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Urine test shows some struvite crystals

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • OK so Buddy pees on my bed the other day in 2 spots. He did it once about a month ago. So I figured this isn't a marking a territory thing and take him to the vet for some blood work and urine check. Blood work is well within normal but urine shows some phosphate crystals in the urine. The kidney values were normal. Vet thinks there may be some UT inflammation. So they said he needs to go on Hills SD diet. Some junk food to clear it up for 3 weeks. I've been feeding him veggies and water melon which probably is making his bladder too alkaline and not acidic enough. Anybody have this issue?

    Ingredients

    Water, Corn Starch, Egg Product, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, and citric acid), Pork Liver, Sucrose, Powdered Cellulose, Iodized Salt, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Manganous Oxide, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic acid, Sodium Selenite.

  • Nicky had a UTI and had some crystals at the time. My vet felt that once the UTI was cleared up the crystals most likely would also and if the UTI recurred then we would tackle the crystals since he had very few. Once the UTI cleared up it did not return.

    We did make sure that Nick was getting plenty of fluids and plenty of walks to make sure he wasn't holding it. This was during the winter where it was cold and wet and he would refuse to go out if not walked.

    With my male cats we manage crystal formation through water intake. They eat canned food so we are sure they are getting water and we even add extra water at times of stress since that is when crystal formation and blockage is most likely in cats.

  • Buddy is not a water drinker unless we are out walking and it's warm/hot. I put water in his food. He does not eat dry food either. I bought some Solid Gold Berry Balance Supplement and something called Animals' Apawthecary - Tinkle Tonic - Herbal Tincture for Dogs and Cats which had 72 very good reviews. I'm going to cut out the veggies to increase acidity and monitor his urine PH with some strips I have. I will then have his urine checked again in 3 weeks.

  • You can encourage drinking but putting some NO SALT chicken or beef stock in the water. Normally dogs drink all they need, but if medically necessary to increase it, ask your vet as there are drugs to cause thirst. Go with the natural first though.

  • Try giving him a good tasty drink immediately after his meal Mine are not drinkers (and in many years I've never had a Basenji that is) so I weakly flavour water with meat juice, veg water and actually anything tasty left over and they each have approximately third of a pint as a 'dessert' after their main meal.

  • @Patty:

    Try giving him a good tasty drink immediately after his meal Mine are not drinkers (and in many years I've never had a Basenji that is) so I weakly flavour water with meat juice, veg water and actually anything tasty left over and they each have approximately third of a pint as a 'dessert' after their main meal.

    Ah yes, the flavored water trick. Last night I put some cut up chicken breast in a bowl, added some water and stirred for flavor and down it went. I got a copy of the urine analysis and it said PH was 8.5, trace amount of protein and Amorphous Phosphate Crystals 2-3. I just collected another sample today and it's yellow cloudy. Not red or pink.

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