In this article...
- Threat Rating to the Health of Your Dog or Cat
- Common Signs, Symptoms
- Bladder Crystals and Stones (Uroliths) v.s. Kidney Crystals and Stones
- Cause and Treatment – a Synopsis
- Understanding PH Levels
- Inflammatory Diets - Crystal and Stone Forming and Aggravating
- Prescription Dog and Cat Food for Bladder and Kidney Stones – Health Supporting or Health Threatening?
- What a Diet Should Be Comprised Of and Example Recipes-Diets
- Prevention
1.0 Threat Rating to the Health of Your Dog
or Cat
1.1 When is This Not an Immediate Emergency
If your dog or cat has either crystals or stones that are not completely blocking the uretha preventing or completely stopping the flow of urine (your dog or cat is still able to urinate) then the condition can normally be treated and remedied with the use of medicines and/or diet. You need to make an appointment to see your veterinarian.
1.2 Make an Appointment As Soon As Possible
A dog or cat that strains to urinate (no flow) and then passes a heavy flow of urine may have just passed a stone. You should have you dog or cat examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can find the stone keep it and bring it to the veterinarian for analysis.
1.3 This IS an Immediate Emergency – No Time to Wait!
If your dog or cat is not able to urinate at all – blockage is complete, this indicates that the urethra is completely plugged. This is a life threatening emergency! You need to get your dog or cat to a veterinary clinic/hospital right away.
- Complete obstruction of the urethra can:
- Cause the urine to back-up into the urinary tract and cause kidney failure;
- Back-up can also cause the bladder to:
- Stretch to the point of rupturing;
- Or damage the bladder’s muscle tone thus creating incontinence.
2.0 Common Signs, Symptoms of CaOx
Stones (Uroliths)
2.1 Bladder Stones
2.1.1 Visible Symptoms
Some dogs and cats will not exhibit any outward signs, others may exhibit one or more of the following:
- Blood in the urine also called hematuria (caused by crystals inflaming the lining of the bladder);
- Cloudy or foul smelling urine;
- Frequent urination;
- Increased thirst;
- Excessive licking of the genital area;
- Fever;
- Lethargy;
- Pain when urinating – may cause your dog to cry, yelp;
- Pain in the lower back or bladder area;
- Passing only a few drops of urine at a time;
- Puss in the urine;
- Restlessness;
- Straining to urinate, but often not passing any urine;
- Urinating in places that are not his/her normal place to urinate – noticeable in house-trained dogs;
- Urine may be tinged red or burgundy in colour;
- Urine smells like rotting eggs (sulphur) – may indicate a cystine stone;
- Walking with loins in crouched position.
- As bacteria often resides with the stones, urinary tract infections can also ensue.
- If a stone plugs the ureters – agitation, severe pain and straining – this is an emergency, you need to get to a veterinary clinic right away;
- If blockage occurs depression, vomiting and uremia (kidney also known as renal failure result).
2.2 Kidney Stones
- Kidney stones are less common than bladder stones;
- May cause sudden onset of colic (whimpering, crying);
- Intermittent blood in the urine;
- If a stone plugs the ureters – agitation, severe pain and straining – this is an emergency, you need to get to a veterinary clinic right away.
- If blockage occurs depression, vomiting and uremia (kidney also known as renal failure result).
2.3 Symptoms That Require Testing to be ‘Seen’
- Hypercalcemia – excessive calcium in the blood;
- Hypercalciuria – excessive calcium in the urine;
- Hyperozaluria – excessive oxalate in the urine.
3.0 Bladder Crystals and Stones vs.
Kidney Crystals and Stones
Bladder crystals and eventually stones usually form when a dog’s or cat’s bladder is not able to empty properly. An inflammatory diet promotes the formation of bladder stones as inflammation can lead to issues with the proper emptying of the bladder. Bladder stones are also known as:
- Urinary tract stone disease;
- Urinary calculus disease (calculis – stone, is the plural of calculi – stones);
- Ureteral stones,
- Ureteral calculi;
- Urinary calculi;
- Urinary stones;
- Urolithiasis, and;
- Struvite.
- Abnormalities revealed by blood test;
- Age;
- Breed;
- Crystal type as seen in urine,
- Presence of infection;
- Sex;
- Urinary pH levels (normal healthy range is: 6 to 6.5, 7 at most);
- And if available, x-ray which may show stones as a white circle. Some stones cannot be seen unless dye is injected into the bladder.
Kidney crystals and eventually kidney stones (also called nephroliths) tend to form for other reasons such as ingestion of dry dog food and insufficient moisture leading to a lack of fluids to wash away mineral deposits in the kidney. Over time as additional crystals form they may bond together and form a stone. The presence of stones also increases the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Occasionally a kidney stone will pass and become lodged in the ureters (tubes that lead to the bladder).
Kidney stones can become very damaging when the stone blocks or limits the flow of urine from the kidney.
4.0 Understanding CaOx Crystals and
Stones, Cause and Treatment – a
Synopsis
4.1 Calcium Oxalate (CaOx) Stones
4.1.1 Cause
- Calcium oxalate crystals and stones occur in the upper urinary tract (the kidneys) and the lower urinary tract (the bladder).
- CaOx stones are one of the most common types of stones that occur in domestic dogs and cats;
- Most CaOx stones are found in the kidneys;
- Small breed male dogs are most affected by this type of stone;
- This type of stone is usually identifiable by use of an x-ray.
- Typical causes include...
