give you a prescription for these, if you want to give them a try. Pet Smart carries a lot of Rx food as well as chewy.com. He also got a little Royal Canin S/O kibble. I have gradually transitioned off the Rx canned over a 6 month period to just regular canned food, but still feed the prescription kibble. He gets about 75% canned food now and forever! I also read that frequent small meals help to keep their pH level more balanced. So, I now feed three times per day instead of two. He also is now on an anti-anxiety meds and is wearing a calming collar to help keep his stress level down.
Sometimes these flare ups can be brought on from stress due to changes in routine, new family members, etc. . We made too many changes in our household too quickly for him to handle. It’s been about 7 months and he’s doing much better so far.
So, in my opinion, try out the other prescription canned foods until you get the crystals under control and then transition to as much regular canned, fresh or dehydrated food as possible. Regular bathroom breaks, smaller meals more frequently and keep the stress levels down. There are also supplements that help with Ph level as LM mentioned. Good luck!
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This reply was modified 8 years, 11 months ago by crazy4cats.
Update on our 2 dogs with struvite crystals. The girl with the recurring UTIs and previous-to-being-adopted-stone-surgery is getting more water with her food and getting out to pee more often. Trying to be calmer on our walks so that she can pee as often as she wants/needs to (every five feet if there are good smells around!). She hasn’t exhibited the crawl-peeing of an infection the last two days and has never exhibited pain when peeing. As soon as the crawl-peeing showed up I added 500 mg of vit c to each meal and she’s already getting a scoop of Cranberry Relief in the morning and a scoop of Wysong Biotic Ph with dinner, and eating the Royal Canin S/O with a little wet food. I’m also using Colloidal Silver (10 drops each meal for 2 days, then 6 drops, until 2 days after symptoms ended. Her pH this morning was 6.75. I’ve used Vit C and colloidal silver on myself when I was told I had a UTI. I really dislike using antibiotics unless extremely necessary. Here’s a website on C.S. by a holistic vet: http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2013/08/colloidal-silver-diy-treatment-for-dogs.html . Our boy dog shows no signs of a UTI and his ph on regular diet is 5.75. Next time we run out of food I’m going to switch from All Stages Canidae to their grain-free version to see if that will help with our girl. If anyone has found a difference using distilled water please let me know. I know our country water is a little on the hard side so that would be the next best thing to try. We’d also started giving her a glucosamine/MSM pill which I see includes other minerals which may have contributed to her last crystal-forming. She sure felt like a puppy on that even with signs of an infection, but obviously we’re still learning! I’m thinking her recurrent infections are because of her psyche as well as nearly touching the ground when she pees, and she’s also part husky and loves to dig in the dirt, which flies right back through her hind legs.
Ask your vet if Wysong (urinary prescription) is an option. http://www.wysong.net/veterinarian//rx-diets/urinary.html
In the meantime, frequent bathroom breaks are a good idea, the more she urinates (normal amounts) the better.
Add H20 to her food , keep the bladder flushed.
Also ask your vet about potassium citrate supplements.
/forums/topic/recipe-for-royal-canine-so/
/forums/topic/amonium-urate/ /forums/topic/struvite-crystals/
This subject comes up frequently.
My little Luna had surgery in January to remove over 24 bladder stones. Two got stuck in her urethra and she had to go to a specialist to remove them. Since then she has had 3 possible UTI’s which the vet gives antibiotics for. She is on Hills’s c/d biscuit with encore pate (only way she will eat hills food). Her last urine sample showed crystals, I really don’t want her to have another op and am at a loose end with her constantly on antibiotics costing me around ÂŁ80 a go! She is only 2yrs 10months and a bichon/cavalier, can someone recommend something else? I have read about giving cranberry and vitamin C capsules? I have also seen that diet food doesn’t help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Luna is nearly 3, in January she had bladder stone surgery with severe complications and had to be referred to the specialist for an additional operation. It was one of the worst times in my life! She has since had 2 UTI’s and now a possible 3rd. Her last urine sample showed she still had crystals in her urine, she is currently on Hills c/d biscuit with encore pate, she wouldn’t eat the canned Hills food. I am so worried she is going to get struvite stones again! Can anyone suggest something else for her?
