Buddy had a urinalysis done last week because his blood work up showed the BUN to creatine ratio is high at 36. Normal is 4-27. Urine sample shows crystals so he has to go in tomorrow for an x-ray to see if there?s any stones. He?s not having any trouble what so ever urinating, has high energy and is feeling great. One thing is he doesn?t drink water, I have to put it in his meals. I have been using bottled water and maybe it?s mineral content is too high so I will try distilled water. I will ask the vet what type of crystals they found. I can then work from there. I'm sure the vet will try to push SD on me. That won't happen.
Anybody have this problem?
I don't know about distilled water. I had always heard that you shouldn't drink distilled water except for maybe a short length of time. Personally if you can't use tap water (but couldn't you boil a bunch and then put it in your fridge), I would use bottled spring water (not mineral water).
Regarding distilled, as an aside - I also remember that back in the early 90s I used to make saline solution for my contacts with salt tablets and distilled water - because I'm allergic to all the preservatives in bottled saline. I had to stop doing that and switch to daily contacts because there was some issue with the distilled water having some tiny microorganism in it that would cause permanent eye damage - something to do with horse slaughter and ground contamination (for a while it wasn't even available and now I think it has some label on it with a warning). After that I was always leery of distilled water.
I have heard that with stones that you should feed lower protein food and some wet food at that - so there is more moisture going in because of the wet food. But you feed raw and I'm not sure how that all works out with raw.
Or you can get the filters that either fit on the sink or the pitcher that filters and then bottle in the Frig.
I don't know about distilled water. I had always heard that you shouldn't drink distilled water except for maybe a short length of time. Personally if you can't use tap water (but couldn't you boil a bunch and then put it in your fridge), I would use bottled spring water (not mineral water).
Regarding distilled, as an aside - I also remember that back in the early 90s I used to make saline solution for my contacts with salt tablets and distilled water - because I'm allergic to all the preservatives in bottled saline. I had to stop doing that and switch to daily contacts because there was some issue with the distilled water having some tiny microorganism in it that would cause permanent eye damage - something to do with horse slaughter and ground contamination (for a while it wasn't even available and now I think it has some label on it with a warning). After that I was always leery of distilled water.
I have heard that with stones that you should feed lower protein food and some wet food at that - so there is more moisture going in because of the wet food. But you feed raw and I'm not sure how that all works out with raw.
I use 3/4 wet and 1/4 dry with added water. I saw people were using distilled water on dog forums discussing this problem. Some people said they had success using Solid Gold's Berry Balance. I only used distilled water to put in my battery.:D Right now the bottled water I use is the regular spring water from Crystal Geyser. I leave bowls of water in and outside and he doesn't drink, only if it's warm and we are walking or at the dog park. I will have to see what type of crystals they found.
Yes, wait to hear what the vet has to say. Also, what about using cranberry capsules - they also help with urinary & bladder health.
Yes, wait to hear what the vet has to say. Also, what about using cranberry capsules - they also help with urinary & bladder health.
Yes, they mention the cranberry too. Hopefully he has the Struvite crystals and not the Oxalate. Struvite crystals or stones, can often be dissolved with dietary change. Oxalate on the other hand would require surgery, if the stones are large and causing a urinary obstruction. He does not seem to have any obstruction as he pees without strain and it comes out right away.
Fingers crossed for Struvite!!!!
If they saw chrystals, then they should be able to tell you if it is struvite or calciumoxalate.. At least.. that's what I did for a couple of hours this morning 
(who doesn't love urineā¦ ;))
At least.. that's what I did for a couple of hours this morning
Me, I don't love urine :D.
Buddy likes it. He'll stand in the middle of the yard peeing and turn his head back to drink it. I have to run out and pull his head away. Maybe that's the problem- recycled pee.
Buddy likes it. He'll stand in the middle of the yard peeing and turn his head back to drink it. I have to run out and pull his head away. Maybe that's the problem- recycled pee.
You know Dan, I wonder if the Crystals in the urine has something to do with him trying to lick his pee and it really does bother him when trying to urinate?
You know Dan, I wonder if the Crystals in the urine has something to do with him trying to lick his pee and it really does bother him when trying to urinate?
