[Robin B]

Yay! He pooped and promptly ate it before I could get the baggie out of my pocket. Thanks everyone for advice & support. Now we only have to deal with crystals & stones (sounds kinda New Age) and bladder control. Checking out until I have news to check in. Following your posts with interest. R

[Robin B]

I am aware of the purpose of s/d. We’re in early stage yet of diagnosis & treatment. Once we’re rid of the crystals/stones we can decide (Vet & I, poor Toto has no say) on the maintenance diet. I thank everyone for their input and advice which will be added to my ongoing research & access to expertise. Meanwhile, I would like Toto to poop. Not peeing in the house will be a bonus. (Until the treatment for crystals he wouldn’t even pee in the yard. Now he will. Mixed blessings.) Thx all.

[Robin B]

Toto is happy with the Hill’s S/D canned food. I dice it (its kind of rubbery out of the Can) and add water because he doesn’t drink much. I made a few treats from a thin slice cubed & baked low in the toaster oven. Low. ( smoke detector went off) He gobbles these too although they lack the moisture content so extra hydration is a must.
A retired vet friend discouraged me from using bone broth due to the added calcium intake. Bad for stones. So I have lots of broth for my own future consumption.
Now the pooch is constipated. Post-anaesthetic? 3 days buprenorphine? Any ideas that don’t work against Hill’s S/D objectives?

[Robin B]

Thx. I’m puzzled because he had crystals in his urethra (catheter flushed) and stones in his bladder. Seen by ultrasound & xray. His urinalysis showed no infection. So we left the emergency hospital with 3 days of painkillers from the procedure & prescription S/D to dissolve stones & 2 week recall to our own vet. If they’re struvite stones, why no infection?
It’s always been hard to get him to take in enough fluids but a weak broth is helping & I’m adding water to his wet food. 24 lb possible schnauzer cross (mini-schnauzers are prone to stones) who appears to be at the right weight for height; gets at least 2 hours on-leash walks per day (divided into 2, 3 or 4 walks depending on weather and life)
For now the water works seem functional but solid waste management is on a Wild-cat strike.

[Robin B]

I just spent 4 hours and $800 at an after hours emergency veterinary clinic with my rescue mutt. He was unable to pee, straining with leg up for ages, repeat. Then he started leaking in dribbles. This appeared to come on suddenly. Examination, urinalysis, X-ray, ultrasound: struvite crystals in urethra, stones in bladder. He had a catheter flush & sent home with prescription canned Hill’s S/D. It looks disgusting but he will eat it. We’ll see our vet at our regular clinic next week to check for progress on dissolution of crystals & stones.
He had been eating quality kibble ( no grain, limited ingredients etc.) enhanced with Wellness canned food (beef, turkey, chicken, lamb in rotation. Who doesn’t like a little variety?) Good news: we might be closer to guessing his breed combo (a little schnauzer in there, they tend toward this problem) and he started peeing the morning after his procedure & the prescription diet is temporary. Unlike me, he’s not a big drinker and he seems to have a bladder that will hold forever, likely one source of the problem.
So, I think I have deduced the cause: not enough water & infrequent elimination breaks both easily remedied although he only likes to pee on his walks.
My plan is to resume his regular diet when I get the “all clear” from the vet, add water to his kibble/canned meal combo. Introduce vitamin C & cranberry supplement. Offer homemade broth in addition to water to keep him hydrated. (I’m cheating and already making & giving the broth).
My question: do I wait until he is crystal clear before adding supplements & broth to his prescription food?
Your question: I’m new to the journey but hope I’m on the right track, commercial food with quality locally sourced ingredients, combo wet & dry (quality wet alone is too rich for my budget), water or bone broth added to food, lots of water available & broth if pup won’t drink water, frequent opportunity to pee (I think that was our downfall).
Good luck & advice is welcome.

[Author]

Posts