urinary problems- please help - YorkieTalk.com Forums

my 2 yorkies · 12-21-2010, 03:54 PM

hi everyone, i am new on here and i really need your help.
i have a 1 1/2 yr old yorkie and about 1 month ago, i noticed him urinating and there was a puddle ,but then he started to walk around and try to urinate about 15 to 20 seconds and nothing came out. so i took him to the vet and i brought in a urine sample which i collected myself. the results of this test was very small amount of blood and no crystals, so they put him on clovamox for 10 days, which he might have gotten slightly better , but then went back to straining.
then i took him back with another sample and it came back with no blood and a few struvite crystals and concentrated urine. so he put him on zenaquin, which he got really really sick from that drug. he was a total space cadet and could hardly move and throwing up. so they recommended a sonogram, which i did 425.00 later and then he said he needed to do a catherer to get sterile urine.
all in all he has no stones, they have no idea what is wrong.
now the vet said to switch his diet to royal canin urinary so canned food.
he has been on a raw diet for a year , and i think royal canin so food is no good, it has nothing good in it, a lot of by products.
is there a similar canned food that i can feed my baby? or can i cook for him. i look forward for someones help.

FlDebra · 12-21-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my 2 yorkies

hi everyone, i am new on here and i really need your help.
i have a 1 1/2 yr old yorkie and about 1 month ago, i noticed him urinating and there was a puddle ,but then he started to walk around and try to urinate about 15 to 20 seconds and nothing came out. so i took him to the vet and i brought in a urine sample which i collected myself. the results of this test was very small amount of blood and no crystals, so they put him on clovamox for 10 days, which he might have gotten slightly better , but then went back to straining.
then i took him back with another sample and it came back with no blood and a few struvite crystals and concentrated urine. so he put him on zenaquin, which he got really really sick from that drug. he was a total space cadet and could hardly move and throwing up. so they recommended a sonogram, which i did 425.00 later and then he said he needed to do a catherer to get sterile urine.
all in all he has no stones, they have no idea what is wrong.
now the vet said to switch his diet to royal canin urinary so canned food.
he has been on a raw diet for a year , and i think royal canin so food is no good, it has nothing good in it, a lot of by products.
is there a similar canned food that i can feed my baby? or can i cook for him. i look forward for someones help.

Strangely enough the Royal Canin canned food does contain by-products but the dry does not. I still did not like the ingredient list of either. I wonder why it is not as good as their regular food?

Might ask the vet if you could use Flint River brand instead. Top Rated Prescription Dog Food Diets and Premium Dog Foods for Urinary and Renal Health
This link is a comparison of several urinary support foods (it is done by the Flint River people, so consider that when reading.)

Just noticed this was your first post -- Welcome to YorkieTalk! Hope you enjoy your time here and hope to see pictures of your little one soon. sorry he has hd such a time of it with the urinary problems.

my 2 yorkies · 12-21-2010, 04:29 PM

thank you very much, i have asked my vet today about the flint river brand food and he said he had no idea. most vets have no clue about nutrition. i have spent 1,000 on him in about 1 month and i have no idea what he has. the vet said to me today he has no idea if changing the food is going to help him. i am so afraid he will get stones , since they found a small amount of struvite crystals.

FlDebra · 12-21-2010, 04:36 PM

Does he drink enough water? I have noticed mine have slacked off the water drinking quite a bit since hot weather left us. I noticed their urine was darker and it occured to me they might not be drinking enough. I have been encouraging them to drink more, taking them to the water, bringing a bowl to them, etc. I have even thought about adding something to the water to make it more appetizing to them. Mine get only dry food. Canned food should provide more water.

my 2 yorkies · 12-21-2010, 04:40 PM

yes, they get approx 1/2 cup of water a day mixed with the raw and dehydrated food. plus they drink extra too after playing.
it is making me sick to think he has to eat by products.

ladyjane · 12-21-2010, 04:56 PM

I have a pup who has had two bouts with bladder stones. He is a foster pup and had come to me after his first surgery. He needed another shortly after to remove stones. He is now on Royal Canin SO kibble and doing well.