- Processed dry food diet;
- Lacks daily exercise;
- Is neutered;
- Is overweight;
- Is on anti-inflammatory medication such as;
- Cortisone type medication, i.e. Prednisone;
- Is on diuretic medication furosemide (dogs with congestive heart failure);
- Has Cushing’s Disease;
- Has hypercalcemia (excess calcium in the blood);
- Has abnormal levels of nephrocalcin (acidic glycoprotein normally present in urine – glycoprotein inhibits calcium oxalate crystal formation);
- Is on anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed for conditions such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, skin inflammation and itch due to allergies, etc.
4.1.2 (Dog) Breeds Most Prone to CaOx Stones:
- Bichon Frises;
- Cairn Terriers;
- Chihuahuas;
- Dachshunds;
- Keeshonds;
- Lhasa Apsos;
- Miniature and Toy Poodles;
- Miniature and Standard Schnauzers;
- Maltese;
- Mixed breeds;
- Parson Russell Terriers;
- Papillions;
- Pomeranians;
- Samoyeds;
- Shih Tzus;
- West Highland Terriers;
- Yorkshire Terriers.
4.1.3 Treatment
- Stones that are not growing or causing problems(termed clinically inactive) may not require surgery;
- For males with reoccurring stones an urethrostomy (rerouting of the urines path) may be done;
- If the root cause of stone formation is a disease condition such as Cushing’s disease or Hypercalcemia, action should be taken to treat the root cause;
- If a dog has CaOx crystals in fresh urine but no stones than monitoring should be undertaken.
4.1.4 Diet
Diet plays an important part in managing crystal and stone formation:
- The diet needs to be alkalized;
- The diet should be rich in low-oxalate foods;
- The diet should not be protein restrictive.
- See section 5.0 below for detailed dietary recommendations and a homemade food recipe.
5.0 Understanding PH Levels
5.1 Neutral pH
A pH of 7.0 is neutral which means that it is neither acidic (acid) nor alkaline (base).
5.2 Normal Healthy pH Level
- A healthy dog or cat will have a neutral to slightly acid urinary and blood pH level;
- Ranges in between 5.5 to 7.0 are considered normal;
- Dogs and cats that are fed a good raw or homemade diet typically have a pH between 6 and 6.5 – close to neutral;
- Dogs and cats that are fed (exclusively) a dry processed food diet typically have a pH level that is in the lower range of ‘normal’ so their pH is more acidic;
- Disease loves an acidic environment, dogs and cats with acidified pH levels below normal are more likely hosts for disease and parasite infestations.
5.3 Acidic v.s. Base = Alkalinty v.s. Alkaline
- Alkalinity (acidification) means that the pH is less than 7.0 = acidic
- Alkaline means that pH is greater than 7.0 = alkaline
5.3.4 Contributors to the Acidification of Blood and Urine
Toxic and acid forming foods like:
- Processed sugars. i.e.;
- Cane sugar;
- Beet sugar;
- Pasturized honey;
- Organic raw unpasturized honey is not a processed sugar, is not acidifying and has many health benefits;
- Refined grains;
- Factory farm - also known as concentrated animal feeding operations – CAFO produced meats and dairy;
- GMO organisms.
5.3.5 At-Home Monitoring of pH
You can purchase home pH testing kits from a pharmacy to monitor the pH level of your dog’s or cat’s urine. This is recommended when dealing with active urinary tract stones and monitoring for the redevelopment of stones.
- To obtain an accurate reading:
- pH testing should always be done in the morning prior to feeding;
- Fresh urine must be used for the test;
- You can hold the pH tape (litmus paper) in the urine stream;
- You can collect a little of the urine in a container and then dip the tape into the container;
- Obtaining the urine from your cat may be more difficult than from a dog. You may need to devise a special litter box in order to divert/catch some of the urine in a second container underneath the litter box.
6.0 Inflammatory Diets - Crystal and Stone
Forming and Aggravating
Why do so many dogs and cats end up acquiring urinary tract stones...
The big culprit is diet...Well, as you read above a small percentage of our companion animals do have a metabolic genetic predisposition which can cause the formation of stones. But, for the most part the greater percentage of companion animals fall victim to the development of stones due to the modern day commercial pet food diet. The stones are from due to acquired issues rather than because of genetic issues.
Even those companion animals that acquire stones as a secondary condition from an illness (such as Cushing’s disease, a condition in which the pituitary gland releases excess adrenocorticotropic hormone - ACTH) may still fall into the category of acquired rather than genetic predisposition as the triggering secondary diseases are often caused by inappropriate diet.
Dogs and cats that are on an exclusively dry food diet – particularly those that are on a high-carbohydrate grain-in diet that is low in good source protein can end-up with a very out-of-balance pH that is not found in dogs on a more species appropriate diet. High carbohydrate grain-in diets that are also low in good source protein, high in poor source Omega-6 fatty acids and low in moisture create inflammation. While it is important for all dogs and cats to be on an anti-inflammatory diet – an inflammatory diet can really create additional suffering and damage for a dog or cat that has crystals and stones.
Many of the commercial dog and cat food, dog and cat food, treatsand dental chew are grain-based, meaning that these products don’t just contain a little grain, instead the bulk of the product IS grain. Some of these products also contain refined sugars – which are also inflammatory.
Grain is the seed of grass. The actual blade of certain grasses is part of a dog’s and cat’s natural diet. In their natural state a dog and cat may ingest minimal amounts of predigested,
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