Low Protein Diet For Dogs With Bladder Stones

Instead include foods with lower oxalate levels like apples peeled wild rice and meats and fish in their diet.

Low protein diet for dogs with bladder stones.

If you must use processed foods use canned foods which contain large amounts of water rather than dry foods. This causes a buildup that can result in bladder stones. Higher sodium chloride is always a plus since it dilutes the urine. Protein from an animal source helps maintain an acidic ph preventing the alkaline ph that causes the most common type of bladder stones.

Low protein diets may help break down struvite stones and crystals in the short term but simply being on a low protein diet will not prevent bladder crystals struvite or otherwise. The type of diet your vet prescribes will depend on the stone. Diets should not be restricted in protein phosphorus or calcium. Your dog requires a certain amount of protein in his diet for balanced nutrition but diets that are too high in protein can lead to stone formation particularly calcium oxalate and urate stones.

Low protein diet for dogs is often recommended when pets have a medical condition which affects the functions of their liver or kidneys or if they have a particular type of bladder stones. A 2002 avma study found that feeding dogs a low carb and high protein diet reduces the risk of bladder stones. What canine conditions require low protein diets. To decrease the chances of your dog developing bladder stones you should avoid feeding foods that contain high levels of oxalate such as spinach sweet potatoes organ meat and brown rice.

To prevent this from occurring especially in a dog that has previously had bladder stones a balanced diet is extremely important. In the case of kidney or liver disease a low protein diet would be indicated to reduce the workload of these organs. For example for dogs with urate and cysteine bladder stones your vet will recommend specific lower protein therapeutic diets that promote alkaline ph and reduce intake of stone precursors says larsen who is board certified in veterinary nutrition. Look for a recipe made with moderate amounts of high quality animal protein.

There are several medical conditions that might require a dog to go on a low protein diet such as kidney disease liver disease and some kinds of bladder stones. Certain bladder stones are caused by high protein and amino acid content in the urine. Meat seafood and poultry is mainly the cause of purine. Potassium citrate can help dissolve calcium oxalate so if your dog has these stones go for foods rich in this mineral.