I personally would use that food if I wanted to avoid stones if my vet recommended it because these companies do a lot of research! I know how people love to look at ingredients and worry about different things, but I also know that these prescription foods work. I guess I am a bit old school in that regard.

ladyjane · 12-21-2010, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my 2 yorkies

thank you very much, i have asked my vet today about the flint river brand food and he said he had no idea. most vets have no clue about nutrition. i have spent 1,000 on him in about 1 month and i have no idea what he has. the vet said to me today he has no idea if changing the food is going to help him. i am so afraid he will get stones , since they found a small amount of struvite crystals.

I don't think that it is that they are clueless about nutrition. I think that they just don't necessarily know the ingredients of every dog food on the market. It is just not their field of expertise....they recommend companies like Hill's because they do research and honestly those foods do work. Some people want different...and in that case it is sometimes good to consult with a veterinary nutritionist. I did that with one of my pups because he had pancreatic and renal issues and none of the prescription foods would work for him. The vet nutritionists usually will do a consult via phone or email with your vet for a reasonable fee. I used one from Texas A&M. You could ask 107barney as she knows of one in the northeast that she has used for some time.

my 2 yorkies · 12-21-2010, 05:48 PM

my vet also said there was no bacteria in the urine. does anyone know what it could be / no stones, no bacteria, few struvite crystals.

ladyjane · 12-21-2010, 06:04 PM

Here is a link that might help:

7 Simple Ways to Prevent Struvite Crystals in Your Dog

Ladymom · 12-21-2010, 06:15 PM

I agree with Ladyjane. Prescription diets are necessary in some cases. My sister's little Jack Russell had the same issues your Yorkie did. From the time she was six months old she kept developing crystals - no infection, no stones, just crystals. Her vet was stumped so she referred her to NC State Vet School and they ran extensive tests with no conclusive findings. She was put on Waltham prescription kidney diet for life.

If you are really opposed to prescription food, I would suggest consulting a certified canine nutritionist and homecooking. We have a list pinned in the YT library.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...itionists.html

I would absolutely stop feeding raw. It is not appropriate for dogs with health issues.

my 2 yorkies · 12-27-2010, 08:54 AM

i was wondering if my yorkie can have bully sticks while on the diet of royal canin so for a few crystals in his urine? i stopped giving him treats, but was wondering about the sticks. any advice?

107barney · 12-27-2010, 09:47 AM

Here is my warning about a "few" struvite crystals........

Teddy had a "few" struvite crystals also. They turned to many struvite crystals and they also joined together to form a small stone. Luckily we dissolved both using a product called Uroeze made by Virbac. We have struvites again after three months of not using the product and had hoped the crystals would not return. They have, unfortunately, but this time with no bacteria and no symptoms. It is just something Teddy is prone to. He is going back on uroeze and depending on what the nutritionist says after my consult with her on the 12th, it is probably going to be for life. I plan on asking her for a backup diet for my home cooking and I would use Hill's in a heart beat. They are a good company with research to back their diets and nutritionists on staff, unlike many other companies. Our vet nutritionist has a good view of Hill's. Many will disagree but I just go with what our specialist's view is and how well my dogs do on something.

my 2 yorkies · 12-27-2010, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 107barney

Here is my warning about a "few" struvite crystals........

