Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > Dog food forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 16th, 2007, 11:45 AM
cinnabon cinnabon is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 5
Foods for treating struvite urine crystals

I just found out last week that Zoe, my ShihTzu has crystals. She was first put on Hills, but wouldn't eat it. I now have her on Royal Canin Urinary SO, and this she will eat.

I am not crazy at all with having to feed this food. For the past couple of years [she is now 4] I have fed her Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish due to allergies, and she really likes it. To have to go to this quality of food goes against my grain.

Does anyone know of a Premium quality of Dog food that works to dissolve and prevent struvite crystals? I am not willing to home cook, due to my own health issues. Seems like cooking for my family is a major chore in itself.

Thanks,
Bon
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old August 16th, 2007, 12:32 PM
gypsy_girl's Avatar
gypsy_girl gypsy_girl is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 309
In order to dissolve crystals you must overacidify the urine, and this is not soemthing that you can do with a "regular" type food.
There are many good foods that produce a moderately acidic urine, as this is important to prevent struvite formation. Foods that use an overall high meat content produce an acidic urine
I have included a link here for information regarding this
http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=400
Keep in mind that MANY factors contribute to struvite formation, lack of exercise, fluid intake, genetics etc. No food (even prescription) guarantees to prevent formation for these reasons!
If you find a food that you like, you simply need to ask the manufacturer what urine PH is produced by the food (not the PH of the food)
Some good ones to check

http://www.petcurean.com/index.php?page_id=41
http://www.championpetfoods.com/orij...cts/adult.aspx
http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1488

GOOD luck!

Last edited by gypsy_girl; August 16th, 2007 at 12:35 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old August 25th, 2007, 02:05 PM
Pretty_Zoe Pretty_Zoe is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1
Our shih tzu had bladder stones too

Hi!

Our shih tzu who is 9 years old and also named Zoe had bladder stones removed last year. The vet put her on the Royal Canin Urinary SO diet, but, like you, we like to feed our dogs with premium dog foods. We recently found this on the Internet and might try it for Zoe:

http://www.eaglepack.com/Pages/EP_Pe....html#crystals

Not that we think that the Royal Canin food is terrible, but there are so many products out there with higher quality ingredients. We're especially wary after all those incidents with the tainted pet food.

Fortunately for us, Zoe is not very picky when it comes to food. She'll eat just about anything.

Good luck with your pup!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old August 25th, 2007, 04:36 PM
gypsy_girl's Avatar
gypsy_girl gypsy_girl is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 309
Pretty Zoe, the type of crystals you are speaking of are VERY different than struvite, and form under different conditions. Although Eagle may work for these crystals, please talk to the nutritionist or vet there before trying this food.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:16 AM.