Hi codexstark- C4C did a great job answering you. I also will give you some input as well. From the research I’ve done UTI’s are mainly caused by the build up of struvite crystals that will block the urethra. I have had a male cat in the past that ended up having a UTI. He ended up on a prescription food, however through my recent research I’ve discovered that a leading cause is a lack of moisture in their diet (i.e all dry food diet). Cats by nature don’t drink enough water. Dr. Pierson, who is the vet who started catinfo.org which C4C mentioned says on her site that she would rather see a cat eating a wet food full of by-products like Friskies than to ever see a cat eating dry food. I personally have never heard anything about litter causing UTI’s, so that is new info to me. Can you give a source for that info? Was it your vet or someone else or something you had read on the internet? I’m very interested for more info on that topic.
My kitten has been doing well with that litter, however she has peed outside the litter box about 4 times now. It hasn’t happened in a few days though. (fingers crossed)
C4C had a good idea about transitioning to different cat litter, however I personally have never done that. I never even thought about it like that. Ive always just put the new litter down and I have yet to have a cat that wont take to the new litter instantly.
I’m using the Dr.Esley’s Precious Cat which is a clay litter with very little dust. Its amazing at clumping all the urine which was not true of the Blue Buffalo walnut litter I had her on before. Dr. Pierson suggests the Dr. Esleys because of the clumping power of it. It’s also unscented which encourages litter box use. Be sure to clean the litter box at least 2 times a day and spot clean if needed.
I should have made my own litter box honestly. I ended up with a large one from my work (petco). its been working fine but I like the idea of the storage tub litter box a little more.
I hope me and C4C have been some help. Keep us updated!
That is funny you mentioned that about the canned food. The owner of the store at Green K-9 said to make sure that I put the food in a plastic sealed container after opening the can the first time.
I also just ordered some of the Wysong Biotic PH- supplement for my dog. I think between the new dehydrated food and the supplement, I can lower the PH and eliminate the struvites. I have also ordered some PH test strips to keep an eye on things. Thanks for the information on Wysongs.
Ask your vet if Wysong (urinary prescription) is an option. http://www.wysong.net/veterinarian//rx-diets/urinary.html
In the meantime, frequent bathroom breaks are a good idea, the more he urinates (normal amounts) the better.
Add H20 to his food , keep the bladder flushed.
Also ask your vet about potassium citrate supplements.
/forums/topic/recipe-for-royal-canine-so/
/forums/topic/amonium-urate/ /forums/topic/struvite-crystals/
I am so confused about what is good for my little dog. The vet wants my 13lb dachshund/min-pin mix to be on Royal Canin O/S, but that makes my dog pee every hour and he can’t hold it, even with his urine ok. So we had him on Hills Ideal Balance Chicken & Brown Rice for Adult Dogs, he now has the high protein/PH levels and struvites again. The Vet said try Royal Canin for small dogs. I am looking at the ingredients and what is posted for ratings and it is awful.
I am going to try Grandma Lucys Artisan Freeze Dries Mix, with a couple of tablespoons of Evangers Beef & Chicken with water to see if that will bring the levels down. Has anyone had any similar experience or can recommend any other foods??
