Need help managing Ph level in Doxie

gpriska

Hi There,

I am looking for any info on the correlation between the Ph level and kidney stones in Doxies. I have a 2 yr. old male who has already had kidney failure once and bladder surgery. About every 5-6 months he goes through this with an elevated Ph level (7.5 +) while he has been on Hill's s/d diet and IVD control formula. They seem to have stopped working. I just switched to a new vet for a second opinion and we have taken him off of the s/d and given him Methio-form along with the control formula. I would like to try all natural foods but am hesitant b/c I don't want him to make more stones. We can't put him through another surgery...it was just way too hard on him. But he is only 2 yrs old and just the love of our lives......Help! Any info would be greatly appreciated. I have recently read about Cranberry extract....any thoughts on that. I hope I am doing the right thing by putting him on this medicine, which I cant find too much information about other than where to buy it on the web. He has a history of making struvite crystals and currenty is stone free but I think they are just small and is passing them. He goes through these bouts of pain and vomiting about every 5-6 months as I said previously. Thanks in advance for any info.

NewfCrazy

I lost a 19 month old newf to total kidney failure - so I've done lots of research on kidney issues, although most of it has been dealing with protein levels in the urine rather than ph of the urine.

I did find this:
"Struvite stones used to be referred to as "infection stones" in pets. The great majority of struvite stones occur due to the presence of bacteria in the urine. Finding the reason that the pet's normal resistance to bacterial infection is compromised and fixing that problem, if possible, is the best long
term solution to controlling recurrent struvite bladder stones -- and also recurring bladder infections. In pets in which this is not possible, manipulating the pH of the urine is a reasonable second choice."

It came from this website that I have found very useful:
http://www.vetinfo.com/dogurinary.html

I also looked into this product that supposedly helps to prevent the stones from forming:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/produc...gs/125029.aspx

Good Luck!

gpriska

Thanks for the info I think this new vet suggested culturing his urine after the antibiotics are completed. That kinda goes along with what you were saying about "infection stones" We did notice that his protein level was a bit hi this last time as well. That is a new symptom that will require some looking into after the antibiotics are completed as well, it could be an inflammitory response to a bladder infection....kinda goes full circle does'nt it?
Thanks again for the help.

NewfCrazy

It is a vicious circle. The infections can cause the stones to form, and if a stone forms and blocks the tubes, then the kidney's back up and it can cause them damage as well.

I hope that it gets better with the antibiotics.

bigdawgs

Royal Canin has a urinary s/o formula that we are seeing better results with than the control formula. Also, the vegetarian formula is supposed to be for urate crystals and stones, but we don't have anyone on this to give even any anecdotal support.

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