Hi Ph in 2 year old mini Schnauser

Question
We have a 2 year old male mini-schnauser who about a year ago had surgery for bladder stones. Our vet put him on Hills Prescription Diet U/D. We do not give him any other food or people food. I check his urine PH every so often. It was at about 7.0 for a year, but now appears to be over 8. I'm afraid he will get the bladder stones back. What might you suggest to keep this from happening.
Thanks

Answer
Hello Gary -

I can tell you this - Hill's Prescription diets are known for causing bladder and kidney stones in cats and dogs. I know your veterinarian has requested it as a prescription but it is not good for your pet. I have about 5 (five) clients that went through the same thing with reoccuring stones and high pH from Hill's foods.

The best recommendation I can make to you is to change your pets food to an all natural brand such as Nutro. This brand can be found in most pet stores and is even less expensive then the Hill's brands. These natural foods do not have any by-products, chemicals, preservatives or medications present. Although Hill's claims to be natural they are not and cause more pets more harm then good.

After changing the food you should see a difference in your pet and may not have to add any other supplements or vitamins to aid his urinary functions.

You may also want to increase his water intake and give him a little cranberry juice daily. You will have to purchase the Cranberry Juice from a health food store, the grocery store varieties are full of sugar and will not work properly in the system. Cranberry helps to support urinary function and will help to pass bacteria through.

You may also want to consider a supplement of Probiotics such as Acidophilus. Probiotics are the live cultures found in yogurt and help to maintain and aid the good flora (bacteria) of the gut. When the good flora is in high percentages, the body functions better overall and will allow for easier digestion. You can purchase this supplement from a pet store or you can give him the "human" form they are both the same and will work the same way in his body. You can also give him unflavored yogurt daily, same thing and he should lick it right off the spoon. This is safe and effective for daily and long term use.

Another thing thats great to do is to begin to add Garlic powder to his food. Garlic is anti-microbial and will help to fight and kill infections and bacteria present in the body. Don't be afraid to speinkle it with a heavy hand, dogs love Garlic and he should eat it up right away. The only draw back to adding Garlic to the food is flatulence. It may be a little stinky but the Garlic is doing it jobs by passsing bacteria through the system and allowing for better overall internal health. Just keep a couple clothes pins handy. This is also good for urinary function and will help reduce the risk of a urinary tract infection, high pH and stones.

I hope this information has helped you and your pet.

If you would like information on natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at wintersaurora@yahoo.com and I will be happy to help you. I also offer a catalog of home made herbal remedies which I can send to you as well.

Thank you and best wishes to you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist