Madeleine Hull
Bladder stones are an increasingly common occurrence in dogs, and they can be extremely painful and even life-threatening. The condition is caused by rock-like collections of minerals that form in the urinary bladder, and it can affect dogs of all breeds and ages. While there are various treatments for bladder stones, including surgery and prescription medications, one of the most effective ways to prevent them is by changing your dog's diet. A dog's diet plays a significant role in determining the composition of their urine, which can influence the formation of bladder stones. Commercial dog food often contains high levels of carbohydrates and fillers, such as grains, which can lead to alkaline urine—a conducive environment for the development of bladder stones. Therefore, it is essential to feed your dog a high-quality, meat-based diet that promotes acidic urine and discourages the formation of bladder stones.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can a dog commercial diet cause bladder stones? | Commercial diets that are high in carbohydrates, especially grains and potatoes, can contribute to high alkaline urine, which can cause bladder stones. |
| How to prevent bladder stones? | A meat-based, fresh protein-rich diet is recommended as it causes more acidic urine. Increased water consumption also helps by diluting the urine. |
| What are the symptoms of bladder stones? | Struggling or straining during urination, blood in the urine, frequent urge to pee, and discomfort before or after urination. |
| What are the treatment options for bladder stones? | Small bladder stones can be dissolved using a special prescription food or medicine. Larger stones may require surgery or other techniques like lithotripsy or urohydropropulsion to physically remove them. |
| What are the different types of bladder stones? | Struvite stones, calcium oxalate stones, urate stones, cystine stones, and silica stones. |
| How to dissolve struvite stones? | A diet with reduced levels of protein, magnesium, and phosphorus is recommended. Antibiotics are also necessary to treat the associated bacterial infection. |
| How to treat calcium oxalate stones? | These stones cannot be dissolved by diet and need to be surgically removed. However, future occurrences can be prevented by avoiding foods with high oxalate levels and maintaining a urine pH of around 7.0. |
| How to treat urate stones? | Urate stones can be dissolved and prevented by switching to a diet that is low in purines, which are found in organ meats, some seafood, and other meats. |
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What You'll Learn
Bladder stone types and their causes
Bladder stones are a common issue for dogs, and they can be very painful and even life-threatening. The most common types of bladder stones in dogs are struvite, calcium oxalate, and urate stones.
Struvite stones are the most common type and are usually caused by bacterial bladder infections. They can usually be dissolved with food or medicine, and antibiotics are also necessary. Struvite stones are also called magnesium ammonium phosphate.
Calcium oxalate stones are another common type, and they are often caused by metabolic abnormalities such as liver disease or high blood calcium, nutrient imbalances from diet or supplements, or genetic conditions. Unfortunately, these stones cannot be dissolved with diet or medicine and must be surgically removed.
Urate stones are less common and are caused by a genetic condition or as a side effect of liver disease. These stones can be dissolved and prevented from recurring by switching to a diet that is low in purines. Purines are compounds found in DNA, organ meats, some seafood, and other meats.
Other types of bladder stones include cystine and xanthine stones. The formation of cystine stones may be influenced by diet, urine pH, the presence of certain proteins in the urine, and the urine's water content.
The treatment for bladder stones depends on their type, size, location, and underlying cause. Some small stones may pass on their own, while large stones may need to be surgically removed. Other techniques for removing bladder stones include lithotripsy (using sound waves or a laser to break stones into small pieces) and urohydropropulsion (placing a special catheter into the bladder to flush out small stones).
Diet can play a significant role in preventing bladder stones. A meat-based, protein-rich diet can help keep urine acidic, preventing the growth of most stones. Encouraging water consumption can also help dilute urine and prevent stone formation.
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Dietary adjustments for prevention
Diet plays a significant role in the treatment and prevention of bladder stones in dogs. Bladder stones are rock-like collections of minerals that form in the urinary bladder in varying sizes and numbers. They can occur as a number of large stones or as collections of smaller stones or crystals.
The most common types of bladder stones are struvite, calcium oxalate, and urate stones. While struvite stones are usually caused by bacterial infections, the other types of bladder stones are caused by metabolic abnormalities, nutrient imbalances, or genetic conditions.
To prevent struvite stones, it is important to prevent bladder infections. Antibiotics are often necessary to treat these infections. A veterinarian may also recommend a diet that reduces the levels of protein, magnesium, and phosphorus in the urine, as struvite stones thrive in an alkaline environment.
Calcium oxalate stones form when calcium and oxalic acid bind together in urine due to high acidity. To prevent these stones, it is important to maintain a more basic urine pH. This can be achieved by avoiding foods with high oxalate levels and increasing water consumption to dilute the urine.
Urate stones are caused by a genetic condition or as a side effect of liver disease. These stones can be dissolved and prevented by switching to a diet that is low in purines, which are compounds found in DNA, organ meats, some seafood, and other meats.
In general, it is recommended to feed dogs a high-quality, fresh, and natural diet that is fit for their species. A meat-based, protein-rich diet can help create more acidic urine, which is less favourable for stone formation. It is also important to increase water consumption to dilute the urine and prevent the buildup of minerals that can form bladder stones.
Some specific dietary recommendations for preventing bladder stones in dogs include choosing a diet that is high in animal protein and avoiding plant-based ingredients that may be high in silica. Hill's Prescription Diet Derm Complete or high-quality, grain-free canned dog foods with added water are often suggested.
