Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health

Normally I wouldn’t revisit a topic I have already covered, but this question has come up numerous times in both private emails and on the K9Nutrition yahoo group list in the last few months. These questions concern finding struvite crystals in the urine, along with a possibility of infection and the recommendation to change the dog’s diet. This recommendation most frequently is for a commercial dog food designed for crystals, stones and urinary tract infections.
This brings the question, “Just what causes struvite crystals in the dog’s urine?” Common symptoms include the dog urinating frequently, showing some pain with urination, squatting frequently only to leak a few drops, and the dog may have spots of blood in the urine. Often a dog that was perfectly housebroken will begin to have accidents in the house or become incontinent (leak urine while awake or sleeping).
A trip to the veterinarian may show struvite crystals in the urine. We learn that high pH in the urine accompanies struvites. Often, a glance by the veterinarian at the urine specimen under a microscope won’t always show bacteria. At this point, the health care professional will suggest a change of diet to help change the pH of the urine, and perhaps prescribe a week to ten days supply of antibiotics.
The owner takes the dog home and things slowly get better and the matter is forgotten . . . until a few days after the antibiotics are completed and the symptoms resume. Or worse, the symptoms stop, but in a few months, the crystals develop into painful struvite stones, which need surgery to be removed.
There is a problem with this common treatment. It misunderstands how struvites develop and how urinary tract infections almost always accompany them. It isn’t that struvites cause the urinary tract infection, but rather that a urinary tract infection causes struvites to develop. When bacteria form in the urine, it causes alkaline urine (high pH value). This is an ideal environment for struvites to grow. Struvites thrive in an alkaline situation. Trying to reduce the pH of the urine produces no results as long as a urinary tract infection is present. The solution is to get rid of the urinary tract infection. But what is the best way to go about this?
Once the symptoms described above are seen (frequent urination, blood in the urine, painful urination) a trip to the veterinarian is needed immediately. Just looking at a urine specimen under the microscope won’t always reveal that an infection is present.  The best method is to get a urine sample by a sterile method, called a Sterile Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test. This is done in house at the veterinarian’s office. The urine is taken by cysto (guided needle) and sent out to a laboratory to culture. The results of the culture will show what bacteria are present in about 3 to 5 days. This test will also reveal which antibiotic will work for this infection. It is important to use the proper antibiotic, as urinary tract infections are specific and need the right antibiotic to work. It is often needed to use the correct antibiotic for four weeks. Then ten days off the antibiotic, repeat the sterile urine culture.
Urinary tract infections can be difficult to treat, and they must be treated as thoroughly and effectively as possible. Long term urinary tract infections can damage the kidneys. If the dog has had the struvites and infection for an unknown period, radiographs may be necessary to check for struvite bladder stones, which can form after long term infection with struvites present. These may need surgery to remove and cause great pain and distress to the dog.
The best way to avoid urinary tract infections (for struvite crystals and resulting stones) include:

Fluids: Keep water around the clock for your dog. Feed a moist diet, preferably raw or home cooked. Liquids in the diet flush crystals and bacteria.

Frequent Urination: Don’t let your dog hold their urine for more than a few hours in between opportunities to urinate. This, along with a good intake of fluids, allows the body to flush crystals and bacteria. Holding urine for long periods can encourage bacteria and struvites to grow and flourish.

Good diet: As mentioned previously, there is no special diet, or commercial diet that will prevent or treat struvites or UTI’s. But dogs prone to these problems need the best nutrition possible. This would be either through a raw diet or home cooked. You can find recipes here:
http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/raw-diet/
http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/cooked-diet/

Supplements: Supportive supplements for dogs with Urinary Tract Infections would include:

B Complex- Helps to support the kidneys and fight infection

EPA Fish Oil Softgels- fish oil contains omega 3 fatty acids, which are renal protective and help the immune system. Give one capsule per 10-20 lbs of body weight daily

Cranberry Juice Capsules- these help once the bacteria is completely gone. Cranberry helps to stop new bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall

Bertes Immune Blend- this supplements contains mega doses of vitamin C and E, as well as B complex, with digestive enzymes and probiotics.
Bertes Ultra Probiotic Powder-This contains beneficial bacteria that is composed of friendly flora and fauna needed for good digestion and the immune system. While antibiotics can help kill harmful bacteria, it will also destroy the good bacteria. Adding the Bertes Ultra Probiotic Powder will help maintain the good bacteria during stress and use of antibiotics.

