Struvite Crystals and Medi Cal food

[normaprice2003]

My vet has just told me my dog has Struvite Crystals and needs to be on Medi Cal Preventative. Is this food prescription? If so it is going to be very very expensive. Is there nothing else for her?

[List]

This MediCal preventative:
Chicken Meal, Oat Flour, Pearled Barley, Rye, Chicken Fat, Corn Gluten Meal, Salmon Meal, Tomato Pomace (Source of Lycopene), Flax Meal, Natural Flavour, Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Tomato (Source of Lycopene), Apple Pomace, Dried Egg Powder, Fish Oil, Cranberry Meal, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulphate, Fructo-Oligosaccharides, Taurine, Salt, Vitamins (DL-Alpha-Tocopherol [Source of Vitamin E], Inositol, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C], D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement and Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Marigold Extract (Source of Lutein), Trace Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulphate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulphate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate and Sodium Selenite), Brewer’s Yeast Extract (Source of Mannan-Oligosaccharides), L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene and L-Glutamine.
Naturally Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract and Citric Acid.

Its not the worst food out there, but I wouldn't feed it to my guys. Struvite crystals form in urine that is too alkaline and too concentrated. What were you feeding before this food?
Personally I would switch to a high meat diet, since meat is naturally acidic. Raw diets are great for urinary issues, but if you want to stick with kibble I think you may have better luck with Orijen, Acana, Horizon Legacy or Evo.

[normaprice2003]

currently I am feeding her Pedigree. The other brands that you mentioned don't seem to be available in my area.
The vet also said no raw food, table scraps or treats. I was giving her carrots as treats.

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by normaprice2003

currently I am feeding her Pedigree. The other brands that you mentioned don't seem to be available in my area.
The vet also said no raw food, table scraps or treats. I was giving her carrots as treats.

A properly prepared homemade diet is so much better than any commerical pet food (as it is for humans).

However, if you are not into raw, then a quality canned would be best for a pet with crystal/stones as it keeps the kidneys flushed. I am a cat person, not a dog, so hopefully a doggy person will be able to recommend some good canned diets.

[rainbow]

Originally Posted by normaprice2003

My vet has just told me my dog has Struvite Crystals and needs to be on Medi Cal Preventative. Is this food prescription? If so it is going to be very very expensive. Is there nothing else for her?

Struvite crystals happen when there is a urinary tract infection. Has your dog been tested and treated for this?

Originally Posted by normaprice2003

currently I am feeding her Pedigree. The other brands that you mentioned don't seem to be available in my area.
The vet also said no raw food, table scraps or treats. I was giving her carrots as treats.

Most vets do not know alot about nutrition and the only course they have taken has been provided by either the manufacturers of Medi-Cal or Science Diet.

Raw is the best for your dog or else homecooked. Table scraps are only a no-no if they are pieces of fat that you would throw in the garbage. If you can't do either of those then a grain free kibble or canned is the way to go.

The brands mentioned by List will only be found at an independent pet store. Where abouts is Elmwood?

[rainbow]

Here is some information about struvite crystals .....


http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter...-and-crystals/

[normaprice2003]

Elmwood Ontario is just east of Walkerton Ontario (e-coli water incident). Our closest city is Owen Sound which is about an hour away. Hanover is our local town.

Karley had been on antibiotics for bladder infection since the end of February. We now have that cleared up but the PH in her urine is still high so the Vet ran some other tests and found a high concentration of Struvite. Hence the special Medi-Cal diet. She is a bull mastiff / hound cross so she isn't a small dog.

She also has a small tear in her ACL which happened somehow last November. It hasn't healed either so I mentioned a brace for her and he said absolutely not that they didn't work so he will operate. I haven't decided if I will go through with that or not. Sometimes I think he is just looking at $$ bills.

Can anyone recommend some recipes so I can try some homemade dog food? Hopefully it will be cheaper than the Medi-Cal.

[flipgirl4]

See my post in the other thread with respect to struvite crystals. Try googling Wysong - they have a food for struvite crystals which you have to order by phone but they also sell a supplement called Biotic ph- (they also sell Biotic ph+ but this is for calcium oxylate crystals). I've seen this at a few retail stores. Just add to your dog's regular food. Also add water or low sodium broth to his food and water to encourage drinking. Add the biotic ph- until his urine returns to normal. I did this and it worked. I just told my vet that I fed the Hills' c/d so she wouldn't give me any attitude. Also, you could start feeding canned food for now - I know it's more expensive but if you fed canned plus the Biotic ph-, then the problem will be resolved and then you can return to her regular food. However, I would still suggest adding water or encouraging your dog to drink. Keeping your dog hydrated will keep his urine dilute and less likely to develop a UTI and thus, crystals. The Biotic ph- is about $25.00 but you don't have to use too much at each feeding. And it's all natural too.

[alisonog]

I just had Oscar at the vet, because of diarrhea and lethargy. He was diagnosed with giardia. The vet gave him some medication and a bag of Medi-Cal Gastro. He was eating Orijen and Fromm puppy kibble (he is 10 months). When I tried to get it at the pet store, the girl said they don't carry it, because it isn't really good for dogs! I am a bit perplexed as to who to believe. He isn't really crazy about kibble, but I cannot really blame him!