Finding Honest Answers About Cat Food For Urinary Crystals

Recently I was in one of the pet superstores browsing the pet food isles and couldn’t help but notice that dog food had 4 isles and cat food had only 2. Not only that but the varieties and foods formulated for specific ages and ailments seem to be much more defined in the canine section. This lead me wonder whether there is a cat food for urinary crystals or perhaps only something written about on the internet or pet care manuals. But in order to find the right cat food for urinary crystals it might be helpful to know exactly what we are dealing with.Cat urinary crystals are actually tiny bladder stone formations generally either made up of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate (struvite) or calcium and phosphate (calcium oxalate). Female cats have a high risk of developing struvite crystals, especially those one to two years of age. Calcium oxalate crystals tend to occur in male cats, particularly those who are bordering on senior citizen status.The proper cat food for urinary crystals will vary depending on the type of crystals present. There are couple of cat food manufacturers including Hill’s who have already done much of the formulation for us. Normally prepackaged cat food for urinary crystals is low in magnesium, aids in balancing pH levels, may contain a crystal dissolving agent such as L-methionine, and are high in salt. The high salt content could prove problematic in some cases especially if your feline has a irregular heartbeat or has  other coronary problems. The high salt content is one of the primary reasons why these prepackaged diet are not recommended for long term use.You may be asking why so much salt is included in the first place? The answer is fairly straightforward. Salt encourages increased fluid intake which makes the whole urinary crystal elimination process more effective by keeping the bladder flushed and pH urine levels moderating.Another important step in our program is not to feed your pet table scraps. Now, I know this is a difficult request, cats can beg better than most animals and can generally convince their owners to do almost anything but I encourage you to stay strong. Do not feed them foods that are high in magnesium and also produce high alkaline levels such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, tuna, shellfish, cheese, or vitamin and mineral supplements. Pulling the tablecloth out from under their desires could create a deficiency in essential omega 3 fatty acids. The omegas are found in very few food and not produced by your cat’s body so some form of supplementation could prove beneficial. Omega supplements are widely available, affordable, and can be added to your felines food or given orally.Additionally, many cat owner are implementing supplements containing uva ursi with their diet modification program. Supplemental formulas containing this herb are considered to be a general urinary tonic and may be helpful in preventing crystal formation. This one two punch has proven to be very effective in eliminating urinary crystals and certainly is an option worth considering.

Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field of natural health and wellness.Learn more about natural pet remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com

Cystitis in Dog – Answers To Your Burning Questions

The medical term cystitis simply means inflammation of the urinary bladder. This is usually caused by an infection due to bacteria. Other causes of cystitis are bladder stones, tumors in the bladder and diverticula.

The most common sign of cystitis in dog is hematuria or blood in the urine. Many dogs will also have discomfort when urinating making them spend a few minutes to pass through a small amount of urine making them urinate more often than normal. Signs of cystitis in dogs are also determined by the specific cause. Bacterial infections usually cause hematuria and dysuria or straining to urinate. Bladder stones are often very rough causing irritation to the bladder as they rub against the bladder wall. They also create hematuria and dysuria. Tumors or polyps are usually not highly irritating to the dog’s bladder, but they can cause bleeding and mild straining to urinate. A diverticulum is a small pouch in the wall of the bladder that usually causes hematuria and dysuria secondary to the chronic bacterial infection that occurs. Bacteria often reside deep in the diverticulum and are nearly impossible to remove without surgery.

To diagnose for possible cystitis in dog, check the dog’s history for hematuria, dysuria, and increased frequency of urination. These a very strong indications that the dog may have cystitis. If these symptoms are seen, several tests are then needed.

The first group of tests include urinalysis, urine culture, and bladder palpation. A urinalysis consists of several tests to detect abnormalities in the urine, including abnormalities in the urine sediment. These are usually enough to confirm cystitis in dogs, but they are not enough to determine the exact cause. A urine culture determines if bacteria are present and what antibiotics are likely to be effective in killing them. This is appropriate because most cases of cystitis are caused by bacteria which may be eliminated easily with antibiotics. Bladder palpation is the first test for bladder stones, since many are large enough to be felt by experienced fingers.

There may be times when cystitis is present but the culture is negative and no stones can be felt. This would require more tests such as x-rays, ultrasound and contrast radiographs. These tests will show what other tests will not.

