struvite stones/diet & ear problems

I am asking for a friend of mine that has a puggle. (I copied & pasted)
"Bella had struvite stones and they put her on c/d food to prevent more surgery. Can you ask the pug forum how I can make the food? Also her ears get real thick. One vet said it was infection and put her on antibiotics and another vet said its allergies and gave her prednisone to make the thickness go away. It came back but I want to know if anyone has dealt with this."

thanks for your help in this.

Get her off the C/D food, first. Likely that's the ear issue.

Grain free food, unique protein and FLOOD the food with water. The vet diets for stones/crystals aren't very good nutrition. Struvites form in high pH. So when I have a dog with any kind of stones, I flood the food and I monitor pH. You want a urinary pH in the 6 to 7 range. Lower than 6 and you risk calcium oxalate, higher than 7 and you risk struvites.

There are a number of things you can add to food to lower pH--cranberries, apple cider vinegar, etc.

But key to crystals and stones is LOTS of water and LOTS of opportunities to pee--no dog with crystals or stones should have to hold their bladder and should be getting out to pee every 3 to 4 hours minimum.

The other thing that I often recommend is get off of kibble. Go with canned food--more moisture.

And when I say flood the food, I mean flood it. 1 cup of water with the food at each meal or more. I usually add 1.5 or 2 cups of water.

Blanche's advice is spot on. I have nothing to add just wishing your friend good luck. Vets just seem to want to push the prescription food even when there are better options.

Blanche - how do you monitor the pH?

Solid Gold sells ph test strips, Mel: http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products/?product=23&code=490

PugLady3 wrote:Solid Gold sells ph test strips, Mel: http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products/?product=23&code=490

Seconding this. And, adding that I use the Berry Balance supplement made by Solid Gold to help prevent struvites.

Mel wrote:Blanche - how do you monitor the pH?

Get some urinary pH strips--I get mine from a health food store. Stick strip into pee and check what level it is at. Urinary pH over 7.5 is at risk for struvites and pH under 6 is at risk for calcium oxalate. And a dog's pH will vary throughout the day so I do it a couple of times a day when I'm dealing with an infection and after that I do it a couple of times a week.

But the most effective strategy for ANY of the stones/crystals is water, water, water and allowing a dog to pee as often as possible. Holding urine is really bad for dogs prone to crystals and UTIs.

Just got home from the University of Tennessee Vet Clinic. Chyna has struggled her entire life with high ph and struvite crystals. Three years ago, she had hydropulpusion to remove the sludge and grit from her bladder. She also had excess skin removed around her vulva because the docs feared bacteria was getting trapped in the excess skin then going back into the bladder. For three years, she has been infection free and ph great until last week when we saw blood in her urine. X-rays showed a large stone with an infection. So, we travelled three hours to see the urinary specialist. They are able to go into the ureter with a scope and laser which breaks up the stones then they can pull them out without opening the bladder. If the laser is taking too long, they can use a laparoscope and make a tiny incision in stomach and bladder. Hers ended up being a bunch of small ones so they pulled them out, flushed the bladder. Due to her food allergies, no prescription diets can be used. He was pleased with the dehydrated raw especially since it is low protein.

So, he wants me to add Probiotics to her food. He said the absolute best is VSL#3. The website is www.vs13.com. He said they may not sell from that website but could google it and order else where. She weighs 18 lbs, and he said to use roughly 1/5 of packet each day. He said to start adding D-Mannose made by Pure Encapulations. This is a sugar that helps keep bacteria from sticking to the cells of the bladder. He said to give 1/8 tsp 2-3 times daily He said he has seen great success keeping infections away which is most usually the cause of struvite crystals. Something I did not know is that he said Chyna's bladder was loaded with tons of tiny stones and grit. I told him I felt guilty as I stopped checking her urine after the first year when her hydropulpusion was done since the urine was perfect. He said don' t worry. Her bladder could have become loaded with the stones within a few days of an infection. I had always assumed it took quite a while, but they can form very quickly

Maybe adding the above items to any dog's diet can help prevent these issues

Good information, Leslye! Thanks

VSL #3 is on Amazon.. quick search. I may try that Leslye. My girl pug has had numerous UTIs this last year, but no struvites / stones. Just the infections.

Looked up D-Mannose--it occurs naturally in cranberries which would explain why it's used for struvites and pH issues.

WOW! Thanks all. I am telling my friend Su, to come on over & check out all this info & to join us, even tho' she has a "1/2 breed! "lol Any more info on "thickened" ears?
love you guys!

The thickened ears are likely scar tissue from infections. That's been my experience.