New Member

Posts: 1
From:Middlesex, NC USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-12-2003 12:05 AM         

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On Dec 1,2003 i adopted a maltese/bichon frise. I was told he had recently passed a kidney stone. He had just finished his antibotics before i adopted him. At times i still see blood in his urine. The vet i see is the same one he uses. I contacted her her yesterday. She said to monitor him. Just a few minutes ago i was looking at his teeth. He has a lose tooth in front. How can i tell his age? I was told he was around 2 years old.He is on a special food from the vet.The vet told that she did exrays on him and didnt find no more stones. So what could the blood be from? I have already started loving this little guy. The lady i got him from said if it didnt work out she would take him back. Any one got any ideals? Please help..

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Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-12-2003 01:01 AM         

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I would ask your vet for an estimation of age. It is my experience and understanding that small or toy dogs are not known for having the greatest teeth...I know my Poodle doesn't. What kind of stones did he have...Oxcilate or Struvite?
My Poodle Darby, has had Struvite stones, he has had three surgeries for it. I tried the prescription food from the vet and it wasn't able to keep his PH where it should be and on top of that he was allergic to some of the ingredients in the food...for that matter most dry kibbled foods. I now have him on a purchased raw food called Natures Variety, the allergy problems have nearly disappeared and his PH is in the normal range each week when I test him...it has NEVER been in a normal range not even on the prescription food from the vet. I also feed him raw frozen cranberries and Blueberries as a treat, these are helpful for dogs who get his kind of stones. Make sure you KNOW what kind of stone he had...one is from too acidic of urine and the other is from too alkaline. It makes all the difference in how they are treated.

Here is a link to the best article explaining struvite crystals I have found. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_struvite_bladder_stones.html

From the same site, one on oxcilate stones http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_oxalate_bladder_stones.html

My vet was not originally in favor of the raw diet for a couple reasons, the food I chose eliviated his concerns and he now supports the diet. Darby is a chronic case and his allergies complicate things to the extreme, this may not be so with your dog. I do advise you to find out though, educate yourself about his condition because it can be expensive. Each one of Darby's surgeries were over $400...the first time it happened he went to an emergency clinic first and that one night was $600 alone...then the next day it cost me $400 more for the surgery. In addition the follow up care was a miserable painful experience fo him, it wasn't fun! Your new dog may not have the same problem and may not be chronic, but you should know in advance. If I had had access to the information I do now..I may have been able to prevent the last two or at leaste the third surgery.

PS. you can purchase strips to test his urine to make sure that he is in the normal range at your local pharmacy. I buy EZY-DOSE Diabetic Specialty Products universal pH test papers, 100 count for $7.50. They do have an expiration date so check it before you purchase. Store them in a dark place at room temperature and make sure the cap is put back on tightly. I just follow Darby into the yard and as he lifts his leg to pee I slip a long flat plastic bowl under him and catch his urine, I wear a rubber glove because he has gotten me before! I take it back in the house and dip the strip into the urine, I remove it with tweezers and compare it to the color chart provided on the bottle.
For Darby I was told 6.2-6.4 was perfect. This can save you big time...because you would be able to detect a bad pH early on when the stones are just developing and can be handled with diet or meds rather than surgery.
I hope this is helpful, and if you want more info to present to your vet or read yourself about the food, let me know.
Maisey

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