Dog health: crystals in urine, base Ph. The vet says to switch

[mahina]

her from her current food (Wellness formula, which is great) to DC something. Giving her antibiotics, although there is no evidence of bacteria in the urine.

I'm ok w the antibiotics, but don't want to change food unless this new food is as good as what she's getting. My golden was still beautiful and pain free for 13 years, and her brother for 12, on Wellness. I know what goes into commercial dog food and it's not fit for any living being, particularly not my dog! I attribute Molly and Beau's longevity and health to Wellness in a big way.

A friend who'se smart about these things and was a nurse for years suggests that I give New Dog a tsp of good apple cider vinegar in her water to acidify the urine.

Would appreciate any wisdom you feel moved to impart. Aloha~

[MiniMe]

1. Hmmm, a little more info please

First, do you have to buy the food he recommended from the vet? Was there any blood work done to test kidney function? Wellness is definitely good food, but at 12 & 13m the food may be getting a little rich for them. I hate when out pets get older.

I had a foster one time who had crystal matter in her urine, I don't know what her entire story was, but another foster was having trouble getting her housetrained. The foster was new, and they asked me to take her. As near as I can figure out, the poor girl would get yelled at whenever she went to the bathroom, and she was trying no to pee. So she would hold it until she couldn't hold it anymore, and that was unfortunately in the house. So I made sure that she knew that she was a good girl if she went outside, I actually sat outside with her until she peed. Once she got praise for that, I think something clicked into place and I never had another problem with her peeing in the house. However, she had an infection or something from holding her urine. A long story to say make sure she is drinking water.

[mahina]

3. Thanks, good to remember. I busted her drinking from the toilet

but all she got from me was 'naughty thing' and leading her to the water dish. She definitely prefers the toilet. This may have to be one of those concessions that we make in life, but I sure hope she drinks from her dish dammit!

[northernlights]

4. put the lid down

It's a simple fix.

[david13]

2. I had this problem and lost my cat to it. As I understood it, the

males who are 'fixed', altered, tend not to drink enough water. And that seriously contributes to the problem. Second is the food.
I forget what in the food aggravates the problem, but you just need to identify that in % in the ingredients. And get low %.
And hope for the best.
dc

[david13]

5. I always keep the lid down. My cat will drink from the toilet, and also

I have to leave the t p off the roller and up high. Otherwise he will unroll the whole roll. Then sleep on it.
dc

[Warpy]

6. In cats, it's usually magnesium "ash."

Altered tomcats are the worst because the urethra is narrow and is no longer frequently cleared by spraying, one reason we neuter them--phew!

Fish is the worst thing you can feed a cat with urinary problems because it has a relatively high magnesium content and will form stones.

Some people use vinegar or vitamin C crystals to try to acidify the urine, but the best strategy is to switch the food to a low ash variety.