That's very possible Pat, I didn't even think about that. I called the vet and he has calcium oxalate crystals so that's why the x-ray tomorrow. Hopefully we are catching this before the stones form. It does not hurt to get a young dogs blood work done even if there's no apparent problem because as you can see something may show up that can get caught in the early stages.
That's very possible Pat, I didn't even think about that. I called the vet and he has calcium oxalate crystals so that's why the x-ray tomorrow. Hopefully we are catching this before the stones form. It does not hurt to get a young dogs blood work done even if there's no apparent problem because as you can see something may show up that can get caught in the early stages.
EXACTLY!!! you are a so right.. I have always pushed for blood work once a yearā¦ and of course before any surgery
Glad you caught the problem early, good luck with treatments for Buddy!
I am going through a similiar problem with my one year old. She has calcium oxalate crystals and we noticed it because she would pee just about every two hours and out of no where have accidents. I had all the tests done, put her on antitiotics (no change after that), did a blood work found high white blood cell count and did an xray which showed no signs of stones (yet anyway). Since nothing seemed to be working we did a culture and sensistivity test (again showed nothing) so now I doing the food changing route. I had her on Solid Gold Barking at the Moon, a high protein low carb diet and now have her changed to a grain free lower protein diet, Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. I also do use 2/3 dry and 1/3 wet plus 2 tbsp of water to make sure she is getting enough water. We have been doing this for a month so I have to bring her urine back in for testing to see if there are any changes. I have noticed she has had less accidents but won't be happy until I see the crystals gone in her urine.
Long story short, I feel your pain!!
I am going through a similiar problem with my one year old. She has calcium oxalate crystals and we noticed it because she would pee just about every two hours and out of no where have accidents. I had all the tests done, put her on antitiotics (no change after that), did a blood work found high white blood cell count and did an xray which showed no signs of stones (yet anyway). Since nothing seemed to be working we did a culture and sensistivity test (again showed nothing) so now I doing the food changing route. I had her on Solid Gold Barking at the Moon, a high protein low carb diet and now have her changed to a grain free lower protein diet, Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. I also do use 2/3 dry and 1/3 wet plus 2 tbsp of water to make sure she is getting enough water. We have been doing this for a month so I have to bring her urine back in for testing to see if there are any changes. I have noticed she has had less accidents but won't be happy until I see the crystals gone in her urine.
Long story short, I feel your pain!!
Thanks for your info! I'm sorry you are going through this. Buddy has had no accidents and pees only when we go out. He can hold his pee all day. So it hasn't elevated to that yet and we may have caught it early. I'm trying to be positive that there's no stones. Calcium oxalate stones do not dissolve and have to be removed surgically according to the vet. The Sturvite crystals can be dissolved which is the result of being too alkaline. Calcium oxalate is too acidic. The only reason I did the urine test was because of the BUN to creatine ratio being to high on his blood work. So this was caught by accident. My last 2 Basenjis always had the too alkaline and had bladder infections. This is frustrating!:mad:
Regarding your comment "He can hold his pee all day". I know that this can be a problem with humans (kidney stones). Just a thought - could holding pee all day lead to problems in dogs? How much water does Buddy drink? Is he intentionally holding his pee?
Regarding your comment "He can hold his pee all day". I know that this can be a problem with humans (kidney stones). Just a thought - could holding pee all day lead to problems in dogs? How much water does Buddy drink? Is he intentionally holding his pee?
He's not a water drinker unless it's warm and we're out on a walk or at the dog park. I have to put it in his meals. Holding it is a problem as water needs to cycle through and keep the bladder flushed. He is outside all day so he can go. Also you want to feed more wet than dry. Also there is a list of oxalate producing foods you'll want to avoid like:
Vegetables ~ beets, eggplant, leeks, sweet potatoes, okra, pepper
Greens ~ green beans or peppers, beets, celery, collards, eggplant, parsley, spinach, Swiss chard, chives, endive, kale, leeks, okra, rutagbega, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
Legumes ~ beans, soy products including tofu
Grains ~ wheat germ
Nuts ~ all
Seeds ~ sesame and tahini
Fruit ~ berries, currants, concord grapes, figs, rhubarb, lemon, lime, plums, tangerines.
Hope everything goes ok for Buddy , Dan.
How strangeā¦..........
