Pet Issues
Urinary Disorders
Bladder infections, urinary tract infections, cystitis, urinary incontinence and various types of bladder stones are a common problem affecting the health and well-being of our pets.Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS) or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) are terms commonly used as a catch-all diagnosis for cats displaying any of the above conditions; however, dogs are susceptible all as well.
| What to Look for? | Let us Know | See your Veterinarian |
| Increased frequency of urination | ü | |
| Urinating in unsusal places (cats) | ü | |
| Strong smell of ammonia from urine | ü | |
| Reduced urine output, dribbling | ü | |
| Blood in the urine | ü | |
| Pain and straining while urinating. Cats may yowl, dogs | ü | |
| Swollen bladder full of backed up urine | ü | |
| Blockage - inability to urinate | ü |
When symptoms are recognized early, alterations in diet and the use of urinary supplements often alleviate the problem. However, if blood, pain or blockage is evident, a trip to your veterinarian is crucial since this can be a life threatening condition.
The most common cause of urinary bladder
inflammation in dogs
is a bacterial infection resulting in painful swelling of the
urinary tract and difficulty in urinating.
Factors that promote the propagation of pathogenic bacteria include:
1) Poor quality commercial diets lacking live enzymes and probiotics.
2) An overly alkaline urine pH from diets too high in grains and vegetables.
3) Plant and grass chewing.
4) Over use of antibiotics without restoring healthy digestive bacteria. Less common, but with growing incidence, are dogs suffering from urinary crystals or stones which irritate and sometimes block the urinary tract.
Factors that promote the propagation of pathogenic bacteria include:
1) Poor quality commercial diets lacking live enzymes and probiotics.
2) An overly alkaline urine pH from diets too high in grains and vegetables.
3) Plant and grass chewing.
4) Over use of antibiotics without restoring healthy digestive bacteria. Less common, but with growing incidence, are dogs suffering from urinary crystals or stones which irritate and sometimes block the urinary tract.
Feline Cystitis
Unlike dogs, bacterial infection is seldom the cause of cystitis
in cats. In fact, in the absence of urinary crystals or stones, the
cause is not clear. Many cases of cystitis with or without crystals
will resolve themselves in 5-7 days with or without treatment.
Causes of Crystal or Stone Formation
Poor quality processed pet food is a major contributor in the
development of urinary crystals or stones. It appears, however, that
there are a number of factors, any or all of which in combination
can produce their formation.
Multifactors:
- Waste matter from excessive levels of nutrients in the diet (protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals).
- Mineral content of food - excessive levels of magnesium/phosphorus/calcium.
- Chemical food preservatives, colorings, additives and acidifiers.
- Poor quality ingredients which do not easily digest.
- Abnormal urinary pH (acidity/alkalinity) produced by the pet's diet.
-
Fluid Balance and Urine Volume
- Diets with poor digestibility, low calories, or excessive
fiber rob the urinary system of moisture needed to flush out
crystal forming waste matter. - Autoimmune disorder triggered by digestion of low quality processed food.
- Sudden diet change if not used to different foods.
- Sedentary life style - overweight.
- Stressful situations.
- Genetics - Dalmatians produce much higher levels of uric acid than other breeds of dogs and are prone to urate crystal formation unless diet is on the alkaline side. Persian, Himalayan and Burmese cats have a higher incidence of stone formation than other breeds of cats.
- Sex - Male cats and dogs have a longer, narrower urethra than females and are therefore more prone to obstruction from stones.
- Holding on to urine - Cats waiting for a clean litter box or dogs waiting for long periods to be let out develop a more concentrated urine which may produce gravel (calculi) and eventually stones.
Urinary Crystals or Stones
There are two major types of urinary crystals.
- Calcium oxalates and urate crystals are formed from excess calcium and uric acid respectively when urine pH becomes too low (acid). Dalmatians are prone to this type.
- Struvite crystals are formed from excess magnesium, ammonium or phosphate when the urine pH is too high (alkaline).
- Since urinary tract disorders appear to have multiple causes and likely some other unknown ones, prevention lends itself to a holistic approach.
- Diet - The type and quality of diet is an important factor in the increasing incidence of urinary tract disorders of cats and dogs.
-
What to Feed
-
A portion of your pet's
diet should be in the form of a moist food which
approximates more closely the moisture/food ratio of their
natural
prey. Choices would include, premium canned diets as well as raw or lightly cooked, frozen or dehydrated diets. -
Dry food should have high
quality meat protein
listed in the first 2 ingredients, unless
contraindicated by other medical conditions. -
Protein, fats, oils and
carbohydrates should all be
of high quality.
-
A portion of your pet's
diet should be in the form of a moist food which
approximates more closely the moisture/food ratio of their
natural
- When to Feed. Cats and dogs are descended from top predators. They do not graze like sheep. Their digestive system needs a rest between feeds. Free feeding produces an elevated pH (alkalinity) which may encourage struvite crystal formation. Therefore, divide the daily ration 10-12 hours apart.
-
The less volume your pet
must eat to provide
optimum nutrition and meet energy requirement,
the lesser the amount of water is required for stool
formation resulting in higher urine volume. This
acts to lower the concentration of excess mineral
and protein (crystal formers) in the urinary tract
by flushing them out.
-
Ensuring that you are not
overfeeding promotes a healthy urinary system in 2 ways:
- reduces waste matter which must pass through the kidneys and urinary system,
- maintains a healthy body weight.
- Water: Should have access to fresh water at all times. Natural whole food portion of the diet will also provide needed water balance.