Teddy had a "few" struvite crystals also. They turned to many struvite crystals and they also joined together to form a small stone. Luckily we dissolved both using a product called Uroeze made by Virbac. We have struvites again after three months of not using the product and had hoped the crystals would not return. They have, unfortunately, but this time with no bacteria and no symptoms. It is just something Teddy is prone to. He is going back on uroeze and depending on what the nutritionist says after my consult with her on the 12th, it is probably going to be for life. I plan on asking her for a backup diet for my home cooking and I would use Hill's in a heart beat. They are a good company with research to back their diets and nutritionists on staff, unlike many other companies. Our vet nutritionist has a good view of Hill's. Many will disagree but I just go with what our specialist's view is and how well my dogs do on something.

can i ask you with what food do you put the uroeze in? he has been on royal canin SO for about 1 week, still strains a little and/or with a few drops after his big pee..
I have been giving him 1/2 cup and more of water in his food, plus i give greek yogurt and 100% pure cranberry juice, about 1/2 tsp a day..
but i was wondering if the bully sticks are doing him any harm, as i dont know what he would do without them. he is a chewer.

107barney · 12-27-2010, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my 2 yorkies

can i ask you with what food do you put the uroeze in? he has been on royal canin SO for about 1 week, still strains a little and/or with a few drops after his big pee..
I have been giving him 1/2 cup and more of water in his food, plus i give greek yogurt and 100% pure cranberry juice, about 1/2 tsp a day..
but i was wondering if the bully sticks are doing him any harm, as i dont know what he would do without them. he is a chewer.

I feed home cooked food but you can use uro-eze with either a teaspoon of canned food or even yogurt to get it into them. It's a powder and you need a prescription from your vet. It is made by Virbac if your vet is not familiar with the product. The cranberry juice is good, keep it up to flush the bladder.

I would personally avoid bully sticks in a dog with any health issue. Dogs do love them but they are garbage protein and fat (my opinion). I let my dogs chew on flexible nylabones only these days.

krysta · 04-20-2011, 07:30 PM

My pasha has the same problem, however he had a calcium oxalate bladder stone which they surgically removed. They also put him on Royal Canin SO. Well 7 weeks later he is still doing exactly what your little one is doing. he pees good maybe 3 times a day, but then he walks around straining constantly with nothing coming out. I am going to the vet who is also at a loss to have his prostate checked. If you find any answers let me know and I will do the same. By the way my little pashas penis makes a squirting sound while strains. Does yours? I hope we both find an answer.

12-21-2010, 03:54 PM	#1
my 2 yorkies Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: queens ny Posts: 13	urinary problems- please help hi everyone, i am new on here and i really need your help. i have a 1 1/2 yr old yorkie and about 1 month ago, i noticed him urinating and there was a puddle ,but then he started to walk around and try to urinate about 15 to 20 seconds and nothing came out. so i took him to the vet and i brought in a urine sample which i collected myself. the results of this test was very small amount of blood and no crystals, so they put him on clovamox for 10 days, which he might have gotten slightly better , but then went back to straining. then i took him back with another sample and it came back with no blood and a few struvite crystals and concentrated urine. so he put him on zenaquin, which he got really really sick from that drug. he was a total space cadet and could hardly move and throwing up. so they recommended a sonogram, which i did 425.00 later and then he said he needed to do a catherer to get sterile urine. all in all he has no stones, they have no idea what is wrong. now the vet said to switch his diet to royal canin urinary so canned food. he has been on a raw diet for a year , and i think royal canin so food is no good, it has nothing good in it, a lot of by products. is there a similar canned food that i can feed my baby? or can i cook for him. i look forward for someones help.

12-21-2010, 04:36 PM	#4
FlDebra Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FL Posts: 7,651	Does he drink enough water? I have noticed mine have slacked off the water drinking quite a bit since hot weather left us. I noticed their urine was darker and it occured to me they might not be drinking enough. I have been encouraging them to drink more, taking them to the water, bringing a bowl to them, etc. I have even thought about adding something to the water to make it more appetizing to them. Mine get only dry food. Canned food should provide more water. __________________ FlDebra and her ABCs Annie, Ben, Candy Promoting Healthy Breeding to the AKC Yorkshire Terrier Standard