Thought I should register and share our story since I’ve gained so much info from all of your stories. We just found out dog #2 ALSO has struvite crystals and high pH, so I’ve been researching foods. Both dogs have been on Canidae All Stages kibble with water and mix-ins (human leftovers or soup, etc.). Both are 1/2 Saluki and from a great rescue organization in NorCal called Stola. I’m beginning to think this breed is high strung, and if not, their early years of abuse or neglect has probably not helped them be mellow, however, we’ve seen improvements lately even in the one we’ve had for two years now, so that tells us to never give up. Anyway, I was angered by someone’s message whose doctor said there was no alternative to Science Diet. That stuff is cr** and it makes me mad that Vet’s are pushers of that. We have our #1 dog (who did have stone surgery just before we adopted her) on part Royal Canin, which probably isn’t much better. We did it all the time for several weeks but she blimped up because of the chicken fat. We used NaturVet Cranberry Relief for awhile but that didn’t prevent a 2nd UTI a year later, so that’s when we started swimming the kibble in water and going out to pee every four hours as well. Now we have to do the same with #2 dog. There’s no sign of infection, but we want to get the pH lower. Even though Canidae is a good brand I’m looking for other options other than cooking for them, if possible. I’m probably going to be baking dog biscuits in case the Kirkland brand is part of the pH issue. I’ve subscribed to this thread so will be following along. Thank you for all your help.
Sherrie,
I had a dog with struvite crystals, not stones. I didn’t put him on a special diet. I would not use the food your vet recommended, I’d find a holistic vet to work on a diet with. If you don’t have one close enough to you (do a google search, the website will come up), there are many who will do phone consultations.
I do know that moisture is very important for your dog. Raw, pre made raw, canned are much better than dry.
good luck!
My 3 year old puggle just had surgery on Thursday to remove Struvite stones. They said they extracted close to 100, which made me feel terrible. She really never showed any indication until she started throwing up a week ago. She has three more days of antibiotics and then the vet wants to put her on prescription food (hill’s cd). When I inquired if there were any other more natural means, I was met with a great deal of resistance and was flat out told “no”. Even though the food is more expensive, I do not want my pup to ever have to go through this again. My issue is that after looking at the ingredients, I see very little nutritional value. My dog has never been fed corn, soy or animal by product. All she has ever eaten Diamond Naturals dry food. I’m having a hard time conceiving paying almost triple for nothing but fillers. In the past few days I have been doing much research on alternative treatments. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with stones and what they did after removal to prevent them from reoccurring.
/forums/topic/amonium-urate/ /forums/topic/struvite-crystals/
This subject has come up before, check the threads above for some helpful tips.
My dog with a hx of stones is doing well on Wysong senior (soaked in water), potassium citrate tabs, 4 small meals per day with water added, and frequent bathroom breaks
My 3 year old puggle just had surgery on Thursday to remove bladder stones. They said they extracted close to 100, which made me feel terrible. It wasn’t until she was throwing up that there was any indication that she was ill. Now the vet wants to put her on the Hill’s CD prescription food. When I inquired if there were any other more natural means, I was met with a great deal of contention and was flat out told “no”. While the food is a great deal more expensive, I obviously do not want my pup to ever have to go through this again. My issue is that the i see little nutrition listed on the ingredient list. She has been eating dry Diamond Naturals brand since she was a puppy. In the past couple days I have been doing much research on alternative treatments. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with stones and how they may have homeopathly treated. My dog has never been fed corn, soy or animal by product and I just can’t conceive paying triple for fillers.
/forums/topic/amonium-urate/ /forums/topic/struvite-crystals/
This subject has come up before, check the threads above for some helpful tips.
My dog with a hx of stones is doing well on Wysong senior (soaked in water), potassium citrate tabs, 4 small meals per day with water added, and frequent bathroom breaks
/forums/topic/struvite-crystals/
My dog had struvite and calcium oxalate stones. The only tip I have for you is add water to his food, take him out for frequent bathroom breaks, keep the bladder flushed.
Check Wysong, they have a good selection, plus a prescription food. Not cheap, but good quality. Ask your vet if it’s an option: http://www.wysong.net/veterinarian/
Wysong Rx Urinaryâą (kidney, urinary health, and struvite)
(Replaces: Nephreonâą, Uratrarâą, and Struvatrolâą)
Ask your vet about potassium citrate tablets?
/forums/topic/calcium-oxalate-crystals-help/
/forums/topic/struvite-crystals/
Two threads you may find helpful.