-
Exercise
Sedentary and overweight pets are more prone to urinary tract disorders. Find toys that will stimulate your cat or dog to play on their own. Dogs should be walked at least twice daily - a good brisk walk or run. -
Supplements
• A high quality oil supplement containing fish oil will provide vitamin A & D which promote a healthy urinary tract among many other benefits.
• A high quality powdered raw food nutritional supplement to counteract and replace deficiencies from over-processed food.
• Cranberry and blueberry contain Hippuric Acid which prevents bacteria from adhering to the lining of the urinary tract.
• Antioxidants - Vitamins A,C, E and selenium inhibit production of free radicals maintaining cellular health.
• Probiotics help to prevent pathogenic bacteria from populating the bladder and urethra. -
Urine pH.
The diet should produce a moderately acidic urine pH 6.0-6.6. A 'natural diet' would do this as a matter of course being higher in meat, vegetables and fats, and lowest in grain. Occasionally, a commercial diet may sometimes be too alkaline or too acidic for a particular pet and diet change and/or supplementation is necessary. -
The Magnesium/pH
Relationship
Although urinary magnesium is necessary for the formation of struvite crystals, urinary pH is the most important factor. If magnesium levels are too low, calcium is released from your pet's bones which may have the unwanted effect of producing kidney stones. Low magnesium levels and acid urine inhibit the formation of struvite crystals but encourage the formation of oxalate crystals. On the other hand, high magnesium levels do not form crystals if urinary pH is between 6.0 - 6.5.
If your cat or dog is displaying some of the symptoms outlined
during the introduction, a veterinary exami¬nation including a
urinalysis and xray will be used to determine:
a) urine pH
b) presence of bacteria
c) presence of and type of crystals
d) size of stones and degree if blockage
e) presence of red blood cells in urine
f) if white blood cells are elevated
g) presence of parasites
h) presence of virus
Regardless of the variation of cystitis indicated by tests, veterinary treatment often involves antibiotics and possible catheterization or surgical removal of large stones. Your veterinarian may also recommend a change in your pet's diet. Global or Ryan's Pet Foods offer food and supplement options that may aid in the prevention and long term health of pets suffering from urinary disorders.
Nutritional Approach to Chronic Cystitis
1 Follow the guidelines as under Prevention.
2 If antibiotics have been prescribed by your veterinarian, a probiotic supplement will be helpful to restore the 'beneficial bacteria'.
3 Eliminate yeast from the diet.
4 Vitamin E to help heal and prevent internal scarring of tissue as it heals.
5 A nutritional supplement to strengthen the immune system.
6 During an acute flare up, flower, homeopathic or herbal calming remedies are often used to relieve
stress.
7 If a virus is suspected, an antiviral herbal or homeopathic combination is important.
8 If bacteria are present in the urine and white blood cells are elevated, antibacterial herbal remedies are
often helpful. If urinary crystals are present, the following guidelines should be also be considered:
9 If struvite crystals are present and;
a) You are feeding a veterinary 'dissolution diet'
• This is a highly acidified diet using ammonium chloride and methionine designed for short term
use only.
• When struvite crystals test clear, make a transition to a high quality preventative diet available
through Global or Ryan's Pet Foods.
• A natural acidifying supplement may be of benefit for pets with repeated episodes.
b) You are feeding a veterinary 'struvite preventative diet'
• A gradual transition to a suitable diet offered by Global or Ryan's Pet Foods may be made at any time
to help manage this condition.
• A natural acidifying supplement may be appropriate.
10 If oxalate crystals are present your veterinarian may recommend an 'oxalate preventative diet' which hasreduced protein and added potassium citrate to alkalinize urine pH.
• A gradual transition to a suitable diet offered by Global or Ryan's Pet Foods may be made at any time.
• A natural alkalinizing supplement may be a simple solution to regulate a quality commercial diet for your pet's unique needs. Another way of alkalinizing a pet's diet is with the addition of whole cooked grains and vegetables to a high quality diet. This will reduce the acidic protein percentage of the diet resulting in a more alkaline urinary pH.
4 Vitamin E to help heal and prevent internal scarring of tissue as it heals.
5 A nutritional supplement to strengthen the immune system.
6 During an acute flare up, flower, homeopathic or herbal calming remedies are often used to relieve
stress.
7 If a virus is suspected, an antiviral herbal or homeopathic combination is important.
8 If bacteria are present in the urine and white blood cells are elevated, antibacterial herbal remedies are
often helpful. If urinary crystals are present, the following guidelines should be also be considered:
9 If struvite crystals are present and;
a) You are feeding a veterinary 'dissolution diet'
• This is a highly acidified diet using ammonium chloride and methionine designed for short term
use only.
• When struvite crystals test clear, make a transition to a high quality preventative diet available
through Global or Ryan's Pet Foods.
• A natural acidifying supplement may be of benefit for pets with repeated episodes.
b) You are feeding a veterinary 'struvite preventative diet'
• A gradual transition to a suitable diet offered by Global or Ryan's Pet Foods may be made at any time
to help manage this condition.
• A natural acidifying supplement may be appropriate.
10 If oxalate crystals are present your veterinarian may recommend an 'oxalate preventative diet' which hasreduced protein and added potassium citrate to alkalinize urine pH.
• A gradual transition to a suitable diet offered by Global or Ryan's Pet Foods may be made at any time.
• A natural alkalinizing supplement may be a simple solution to regulate a quality commercial diet for your pet's unique needs. Another way of alkalinizing a pet's diet is with the addition of whole cooked grains and vegetables to a high quality diet. This will reduce the acidic protein percentage of the diet resulting in a more alkaline urinary pH.