UGH Conflicting Opinions on Treatment for My Dog - Help!

DomestiphobicKatie

Hi!

I'm really hoping someone can help me with this. My dog, who's only 5, is having issues with incontinence. Basically he's been leaking urine where he sleeps during the night, which is NOT normal for him. We took him to the vet and they did a urinalysis that showed he had crystals in his urine. At that point they recommended a special diet dog food, but we had just switched his dog food from one kind of Taste of the Wild to another formula of the same brand, so we wanted to switch back to see if that helped. Well, about a month later, it hasn't.

The problem? Everything I read online (like this article: http://easytospot.blogs.com/easy_to_spot/2009/01/struvites-crystals-urinary-tract-infections-treatment-and-diet.html) seems to be telling me that it's a Urinary Tract Infection that causes the crystals. And while vets always want to recommend special food to correct the pH levels, that's not actually what's going to treat the cause of the crystals - it will just help prevent them from forming. My vet of course has the opposite opinion - she says his test showed he doesn't have a UTI and that the special food is what he needs for the REST OF HIS LIFE. I know I should trust my vet, but I'm just having a hard time buying that! And it's not the cost of the food - the stuff we give him now is more expensive - it's just hard for me to understand why there doesn't seem to be a real solution and why, all of a sudden, he needs to be on special food forever.

 Does anyone else have experience with this? Should I trust my vet or get a second opinion?

 Thanks!

Katie 

River Pestie

I have read that adding unrefined, organic apple cider vinegar can help dissolve crystals. 

 http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=1

 

 http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/acvfordogs.html (this one talks about it regulating Ph levels)

 http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-dogs.html

 

I had a senior dog who was incontinent and I started giving ACV and it helped more than the meds the vet prescribed like proin. 

 

 

DomestiphobicKatie

Thank you! I will look into that as well.

aggiebug

I dogs a lot of the time if they have struvite crystals it is because there is a bacterial infection in the bladder however not always. If there was an infection there should have been signs on the urinalysis that would confirm it. If there aren't any signs of infection it is quite possible that your pup really does for crystals and that is the primary issue.  

aggiebug

As far as the food goes once a dog produces crystals they probably will always form crystals.  The goal is to change the environment in the bladder to reduce the formation of crystals. They do the same thing in humans to prevent stone formation in the kidneys.  That is why your veterinarian prescribed a new diet because diet is the easiest way to control this disease along with diet increasing water intake can drastically reduce the formation of crystals. some clients will use the diet short term to dissolve the present crystals and then try to prevent formation by increasing water consumption (canned food, add water to meal, give broth as treats etc) there is always a risk that the water won't work and you end up right back here, or worse he gets a crystal that plugs his urethra which is an emergency

doglove

River Pestie:

I have read that adding unrefined, organic apple cider vinegar can help dissolve crystals. 

 http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=1

 

 http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/acvfordogs.html (this one talks about it regulating Ph levels)

 http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-dogs.html

 

I had a senior dog who was incontinent and I started giving ACV and it helped more than the meds the vet prescribed like proin. 

 

 

RP you're here!  

River Pestie

doglove:

River Pestie:

I have read that adding unrefined, organic apple cider vinegar can help dissolve crystals. 

 http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=1

 

 http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/acvfordogs.html (this one talks about it regulating Ph levels)

 http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-dogs.html

 

I had a senior dog who was incontinent and I started giving ACV and it helped more than the meds the vet prescribed like proin. 

 

 

RP you're here!  

HAH! Yes. 

I wander in and out of here every once in a while...