I'm copying this over from the
Think Tank. Are there any alternative diets for dogs with this problem?
Hello
My dog is a seven-year old female collie-terrier cross and I have had her for six years. Recently she has been drinking more water and urinating slightly more than usual. She also leaked a little urine a few times after coming in from her evening walk.
A urine specimen was analysed and the vet advised that calcium oxalate crystals were present in the sample. (Apparently there was no glucose, signs of infection or blood present). As a result, the vet has put her on a prescribed diet, Urinary S/O by Royal Canin, and has told me she'll have to be fed this food exclusively for the rest of her life, to avoid crystals forming and developing into stones in her urinary tract. This seems to me to be a very drastic diagnosis based on the analysis of only one urine sample. Should any further tests be done to confirm this is the correct diagnosis?
Another urine sample is to be tested in three months' time to check that the prescription diet is working. In the meantime she is to get no extra treats of any kind. She loves cheese but I suspect this is the worst thing I could give her. Are there any treats that are safe to give a dog with this condition? Can she still have rawhide chew bones? Should I be giving her eg filtered water as opposed to tap water? What are the possible causes of this condition, or is it genetic? Will this condition affect her longevity?
Up until now, she's been a healthy, lively, happy little dog. She's never had a weight problem and her only recurring complaint is a seasonal itch which is apparently an allergy to pollen in August/September each year.
I would be grateful for any advice or information regarding this calcium oxalate diagnosis.
Thank you.
Jeanette Macleod
