|
Post by suziriot on Apr 16, 2012 10:50:51 GMT -5
A friend's male pit bull, approx 6 yo, has been diagnosed with struvite bladder stones. They were pretty bad, and he had surgery to remove them. He is at very high risk for them returning, and needs to be on a special diet. Their vet is recommending Hill Science, which I think most of us here agree is rubbish. Any recommendations for an affordable yet good quality alternative?
|
|
|
Post by adoptapitbull on Apr 16, 2012 11:13:33 GMT -5
What about adding ammonium chloride to his feed? We do this here to our male goats to prevent stones from forming. It's about $5 on Jeffers. www.jefferslivestock.com/ammonium-chloride/camid/liv/cp/AX-AN/I just googled to see if it was OK for dogs and it seems to be. Any chance the vet was trying to sell him the food that they carry in their office? I bet he was. Seems like all they want is $$$$ these days.
|
|
|
Post by maryellen on Apr 16, 2012 15:50:23 GMT -5
i think royal canin has a kidney stone kibble but not sure. alot of the kidney diets from the vet are crap but they do work
|
|
|
Post by catstina on Apr 16, 2012 17:21:44 GMT -5
I don't have any advice I just hope one of the things recommended works for him!
|
|
|
Post by michele5611 on Apr 16, 2012 18:56:58 GMT -5
I am almost positive that on the kidney list there are several dogs with similar problems. Thereis something called the fuzzer food diet. I will try and check it out......
|
|
|
Post by michele5611 on Apr 16, 2012 18:58:16 GMT -5
I think the fuzzer food diet is for calcium Oxylate stones so would prob not help your friend.
|
|
|
Post by adoptapitbull on Apr 16, 2012 19:35:32 GMT -5
Look into the AC. Might be much cheaper than changing to a specialty diet. If nothing else, it might be a cheap way to help prevent them in addition to a new diet. I found this online when I searched: www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9792 So I know its use is effective. I know your friend would probably think..."Last I checked, he wasn't a goat!" But soooo many medications and supplements can be dosed for other species and are highly effective. My animal medicine cabinet has a lot of the same wormers for dogs, goats, and camelids. Heck, even people can take Ivermectin.
|
|
|
Post by suziriot on Apr 16, 2012 20:59:26 GMT -5
Thanks for all the advice. I've passed it along to her. She did find some good recommendations for the Flint River Ranch low protein food, so she is going to give that a try. Batman (that's the dog) will be going in to the vet for a monthly urinalysis indefinitely, so if his levels look good she'll keep him on it. If not, she's going to try a home recipe and possibly the AC Allison suggested.
She and I both chewed her husband out. She told him that he was giving the dogs too much human food (he actually takes the two dogs through the drive-thru for their own burgers) and that Batman was getting way too fat. Well, this is what happens. The good news is that he is otherwise healthy. They were worried about his liver, but that looks okay as well. Just another example of people who think they are showing their dogs love by giving them tons of yummy treats, but they're actually killing them.
|
|
|
Post by bubsy on Apr 16, 2012 21:21:51 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by suziriot on Apr 16, 2012 21:48:43 GMT -5
Thanks Erin, that's a great article!
|
|
|
Post by adoptapitbull on Apr 17, 2012 5:37:35 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain that my old family dog had these same stones. I remember being young and hearing that he had stones in his pee. I'd imagine it was the same. That poor dog had chronic UTIs and incontinence in his last years, no doubt had been caused by all the stones. He cried when he peed and ended up leaking all over himself when he laid down. It was an awful way to live out your last years.
My mom is very much the same way with treats and people food. Every Saturday she takes the big Pit mix and the St. Bernard to BK where they each have a burger in the car, then she brings home burgers for the other 2 at home, and of course gives the big dogs one more when they get home. My cousin is her vet, and she already knows that talking to my mom about their weight is going in one ear and out the other. Drives me nuts...
|
|