Are you a dog parent or planning to get one? They are the best friends anyone could ask for and will remain by your side in every situation. In the same way, you need to look after your dog and care about his well-being. Puppies and young dogs are playful and full of energy. Usually, the health problems start as the dog starts aging. Different breeds react differently to growing old, and much of it depends on their food, exercise, and heredity.
Bladder stones are among the many serious health concerns that a dog may face. These stones are formed when mineral crystals combine and collect in the urinary tract. This can cause a lot of discomfort and pain. If left unchecked, these bladder stones can become a serious health hazard. The food your dog eats is crucial for its overall health and well-being. Nutritionists and veterinarians have formulated hills u/d dog food alternative especially to support the bladder health of dogs. It provides the right balance of minerals to dogs.
Contents
What are the warning signs?
Like any other medical problem, the sooner you take care of it, the better. If you are observant, you will notice some signs which could be just the beginning of bladder stones.
- Frequent attempts to urinate
- Incontinence and accidents
- Straining to urinate without producing much urine
- Restless or listless
- No interest in usual activities
- Loss of appetite
- Licking the area around the urinary opening
You know your dog best, so you must take it seriously if you notice any unusual behavior. The vets will do a thorough examination, and it is only through an x-ray or an abdominal ultrasound that he will be able to identify the bladder stones.
Why is Hills Prescription U/D Canine the best?
Hills u/d dog food is a balanced and complete food that can provide all dogs’ required nutrition. It can help your dog lead a happy, healthy, and active life. The lab tests and feeding tests using stringent procedures have shown the efficacy of Hills u/d dog food.
Main features:
- Contains low sodium and calcium levels
- It has the right levels of high-quality and highly digestible proteins
- Keeps the urine pH levels at the desirable levels
- Contains taurine, L-carnitine & antioxidants
Main benefits:
- Supports kidney and heart functions
- Decreases the risk of non-struvite stone formation
- Promotes a healthy immune system
Types of stones that can form inside the dog’s urinary tract
Not all bladder stones are the same. They are of different types and form in different ways. It is important to know more about them so that you can help your dog get better faster.
- Struvite stones are the most common types of bladder stones in dogs. When phosphorus and magnesium stick together, they form a hard mineral deposit called struvite. Like crystals, they are common and don’t pose a problem, but they can form a stone if they clump together. Higher urine pH aids in struvite formation.
- Calcium oxalate stones: pH does not affect the formation of calcium oxalate stones. These are formed when the urine is saturated with calcium and oxalate.
Diet Concerns
Diets with low protein levels can help in breaking down the struvite stones. This can work as a short-term solution, but a low-protein diet alone cannot prevent bladder crystals. Moreover, a long-term low-protein diet can harm the dog’s health. This is why Hills prescription u/d dog food is perfect.
Hills u/d dog food
The Hills u/d diet helps dissolve kidney and bladder stones and can also prevent their reoccurrence. The food is specially formulated to dilute the dog’s urine and keeps the urine pH at the right level. However, a consultation with the vet is a must; otherwise, your dog may end up with other health issues. A good diet, continuous & free access to a place for the dog to urinate, and ensuring a high water intake every day are the basic requirements to keep a dog’s urinary tract healthy.
Hills u/d diet contains L-carnitine, taurine, and antioxidants which are good for a dog’s health. It also has very low calcium and sodium levels to stop the bladder stones from forming in the first place. Highly digestible proteins keep your dog strong and its digestion easy.
What if you don’t have Hills u/d dog food?
Though Hills u/d dog food is probably the best for your dog, it is better to know about other alternatives just in case. Your vet can also suggest various dog food formulas suitable for your dog’s health. The type of dog food should depend on the type of stones your dog develops.
Most of these dog foods have ingredients that can increase acidity in the urine to promote the dissolving of the crystals. Apart from Hills u/d dog food, Royal Canin, Purina, Waltham, and others also manufacture prescription dog food meant for urinary problems. It is good to have this information because it gives you more options, and you can find the most suitable option for your dog. You can try different foods to see what suits your dog better and which one the dog likes.
Dogs can benefit immensely from nutritional management, while wrong food can be toxic. There is a variety of commercial dog food available for dogs with bladder stones. However, some dog owners prefer to prepare meals at home. The reasons could be cost, concern about packaged food, allergies, etc. Homemade meals allow the owner to customize the meal according to their pet’s liking. It is important to see that the food fully meets the dietary requirements and specific needs.
Homemade food
Another option for you is to give homemade food to your dog. You must never change your dog’s diet without consulting first with the vet. Even a slight change in the diet can cause the dog to either go off its meals or have digestion problems.
An ideal diet for a dog with bladder stones will be high in complex carbs, such as fruits & vegetables and whole grains, With moderate high-quality protein and low salt and fat. Extra-lean beef, ground turkey, chicken, or fish apart from eggs and dairy are preferable. Moisture levels should be high at around 70%.
When you make food for your dog at home, you must stick to the ratio and only make the changes gradually, with the vet’s consent. Any drastic change can be very harmful to your dog. The best part about homecooked dog food is that all the unnecessary fillers commonly found in commercial dog food can be eliminated.
Natural Dog Food
Another alternative to Hills dog food is to give natural dog food to your dog. However, it is better to try this food only after the bladder crystals have dissolved. Consult your vet, and only after the approval from the vet try natural holistic food.
Always ensure that any food you give to your dog is high quality. Certain ingredients like cranberry extract are known to help urinary control infections and pH levels. You can also find the extract in pill form and use it as a supplement or treat for your dog. Certain essential fatty acids such as glycosaminoglycans or GAGs and probiotics can also help control urinary infections and improve your dog’s overall health.
Tips for good dog food
Canine Urolithiasis is the name of the condition where crystals form in the urine leading to bladder stones. Depending on the type of stones, the vet may recommend specific diets for the dog.
- Never feed your dog dry food. Add some water to the food and let the water be fully absorbed before giving it to your dog.
- Allow your dog a lot of opportunities to empty his bladder.
- Any changes in the diet must be gradual.
- Strict adherence to the diet plan by the vet is necessary for good results.
- A diet low in magnesium and phosphorus is ideal to avoid frequent urinary infections.
Conclusion
Be it commercial pet food or homemade meals; all should have high-quality ingredients similar to what you choose for your diet. Be considerate towards your dog and his health needs. Avoid giving harmful foods such as chocolates, avocados, etc., to your dog as a sign of your love.
The wrong food can cause many problems and sometimes even be fatal. Hills u/d dog food is the best for dogs with bladder crystals or stones. Consult your dog’s vet and feed according to requirements. After all, if we are what we eat, then dogs are too.
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