Urinary Track Stones, best food?
Written by Pam Podz
My one year old female JRT was recently diagnosed with urinary track stones. I changed her diet to a special wet vet perscription diet, however, I would like to get her back on a more afordable, dry, food. I was feeding her Royal Canin, but not sure if I should go back to that since it could have been the cause of the stones.
What brand of dog food should I look into? what are some key ingredients to include/avoid when looking for a special diet to help control the stones?
Home | About | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Advertise | Press | Resources | Contact | © Copyright PetDocTM 2008. All rights reserved.
Pam, it really depends on which type of stones your dog has been diagnosed with that determines the best diet choice. There are two basic types, Struvite and Calcium Oxalate. Often dogs with either of these two types of stones really do best on a prescription diet. Prescription diets are only available at a veterinarian.
Struvite crystals can many times be controlled with diet if they are not too large. Calcium Oxalate crystals usually need to be removed surgically as they most often cannot be dissolved with diet. There are a few choices for prescription diet foods depending on what your vet would recommend.
For example, Hills makes a U/D for Calcium Oxalate and an S/D for Struvite. Purina makes an N/F and Royal Canin a Urinary SO. Unless you wanted to try and research and make your own specially formulated diet at home, looking into one of these (again, depending on which type of stones) may be your best bet. You can check the different food manufacturers web sites, they often will have printable coupons.
One of the most important factors to bladder and kidney health is for the dog to drink plenty of fresh water. Keeping a couple of fresh clean bowls in more than one location in your house and outside will encourage your dog to drink.
Please let us know if we can provide you with more information and good luck.
PetDoc.com