Foods for My Dog Who Had A Recent Bout With Bladder Stones

[SkyHigh0984]

Hi Everyone I've been doing lots of research lately and keep ending up on links that lead to this forum, so I decided to join and post my question. I need advice.

My yorkie, Sky who is a little three pounder and will be 7 on April 28th, was hospital two weeks ago tomorrow for bladder stones. She had three bladder stones which required emergency surgery. She's doing well now, thank goodness, but the stones are still out for analysis and they did a urinalysis on her and found out she had a urinary tract infection. She had no symptoms and the only way I found out she was sick was when she refused food and my Kyie is a garbage disposal. She'll usually eat anything and everything. I would hate for her to ever have to go through this surgery again and pain if I could help it.

The vet wants me to feed her Royal Canin S/O until the stone analysis comes back and then put her on a food meant for her type of stone. Most likely this would be a Prescription Science Diet. For right or wrong I do not like these Prescription foods. I feel they have too much fillers and by products and are not a high quality food. Just reading the ingredients makes me feel sick to my stomach that this is what my vet wants me to feed her.

Before Sky got sick I always fed her a mixed diet of all natural dry food (recently started her on Blue Buffalo which she loves) and every so often I would give her cheese, chicken, rice, turkey, etc... Normal human food. She got into this habit because when she was a puppy she was four months old, didn't even weight a pound, and refused to eat so my vet told me to feed her what I can (actually he sent me to Boston Market, lol). I try to balance out her diet.

I guess my question is this. I really do not want her to eat the Prescription Diets because I feel they are not as good quality wise as what I feed her now, but I don't want her to get stones again or a urinary tract infection. I was reading that wet food is good because it ups their water intake so I've been having her eat wet food in the morning and dry food at night. These are the questions I have:

1) Is there a good alternative all natural food for dogs that will help prevent urinary tract infections and bladder stones?

2) Can I continue to feed her Blue Buffalo or is Wellness or some other food better for her?

3) What is a really good wet food that isn't "junk" but is all natural that could help my baby up her water intake?

4) What can I do to prevent urinary tract infections and bladder stones?

Thanks,
Joanie

[kjc]

Hi and Welcome to YT!

I think your best bet would be to do as your vet says, until the analysis comes back. Then you can consult with a nutritionist/dietician to have a homecooked recipe made up for your pup. Any off the shelf brands will continue to cause her problems, and as for Hill's Prescription diets, even though they may not be the highest quality food to feed, they would be the most appropriate when considering your pup's health. Sadly, there are not many choices when their food becomes a part of their medical management.

Prevention of recurring stones would be feeding a diet to avoid the nutrients that caused the stones, and you can always add water to any diet to increase her consumption.

[lil fu fu girl]

Welcome!
I agree with kjc, I would definitely wait until the diagnosis of exactly what type of stones were extracted, as their make-up will determine what type of diet you will have to choice.

Personally, I agree with you 100%, I would home-cook for her, as I feel that is the best way to monitor exactly what she is eating.

Please let us know what type of stones they are. In the meantime, I will do some research on diet options for you.

[livingdustmops]

Morning - I agree with the other posters..you need to find out what kind before you can really proceed. If you are not careful they will come right back and you will be back in surgery...

Whole Dog Journal is running articles about this..last month (which you can order) and this month talk about all the issues and what you can do. I love my subscription to this newsletter and highly recommend it for many issues.

The Whole Dog Journal | Dog Food Reviews - Dog Care - Dog Training

[lukes]

I wrote an article concerning UTI and Stones and what diets to feed based on the type of stones..

This is more of a reference article where I cited all the different sources of information and a little bit of investigation work by myself, hopefully, you'll find it useful.

Articles Information - Pet Care - Urinary Tract Infections - Crystals - Symptoms,Causes, Treatment and Diets

[Viridian14]

Originally Posted by SkyHigh0984

Hi Everyone I've been doing lots of research lately and keep ending up on links that lead to this forum, so I decided to join and post my question. I need advice.

My yorkie, Sky who is a little three pounder and will be 7 on April 28th, was hospital two weeks ago tomorrow for bladder stones. She had three bladder stones which required emergency surgery. She's doing well now, thank goodness, but the stones are still out for analysis and they did a urinalysis on her and found out she had a urinary tract infection. She had no symptoms and the only way I found out she was sick was when she refused food and my Kyie is a garbage disposal. She'll usually eat anything and everything. I would hate for her to ever have to go through this surgery again and pain if I could help it.

The vet wants me to feed her Royal Canin S/O until the stone analysis comes back and then put her on a food meant for her type of stone. Most likely this would be a Prescription Science Diet. For right or wrong I do not like these Prescription foods. I feel they have too much fillers and by products and are not a high quality food. Just reading the ingredients makes me feel sick to my stomach that this is what my vet wants me to feed her.

Before Sky got sick I always fed her a mixed diet of all natural dry food (recently started her on Blue Buffalo which she loves) and every so often I would give her cheese, chicken, rice, turkey, etc... Normal human food. She got into this habit because when she was a puppy she was four months old, didn't even weight a pound, and refused to eat so my vet told me to feed her what I can (actually he sent me to Boston Market, lol). I try to balance out her diet.

I guess my question is this. I really do not want her to eat the Prescription Diets because I feel they are not as good quality wise as what I feed her now, but I don't want her to get stones again or a urinary tract infection. I was reading that wet food is good because it ups their water intake so I've been having her eat wet food in the morning and dry food at night. These are the questions I have:

1) Is there a good alternative all natural food for dogs that will help prevent urinary tract infections and bladder stones?

2) Can I continue to feed her Blue Buffalo or is Wellness or some other food better for her?

3) What is a really good wet food that isn't "junk" but is all natural that could help my baby up her water intake?

4) What can I do to prevent urinary tract infections and bladder stones?

Thanks,
Joanie

I can only answer some of your questions. My 5 lb male Yorkie, Beau Jangles, had bladder stones at 11 months, very young for this problem. His surgery was much more serious because of him being a male. They had to reroute his urine exit to about where his testicles had been. Opening left large enough so if he has another stone issue he can hopefully pass it. He is fine now and is about 5 months out now, and has not had any more stones. Stones can redevelop as fast as 4 months unless you change his food to the two you mentioned above. Science Diet Canine c/d canned chicken/veg was the only thing he would eat during stay at emergency and we were so thankful he was eating anything ! He also now eats dry Science Diet Canine c/d (thank goodness) and I give him dry in AM and wet at dinner. The vet explained don't give him anything (snacks) more than 10%.- 90% Science Diet C/D. I tried the Royal Canine Urinary SO canned and he does not like it. It is necessary to keep the PH level in their urine in check which causes the stones. After research I also added powered cranberry crystals to his wet food which keeps him from having a bladder infection. I also add a little extra water to his wet food. Keeping his bladder flushed out is important.
All this has worked so far (Thank Goodness !!) Beau is one 1/2 now and the picture of health. He is full of energy and runs after squirrels and birds every day.
Before Beau got sick I cooked all his food myself like broiled chicken breast and green peas and carrots, so you can see I was very picky about what I feed him.
Now I feed him only what the Vet said to do, Science Diet Canine c/d Urinary. That works and keeps his urine from making more stones. Go with what works !

[Viridian14]

Hi to SkyHigh0984
How is tiny SKY doing in her fight to recover....I well know this is a very scary time.
Let me know surgery incision is healing.
I have now read and researched every thing livingdustmops and lukes replies referenced. Very informative (Yea!) I printed out the attached articles and they were nuggets of gold that I will keep printouts of as well. Now if I have the courage to try to switch back to preparing all Beau Jangles I have the basic facts of what to cook to keep his PH urine a little on the high side. I am going to order the PH strips today and start checking were we are now.....5 months after his bladder stone surgery.

[Nanut]

Our 5 y o Yorker Teddy had bladder stones 4 weeks ago. Had them surgically removed. We didn't have them analyzed, so how do I know what to feed her?

[107barney]

Originally Posted by Nanut

Our 5 y o Yorker Teddy had bladder stones 4 weeks ago. Had them surgically removed. We didn't have them analyzed, so how do I know what to feed her?

Why didn't your vet send them to have them analyzed? It's a free service at the Univ if MN stone center. Since your vet didn't have them analyzed then it's anyone's guess what kind of stones they are. I'd probably feed Royal Canin Urinary SO canned food if I were you.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by 107barney

Why didn't your vet send them to have them analyzed? It's a free service at the Univ if MN stone center. Since your vet didn't have them analyzed then it's anyone's guess what kind of stones they are. I'd probably feed Royal Canin Urinary SO canned food if I were you.

I cant believe the vet didnt send those off for analysis...that is like removing a tumor and then not testing it to see what kind it was...that determines what you can opt for treatment!!!

[Scoobstersmom]

If it turns out that your baby's stones are oxalate stones, you might want to google the fuzzer food diet. Have personally not had a dog with stones but know of a few that are using this diet with tremendous success. It is a home cooked diet.


Diana