I am planning on trying out some other foods from time to time, but right now I’m looking for a good food to switch him to following some bad experiences and a recent illness. The dog I had before Winston had a number of health problems including urinary crystals (not struvite) and diabetes. She was on a special diet for the crystals but had to switch to one for her diabetes. Unfortunately her crystals came back resulting in a blockage sending us to an emergency vet in the middle of the night. I’m obsessive about making sure Winston doesn’t have to go through what Chloe did. I know a whole lot more today than I did then, thanks to this site and people like you!
No problem, Cheryl, I’ve learned a lot on this site. One thing to remember is that you don’t have to pick a food and stick with it forever. Many believe, including myself, that it is best to offer a variety of foods. Here is a link with some information on a rotation diet: /frequently-asked-questions/diet-rotation-for-dogs/
I feed a couple different brands of both kibble and canned foods to my dogs and cats. Also, as I mentioned above, I also add some fresh foods as well.
One of my cats also had struvite crystals and ended up with a urinary blockage which landed him in the emergency clinic. So, I really now know the importance of adding moisture to their diets!
These changes don’t have to happen all at once. Take your time and try out new things to see what works!
Does anyone have a recommendation for how to determine a good ratio of canned to dry food? During one of my dog’s regular exams, three years ago, he had struvite crystals and was put on a Hills prescription diet. Once the tests reflected the crystals were no longer a problem, I switched to a Blue Buffalo dry formula. Since then there have been no struvite problems. However, due to some problems with bad bags(?) of BB and some potential food allergies I am switching him to Wellness Simple Turkey and Potato. I have read that canned food may help prevent urinary problems due to higher water content, however I would like to try a combination of canned and dry food. Wellness provides guidelines for a canned/dry mix, but they’re confusing. We’ve adjusted the recommended daily amounts of the foods we’ve been feeding him to avoid unacceptable weight gain. I assume we’ll need to do that for Wellness as well.
If he has struvite crystals in his urine, even though they have not formed stones, they are as sharp as glass and can irritate and inflame the bladder. Struvite is usually caused by infection, hence the antibiotic treatment.
Read through the posts in this thread and see what applies to your situation.
If you are not happy with the way things are going with the traditional veterinarians, consider consulting a homeopath…. http://theavh.org/
Distance is not an issue, many of them do phone consults.
PS: I would not stop any antibiotic treatment that has been started without talking to the prescribing veterinarian first.
Maybe he can explain the different opinions, and his rationale for treatment. Ask him for a diagnosis. Struvite or calcium oxalate? Ask him if there is a genetic component.
Another option, if you want to stay with the traditional veterinarians, ask for a referral to a specialist…
Yes they were struvite. He said she never had a uti as she never showed any bacteria, but one possibly could have been starting to brew and we caught it in time. It’s possible with her its just genetic or she just simply wasn’t drinking enough water at the time. Vet said I could keep her on the prescription food as a regular diet if I wanted (even though shes been off of it already) to and I was like no. I’ll pass on the corn. lol
I add water to her food now, wasn’t before and I bring her water at times. The Fromm 4 star food also has cranberries and blueberries in it where as the Gold weight management food didn’t so I don’t doubt that’s helping keep things where they should be.
I bet the crystals were struvite ( the vet told me, often when the uti is cleared up, and an increase of water is added to the diet this goes away) I would keep up the increase in H20, just in case… and continue frequent bathroom breaks. Good luck.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_struvite_bladder_stones.html
âStruvite stones form in urine with a high pH (alkaline urine), diets should help to maintain a low pH (acidic urine). Diets with animal-based protein sources are most important in maintaining an acidic pH, while
vegetarian or cereal-based diets are more likely to cause and alkaline urineâ.
âWith Calcium Oxalate stones, a high protein diet can cause stones by increasing calcium in the urine. It lowers urinary pH and can increase uric acid. High quantities of animal protein can contribute to stone formation by increasing urinary calcium and oxalic acid excreting and by decreasing urinary citric acid excretionâ.