Always take symptoms of incontinence, painful urination, increased thirst and blood in the urine very seriously. Have your veterinarian examine your dog, and ask for a Sterile Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test. Allowing urinary tract infections and struvites to continue can cause renal damage and great pain to your dog. Good diagnosis and treatment will get your dog back to health, and save you money in the long run and give your dog a healthy, long life!
Happy New Year to Everyone, and we may all find good luck, prosperity and good fortune in 2009! Don’t forget to schedule your dog’s yearly wellness check up, always work on improving the diet and take the time to walk your dog, and reflect on the beauty of the great outdoors!

Spitfire

Shamoo

Kaboom

Lefty

Soozie  now Zuma lives in S.CA with Wendy V. and family

I LOVE this blog!!!

Bug-A-Boo is doing great and starting to play with toys, her mother and 1/2 sisters.

Today I am very sad as a coyote got into our chicken coop and massacred all but one of our chickens. I can understand the coyote being very hungry and taking a chicken but I don't get that it killed ALL the chickens and ran off with one. It is a very sad day here. I truly enjoy the chickens they are so funny.

The chicks are still in the house because of the weather outside. One lone rooster escaped and we brought him inside with the chicks. The chicks are little freaks. They don't like ANYTHING new!! So they are still smashed in ball as far away from the rooster that they can get. I suppose they will figure it out soon enough with a little more time to bond.

"The greatest enemy of the truth very often is not the lie- deliberate, contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive and unrealistic."

"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

Preliminary Animal Health Notification

December 19, 2008

FDA Continues To Receive Complaints about Chicken Jerky Products for
Dogs and Cautions Consumers

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to caution consumers of
a potential association between the development of illness in dogs and
the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as chicken
tenders, strips or treats. FDA continues to receive complaints of dogs
experiencing illness that their owners or veterinarians associate with
consumption of chicken jerky products. The chicken jerky products are
imported to the U.S. from China. FDA issued a cautionary warning to
consumers in September 2007.

Australian news organizations report the University of Sydney is also
investigating an association between illness in dogs and the consumption
of chicken jerky in Australia. At least one firm in Australia has
recalled their chicken jerky product and the recall notification stated
the chicken jerky product was manufactured in China.

FDA believes the continued trend of consumer complaints coupled with the
information obtained from Australia warrants an additional reminder and
animal health notification.

Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and
are intended to be
used occasionally and in small quantities. Owners of small dogs must be
especially careful to limit the amount of these products.

FDA, in addition to several veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the
U.S, is working to determine why these products are associated with
illness in dogs. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a
definitive cause for the reported illnesses. FDA has conducted
extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified any
contaminant.

FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky
products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following
signs which may occur within hours to days of feeding the product:
decreased appetite, although some may continue to consume the treats to
the exclusion of other foods; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea,
sometimes with blood; and increased water consumption and/or increased
urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the
chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if
signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may
indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine
tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most
dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that
have died.

The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem. Many of the
illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken
jerky. Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal
illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint
Coordinator http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html in
their state.

Spitfire

Shamoo

Kaboom

Lefty

Soozie

Geoff wrote…

She has been gaining a little more confidence on her feet, and makes these funny little attempts at a "run"! She readily comes up to the sides of the pen when we approach, and is getting used to being picked up and cuddled.

She also had a trip to the great outdoors today, where we took some pix of her on our walkway in the backyard. She was ok with walking around on the little stones on the walkway.

Finally, she got weighed today and tipped the scales at a pound and a half! Obviously no change in her appetite!