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Commercial diets and struvite stones
Commercial diets are not always the best option for dogs with bladder stones, and this is especially true for struvite stones. Struvite stones are the most common type of bladder stone in dogs and are usually caused by bacterial infections, specifically urinary tract infections. They can almost always be treated without surgery or long-term dietary changes.
The best way to prevent struvite stones is to prevent bladder infections. Antibiotics are usually necessary to treat the bacterial infection. Struvite stones thrive in an alkaline environment, so it is important to keep the urine slightly acidic. A meat-based, fresh protein-rich diet is best for creating acidic urine. Dry food diets that are high in carbohydrates, especially grains, can contribute to high alkaline urine.
Some herbs are thought to aid in the prevention of struvite stones, including nettle, plantain leaf, and cleavers. These herbs are great for general urinary and bladder health. A veterinarian may also recommend a prescription diet to help prevent the return of struvite stones. However, these diets can have side effects, including heart, kidney, or liver failure, high blood pressure, and pancreatitis.
While a commercial diet may not be the best option for preventing struvite stones, it is important to note that changing a dog's diet can be an effective way to prevent other types of bladder stones. For example, calcium oxalate stones can be prevented by avoiding foods with high oxalate levels and maintaining a urine pH of around 7.0. A diet that is high in animal protein and avoids plant-based ingredients that are high in silica can help prevent silica stones.
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Homemade diets for bladder stone treatment
Bladder stones in dogs are a painful issue and can sometimes be life-threatening. Diet can play a significant role in treating and preventing bladder stones. Different types of bladder stones require different treatments, and some cannot be dissolved by diet alone.
Struvite stones
Struvite stones, or magnesium ammonium phosphate, are quite common in dogs and are usually caused by bacterial bladder infections. They can usually be dissolved with food, medicine, or antibiotics. Diets used to dissolve struvite stones should have reduced levels of protein, magnesium, and phosphorus. Cranberries can also help prevent struvite stones by making the urine more acidic.
Calcium oxalate stones
Calcium oxalate stones are another common type of bladder stone in dogs. Unfortunately, these cannot be dissolved by diet and must be removed surgically. However, therapeutic foods can help prevent their return.
Urate stones
Urate stones are less common and are caused by a genetic condition or as a side effect of liver disease. They can be dissolved and prevented by switching to a diet that is low in purines, such as a fresh, whole food diet.
Cystine stones
Cystine stones are also less common and can usually be dissolved with the right kind of food. Diets used to dissolve cystine stones should have reduced levels of protein, specifically proteins that contain a lot of purine, like fish and organ meats.
General dietary guidelines
- A raw, fresh, and natural diet can help increase moisture and acidity in the urine, preventing the formation of bladder stones.
- Keep dogs well-hydrated to dilute minerals in the urine.
- Avoid dry food diets consisting of carbohydrates, especially grains and potatoes, as these can contribute to high alkaline urine.
- A meat-based, protein-rich diet is recommended as it creates more acidic urine.
- A diet high in animal protein and low in plant-based ingredients is recommended to prevent silica stones.
- Increase water consumption to dilute urine and keep the urine pH slightly alkaline.
- Prevent dogs from eating soil or drinking water that may be high in silica.
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Urine pH levels and bladder stones
The pH level of a dog's urine is an important indicator of whether they may develop bladder stones. If the pH level is too low or too high, crystals will form and turn into stones. Alkaline urine, in particular, causes bladder stones. Dry food diets consisting of carbohydrates, especially grains and potatoes, can contribute to high alkaline urine.
Dogs are designed to eat a meat-based protein diet that causes more acidic urine. A perfect urine pH of 6–6.5 can be achieved when feeding a meat-based, fresh protein-rich diet. Most bladder stones will not grow in an acidic environment.
Struvite bladder stones, the most common type, are often caused by bacterial infections. Antibiotics are necessary to treat struvite stones as they are almost always associated with bladder infections. The use of special therapeutic diets to dissolve struvite stones is often recommended. These diets are typically restricted in protein, phosphorus, and magnesium, and are formulated to promote the formation of acidic urine (with a pH of less than 6.5).
Calcium oxalate bladder stones, another common type, cannot be dissolved by diet and must be surgically removed. However, future calcium oxalate stones may be prevented by switching to a diet that avoids high levels of calcium oxalate. A diet that is high in animal protein and avoids plant-based ingredients that could be high in silica is commonly recommended to prevent silica stones, a type of calcium oxalate stone.
Urate stones, which are less common, can be both dissolved and prevented by switching to a diet that is low in purines. Purines are compounds found in DNA, organ meats, some seafood, and other meats.
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Frequently asked questions
Commercial diets that are high in carbohydrates can cause bladder stones in dogs. This is because carbs make the urine more alkaline, creating an environment that is hospitable to infections.
Commercial diets can cause bladder stones composed of calcium oxalate, silica, or struvite.
To prevent bladder stones, it is recommended to feed your dog a fresh, meat-based diet that is high in protein. This will make their urine more acidic, which helps prevent bladder infections and the formation of bladder stones.
Yes, bladder stones can often be treated with dietary changes. For example, struvite stones can be dissolved with food or medicine, and calcium oxalate stones can be prevented by avoiding foods with high oxalate levels.
Common symptoms of bladder stones in dogs include straining during urination, blood in the urine, and increased urination.
