Canine Home - made diet for kidney stones

Question
My 4 yr old mixed breed spayed female just had surgery for kidney stones - 60 % struvite and 40% Calicum oxalate- she is a very picky eater and doesn't eat commercial dog food- she basically has been eating people food from age 12 weeks on- Could you suggest a homemade diet to help with these stones --btw she is a 115 lbs - Thanks your help is appreciated-Jacci

Answer
Sorry to hear about your dog.  
The food should be prepared very carefully. I am not an expert in special diets but I do know that water is very important, more so in pets with stones.  All stones are less likely to form if your pet has free access to water and frequent opportunities to urinate. Stones are less likely in dilute urine. Adding one quarter teaspoon-full of salt to one pint of water that your pet consumes will increase the amount of water it drinks.
Diets high in grain and vegetables produce alkaline urine, which allows certain stones to form. This is one of many reasons to see to it that your pet eats a commercially prepared diet. If at all possible feed canned rather than the dry because dogs rarely drink enough water after eating dry kibble to make up for the water consumed in canned foods.

Here is one diet that I found for stones:
2/3 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1 large hard-boiled egg
2 cups long grain, cooked brown rice
2 teaspoons chicken fat or canola oil
1/2 ounce brewer's yeast
1/4 teaspoon potassium chloride (salt substitute)

This diet provides 780 kcal (enough to fulfill the daily amount required for a 25-pound dog)Just make the adjustment for her at 115 pounds, 42.9 g protein, 22 g fat, 92 g sodium (a high sodium diet).
You can Substitute 4 ounces of tuna (in water without sodium) or 1/4 pound of lean ground beef (or ground chicken or lamb) for cottage cheese. Also you can Substitute 2 to 3 cups of potato, cooked with skin, or 2 cups of cooked macaroni for the rice.

Susan Potts,CPG
www.pipschoice.com