âYou should increase your dogâs water consumption to help dilute the urine. You can do this by adding water to your dogâs food, it should look like wet mush. Avoid table scraps when caring for an oxalate stone-forming dogâ.
âDepending on the kind of stone, you either want more, or less protein, and lower in fat (3 -8%). Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dogâs dietâ.
Did you see this thread? /forums/topic/struvite-crystals/page/6/#post-69601
My dog had both type of stones, actually the calcium oxalate type are more concerning.
I saw the show and bought the t-shirt, so to speak, lol
PS: Does your dog have struvite or calcium oxalate? Or both? It makes a difference, regarding your diet choices for him.
I took Topanga to the vet on Fri and the vet decided not to do an xray because the odds of stones being there were so slim given her age (5mo old). She wants to do a repeat urinalysis in one month and Topanga is taking Carpaquin for 1 week. She told me to give wet food daily and push water as much as possible and that is it. I asked about giving distilled water or changing her food and was told not to worry with those things. I asked about her last urinalysis and was told it was struvite crystals and her ph was a 9 but that was expected since there were crystals in the urine. I really want to get her ph lowered, so I am going to do the distilled water anyways and see if it helps. I am going to get ph strips and check her pee myself and I am open to changing her food if her ph levels stay high. Any thing else I can do to safely lower her ph levels?
Just an update. Sorry @ashley_a that you are going through this đ
I took my dog to a different vet and boy was I much more happy with their service, knowledge, and ease to work with. They did an overall exam and noted he looked healthy. I informed them and provided all of the paperwork of what the previous vet prescribed for antibiotics. The ran a urinalysis and a urine culture. The urinalysis returned with no signs of blood and only a slightly high pH. The vet called back a few days later with the culture results which were negative.
At this point the vet advised as long as my dog is not acting differently, there are no signs of blood, that he looks to be fine. They did mention very few or any traces at all of struvite but said we could look into an xray if we wanted to. He advised it is not absolutely necessary given his results.
The things I did differently. After the rounds of antibiotics, I supplemented with a cranberry + vit c supplement. I provided and suggested more and more water intake. Meals were prepared with half a cup of kibble mixed with wet food and added additional water. Water was the key thing I ensured to increase overall. I’m not positive what the perfect combination is, but regardless I am going to continue to monitor him and get a few pH strips just to see how he’s doing.
His demeanor never changed so pay more attention than you need to. The only way I found out about this was I noticed his urine had a little red tint. He acted normal this entire time, so just be conscious.
I mentioned in 2 previous posts in this thread what has helped my dog, he has not had a recurrence in in 4 years and is 14 years old. He had a uti, was treated and then ultrasound revealed both type of stones, he required emergency surgery.
Your dog seems kind of young for this problem. Ask the vet if she is at risk due to her breed? Was she spayed recently? Is this a complication of that surgery? The UTIs, vaginitis? Is she going into heat?
Ask if potassium citrate/cranberry tablets would help?
Increased water, add it to the food is a must, my dog laps it up to get to the food (4 small meals per day). Frequent bathroom breaks, keep things flowing.
Ask the vet if she has struvite or calcium oxalate stones? Or both? An ultrasound is a good idea.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_struvite_bladder_stones.html
“Struvite stones form in urine with a high pH (alkaline urine), diets should help to maintain a low pH (acidic urine). Diets with animal-based protein sources are most important in maintaining an acidic pH, while
vegetarian or cereal-based diets are more likely to cause and alkaline urine”.
“With Calcium Oxalate stones, a high protein diet can cause stones by increasing calcium in the urine. It lowers urinary pH and can increase uric acid. High quantities of animal protein can contribute to stone formation by increasing urinary calcium and oxalic acid excreting and by decreasing urinary citric acid excretion”.
“Your should increase your dog’s water consumption to help dilute the urine. You can do this by adding water to your dog’s food, it should look like wet mush. Avoid table scraps when caring for an oxalate stone-forming dog”.
“Depending on the kind of stone, you either want more, or less protein, and lower in fat (3 -8%). Be sure to check with your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet”.
PS: Vaccinations should only be given to healthy dogs.
http://vitalanimal.com/vaccinations-consider-carefully/
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by
Anonymous.
Wow, Ashley, you have had a rough time. It sounds like you are doing everything right. I have no experience with infections, but one of my cats had crystals. I have been feeding him prescription canned food with a little bit of prescription kibble as well. His first follow up urinalysis was clear and I’m weaning him off the Rx food now. I have done a lot of research on Struvite crystals and have learned that anxiety can play a role in them as well. We had too many big changes going on in our household all at once topped off with us going on vacation. He’s now on anti-anxiety pills as well. Have you had any major changes in your house? Have you considered changing to another brand of kibble? Maybe the chemistry of TOTW isn’t compatible with your pup. Again, water, water, and more water is important! I wish you well. Please let us know how she’s doing.
Like I said, what worked for my dog was water added to his meals (the more the better), frequent bathroom breaks, keep things flowing, you don’t want to encourage stagnant conditions conducive to stone formation. Ask the vet if the potassium citrate tablets would be a good idea for your dog?
Consider a homeopathic approach to your dogs care (less chemicals, pesticides and vaccinations)
PS: My dog did not like the prescription food, he prefers Wysong and they actually have a prescription food for prevention of struvite stones but I haven’t tried it.
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Anonymous.
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Anonymous.
Thanks Nate i’ll take a look.
So background. I noticed my dog had red in his urine when marking so I immediately took him to the vet. It was a UTI. The vet found the struvite crystals and then gave him a few rounds of antibiotics. Each with a urinalysis afterwards to see how he was doing. He didn’t give me much feedback aside from either do a $200 test to check which antibiotics would work or continue giving him what he already was.
I wasn’t pleased with his answers and ability to really help me understand. I’ve then used the vitamin c and cranberry supplement, incorporated more wet food into his diet and tried to further encourage my dog to drink more water.
I’ve been monitoring and trying to find a better vet in the process. Any next steps that I may be missing?
Does anyone else have tips to encourage drinking water?
I have added much more wet food for moisture, there is fresh water out but i’m not sure what else I can do to encourage my dog to drink water.
He’s had struvite for a few months now and the antiobiotics didn’t seem to do too much. I purchased the cranberry vitamin C supplement to assist but I notice his urine is a lighter yellow but still noticeable. The vet I visited did not provide me much quality input and I am looking for another vet.
Should I be looking into a urinalysis?
Hi-
Coincidentally, a poster on the review side of this site asked about struvite crystals as well. Someone responded with this link from Dr. Becker:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/09/09/struvite-stones.aspx
I read that people have rid Struvite with supplements alone, but I trust my vet and took his preferred course of action and then did my own research for after. That’s how I found Solid Gold. I started her on the solid gold right after the crystals dissolved. I believe the s/d food has a higher level off salt which is why they drink more and wet food has more water in it as well. Keep us posted Nate. You are a good pet parentnfor exploring what’s best and not what’s easy!
I used all supplements to get rid of my girl’s struvites. So saying that supplements are preventative, and not curative, is incorrect. I’m not a vet, and what I did may not work for all dogs. I used a high protein food (and yes, it was kibble!) along with D Mannose (a highly concentrated cranberry) and 500 mg of vitamin C with every meal. Lots of distilled water available. I tested her pH once a week, and when we got it down to 6 and held for a couple of weeks, retested. Crystals were gone. First, what the vet recommends to feed makes them drink/urinate more, which flushes the crystals out. I’ve never heard that the C/D food actually dissolves them. Might be true, but in my research, I never heard it. It’s also made of crap ingredients, which I’d never feed my dogs. Acidifying actually does dissolve them. She’s been crystal free since then, and every couple of months, I supplement her for about a week again. Just my two cents.