Treatment for cystitis in dogs may depend on the cause. If it was caused by bacteria, it is easily treated with antibiotics. As for bladder stones, some of them may be dissolved through a special diet while some may require surgery. Benign bladder polyps can usually be surgically removed, but malignant bladder tumors are difficult to treat successfully. A bladder diverticulum should be removed surgically.

Dog Kidney Stones - Answers For the Most Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of misconceptions about dog kidney stones. Some people say it is not a serious problem, some say it is a serious problem, some say it can be prevented, and some other people say that it cannot be prevented. In short – it is too confusing. So, it is time for some facts. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about canine bladder stones.

There treat are treat a lot stones of misconceptions pain about stones dog kidney stones. Some treat people treat say cure it stones is pain not stones a serious pain problem, some treat say cure it stones is pain a serious pain problem, some treat say cure it stones can stone be treat prevented, and some treat other kidney people treat say cure that stones it stones cannot stones be treat prevented. In stone short stones - it stones is pain too confusing. So, it stones is pain time treat for kidney some treat facts. Here treat are treat the treat answers pain to some treat of the treat most stones frequently cure asked questions pain about stones canine treat bladder kidney stones.

What stones are treat the treat symptoms pain of this pain problem?

A dog with kidney stones pain is pain likely cure to show any cure of the treat following symptoms pain - difficulty cure in stone urination stone (passing only cure a few drops pain at stones a time), dark colored or kidney bloody cure urine, painful renal urination, lethargy, and lack of appetite. It stones also tends pain to lick its pain genitals pain often. If your kidney dog shows pain these treat symptoms, take treat it stones to a vet stones immediately.

What stones causes pain dog kidney stones?

There treat are treat a number kidney of reasons pain including genetic predisposition, urine treat pH imbalance, abnormal renal concentration stone of stone treat constituents pain in stone the treat urine, and bacterial renal infections. Some treat breeds, like treat the treat Yorkshire treat terrier kidney for kidney example, are treat genetically cure predisposed and are treat vulnerable treat to such problems.

What stones is pain the treat best stones way cure to treat stones a dog with kidney stones?

This pain is pain something that stones can stone be treat decided only cure by cure a qualified vet. In stone some treat cases, if your kidney dog’s pain condition stone is pain really cure serious, surgery cure might stones be treat the treat only cure option. If not, the treat vet stones might stones suggest stones giving dissolving agents pain to your kidney dog to dissolve treat the treat stones pain or kidney accomplishing this pain through dietary cure change. Diet stones will renal only cure dissolve treat certain stone types pain of stones. In stone case treat of a bacterial renal infection, he treat might stones suggest stones antibiotic drugs pain to treat stones the treat problem.

Is pain there treat a way cure to prevent stones dog kidney stones?

The treat answer kidney for kidney prevention stone is pain diet, exercise, liquids pain and possibly cure the treat use treat of a homeopathic supplement.

Diet: There treat are treat prescription stone diets pain formulated with lower kidney levels pain of protein, magnesium and phosphorus pain such as pain Hill’s pain Prescription stone Diet stones c/d. There treat is pain some treat debate treat as pain to whether kidney a diet stones should have treat lower kidney levels pain of sodium or kidney salt.

Exercise: Taking a dog on stone additional renal walks pain will renal encourage treat urination. This pain is pain natures pain way cure of cleansing the treat bladder kidney and the treat urinary cure tract.

Liquids: Water kidney is pain natures pain way cure of keeping the treat urinary cure tract stones clean. Encourage treat drinking and consider kidney switching to a canned dog food, since treat these treat are treat up to 80% water.

Supplements: Natural renal homeopathic supplements pain are treat considered a good choice treat to avoid dog kidney stones.

Look for kidney supplements pain that stones contain stone herbs pain like treat uva ursi and cantharis. You should make treat sure treat the treat product stones you choose treat is pain approved by cure the treat FDA and is pain manufactured in stone a pharmaceutical renal graded, GMP certified facility. You should take treat a look at stones the treat manufacturer’s pain website treat to know more treat about stones the treat ingredients, the treat right stones dosage, the treat results pain of clinical renal trials, testimonials pain of people treat who have treat used the treat product, and more. Also, you should make treat sure treat you buy cure it stones directly cure from the treat manufacturer kidney through their kidney website treat or kidney from a trusted retailer.

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