In our continuing series on Holistic Dog Care 101, our focus this week is on Urinary Tract Problems. For humans, Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are painful, however, the solution is simply to see your doctor and obtain a prescription for an antibiotic. For dogs, it’s painful and can also lead to the development of urinary tract stones. Both UTIs and stones are common in dogs, especially females.
It’s important to first know the signs of a UTI, and then if you suspect one, take your Best Buddy to the veterinarian. “When dogs get UTIs, they may strain or have difficulty urinating, it may be painful for them to urinate, and they may have blood in their urine,” says Dr. Marty Becker, DVM. According to Dr. Becker, other signs of a UTI are listed below.
7 Common Signs of Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs:
- Frequent urination
- Breaking housetraining
- Blood in the urine
- Dribbling urine
- Crying out while urinating
- Straining to urinate
- Frequently or obsessively licking the genital area
“To get a diagnosis, your vet will need to analyze a urine sample for the presence of white blood cells, which signal infection, or crystals, which suggest that the dog may have bladder stones,” explains Dr. Becker. “A urinalysis is a start, but culturing the urine — taking a sample and letting bacteria grow — allows us to know for sure if there’s an infection and identify the bacteria causing it.”
How Your Pet’s Diet Affects UTI’s
- Mineral Content
When your pet experiences urinary tract problems, one of the first things to consider is the mineral content in your pet’s diet. “Minerals that are not flushed out of the urinary tract can form deposits such as crystals or stones and may even contribute to infections,” says Leslie Kessinger, co-owner of Three Dog Bakery in Franklin.
“A large part of the mineral content in a dog’s diet – particularly in dry food – is ash. Ash is the mineral content remaining, primarily from bone, after a food is cooked – that is, after all of the protein, carbs and fats are burned away,” explains Kessinger.
According to Kessinger, foods that are high in ash and mineral content generally contain a higher amount of meal that’s of poor quality. When meal is of poor quality it means that more of its content is BONE as opposed to MEAT.
Kessinger says fresh dog food by Petcurean is her favorite dog food to recommend for pets with urinary tract issues. “It is made entirely of fresh meats, and absolutely no meal, so it has a very low ash content,” she says.
- Protein Level
The amount of protein in your pet’s diet is important. “Small dogs are especially prone to kidney disease and urinary tract problems, and food should contain an amount of protein appropriate to your dog’s size, lifestyle and age,” advises Kessinger. “An imbalance of one protein can overwhelm the detoxifying organs in the urinary system, leading to protein buildup or disease.”
- Supplements
Just as humans take supplements to improve their health, they also help prevent urinary tract problems in dogs. “Several berries naturally prevent bacteria from adhering to the kidneys and bladder, and Super Snouts Urinary Berry powder is composed of 100 percent cranberry and wild blueberry to actively support urinary tract health,” says Kessinger. Herbs can also be beneficial. Kessinger says the proprietary blend in Herbsmith’s Bladder Care, which comes in both powder and tablet form, helps flush bacteria from the system and prevents crystals from forming.
- Water, Water, Water
Make sure your Best Buddy is staying hydrated by drinking lots of water. In order to work effectively, the urinary tract needs water to flush waste out of the system.
“It’s not a silver bullet, but I always recommend a drinking fountain for pets,” says Dr. Becker. “Many pets are attracted to running water, so a fountain may encourage them to drink more. And for certain types of stones, we definitely want to see the dog drinking plenty of water and urinating frequently, because that’s going to wash the crystals out before they can get together and start turning into stones.”
“Monitor your dog’s water intake, and if you feel they aren’t drinking enough, look for ways to add moisture to his diet. Wet food, rehydrated foods, and raw frozen foods have a high moisture content comparative to dry dog food; adding them can be a great way to hydrate a dog that is not an excellent water drinker,” advises Kessinger.
Kessinger says you can add raw goat’s milk to your pup’s food to provide additional hydration. She also says frozen liquid treats (like ice cubes made out of diluted chicken broth or watered down peanut butter), frozen yogurt treats, or even fruits and vegetables (like bananas, berries, or green beans) can be another great source of additional moisture.
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If you have health concerns about your dog, consult your veterinarian. This article is not meant to substitute or act as medical advice for pets.
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