Dogs who have experienced a bladder infection are at high risk for stone recurrence. Preventive programs may include monitoring a dog's urine for optimal pH levels.
Bladder Stone Recurrence Risk
According to the University of Minnesota, bladder stones can recur at a high rate for all types of bladder stones. The recurrence rate for calcium oxalate stone is especially high - 43% within two years.
Veterinarians often recommend a mixture of diet, medication and the monitoring of the dog's urine pH to prevent bladder stone recurrence.
Urine pH and Bladder Stones
Urine pH is important to bladder stone prevention because it affects the type of environment for potential crystal and stone formation. A urine pH below 7 is acidic and above 7 is too alkaline. Urine that is too acidic or too alkaline provides an environment where bladder stones could form. A neutral 7 is what most veterinarians strive to achieve through diet and medication in a prevention program.
Some prescription veterinary diets control a dog's urine pH level and prevent calcium and oxalate from bonding. These diets include Hill's U/D, Hill's K/D and Royal Canine L/P Diet. Sometimes dogs cannot eat one of these diets and will receive a potassium citrate supplement with another compatible diet. For example, Hill's W/D and potassium citrate supplements are a popular combination for dogs who once had calcium oxalate stones and cannot eat one of the other veterinary diets. The potassium citrate increases citrate levels so that calcium sticks to citrate and is eliminated from the body quickly instead of bonding with calcium.
Monitoring a Dog's Urine pH
It can be frustrating when the veterinarian recommends monitoring a dog's urine pH because of how long it may take to get the right pH reading. Veterinarians generally have a dog owner check a dog's urine daily at the beginning of the bladder stone preventive treatment program. If a reading of 7 cannot be achieved with the current plan, the veterinarian makes diet or medication changes as needed to get to a 7 pH reading. The daily urine pH checks could go on for weeks or months until the right treatment plan is achieved.
Dog owners who need to check a dog's urine pH typically go through the following:
- Dog owner obtains pH test strips from a pharmacy and urine collection trays from the veterinarian.
- He establishes two regular times to check the dog's urine. The first pH check is usually when the dog wakes up to go potty before eating or taking medication. The second pH check is often two to six hours after the dog eats and take medication.
- He cleans the urine collection tray between each pH reading.
- He reports the pH readings to the veterinarian once a week.
At some point, the veterinarian will request an office urinalysis to compare the dog's home pH readings to the office ones. This urinalysis also provides information such as urine volume, which often needs to be a certain level to prevent bladder stones. If a dog's urine volume is too low, the veterinarian may have the dog owner add extra water to the dog's food. According to the University of Minnesota, a mixture of both preventative veterinary diets and extra water help prevent canine bladder stone recurrences.
Once the veterinarian is satisfied that a preventive bladder stone plan is working, he will have the dog owner check the pH levels only twice a month at home, with one office urinalysis each month. Following the preventative plan may sometimes be tedious, but it can make a significant difference in a dog having a bladder stone recurrence.
Source:
Mar Vista Animal Medical Center
Minnesota Urolith Center, University of Minnesota
Adrienne Warber - Adrienne Warber is a professional freelance writer with more than ten years experience. She has expertise in a variety of topics ranging ...
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