12-21-2010, 04:56 PM	#6
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,450	I have a pup who has had two bouts with bladder stones. He is a foster pup and had come to me after his first surgery. He needed another shortly after to remove stones. He is now on Royal Canin SO kibble and doing well. I personally would use that food if I wanted to avoid stones if my vet recommended it because these companies do a lot of research! I know how people love to look at ingredients and worry about different things, but I also know that these prescription foods work. I guess I am a bit old school in that regard. __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

12-21-2010, 06:04 PM	#9
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,450	Here is a link that might help: 7 Simple Ways to Prevent Struvite Crystals in Your Dog __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

12-21-2010, 06:15 PM	#10
Ladymom Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 8,317	I agree with Ladyjane. Prescription diets are necessary in some cases. My sister's little Jack Russell had the same issues your Yorkie did. From the time she was six months old she kept developing crystals - no infection, no stones, just crystals. Her vet was stumped so she referred her to NC State Vet School and they ran extensive tests with no conclusive findings. She was put on Waltham prescription kidney diet for life. If you are really opposed to prescription food, I would suggest consulting a certified canine nutritionist and homecooking. We have a list pinned in the YT library. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...itionists.html I would absolutely stop feeding raw. It is not appropriate for dogs with health issues. __________________ http://www.myladysdogbows.com/ http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...6213341?ref=nf

12-21-2010, 04:29 PM	#3
my 2 yorkies Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: queens ny Posts: 13	thank you very much, i have asked my vet today about the flint river brand food and he said he had no idea. most vets have no clue about nutrition. i have spent 1,000 on him in about 1 month and i have no idea what he has. the vet said to me today he has no idea if changing the food is going to help him. i am so afraid he will get stones , since they found a small amount of struvite crystals.

12-21-2010, 04:40 PM	#5
my 2 yorkies Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: queens ny Posts: 13	yes, they get approx 1/2 cup of water a day mixed with the raw and dehydrated food. plus they drink extra too after playing. it is making me sick to think he has to eat by products.

12-21-2010, 05:48 PM	#8
my 2 yorkies Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: queens ny Posts: 13	my vet also said there was no bacteria in the urine. does anyone know what it could be / no stones, no bacteria, few struvite crystals.

12-27-2010, 08:54 AM	#11
my 2 yorkies Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: queens ny Posts: 13	crystals & bully sticks i was wondering if my yorkie can have bully sticks while on the diet of royal canin so for a few crystals in his urine? i stopped giving him treats, but was wondering about the sticks. any advice?

12-27-2010, 09:47 AM	#12
107barney T. Bumpkins & Co. Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New England Posts: 9,816	Here is my warning about a "few" struvite crystals........ Teddy had a "few" struvite crystals also. They turned to many struvite crystals and they also joined together to form a small stone. Luckily we dissolved both using a product called Uroeze made by Virbac. We have struvites again after three months of not using the product and had hoped the crystals would not return. They have, unfortunately, but this time with no bacteria and no symptoms. It is just something Teddy is prone to. He is going back on uroeze and depending on what the nutritionist says after my consult with her on the 12th, it is probably going to be for life. I plan on asking her for a backup diet for my home cooking and I would use Hill's in a heart beat. They are a good company with research to back their diets and nutritionists on staff, unlike many other companies. Our vet nutritionist has a good view of Hill's. Many will disagree but I just go with what our specialist's view is and how well my dogs do on something. __________________ T. Bumpkins & Co. Washable Doggie Pee Pads (Save 10% Enter YTSAVE10 at checkout) Cathy, Teddy, Winston and Baby Clyde...RIP angels Barney and Daisy

04-20-2011, 07:30 PM	#15
krysta Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Redondo Beach CA Posts: 21	My pasha has the same problem, however he had a calcium oxalate bladder stone which they surgically removed. They also put him on Royal Canin SO. Well 7 weeks later he is still doing exactly what your little one is doing. he pees good maybe 3 times a day, but then he walks around straining constantly with nothing coming out. I am going to the vet who is also at a loss to have his prostate checked. If you find any answers let me know and I will do the same. By the way my little pashas penis makes a squirting sound while strains. Does yours? I hope we both find an answer.