13 week-old Labradoodle puppy w/ crystals and high ph in urine

Question
QUESTION: My labradoodle puppy showed a high pH in her urine with crystals present. She also had some white and red blood cells showing up in her urine.  She was put on antibiotics, and I switched her food from Natural Balance Ultra Premium to Fromm Family 4-Star Nutritionals Whitefish and Potato.  Three weeks later, her urine was completely normal. It's not clear to me if it was a UTI or the food that caused the high pH and crystals.  My vet is concerned about my puppy being on a "restricted diet" and not getting the proper nutrition she needs.  My understanding is that the Fromm 4-Star Nutritionals line is for all life stages - although the Whitefish and Potato formula appears to be lower in protein and calories than the other Fromm formulas.  Should I stay on Fromm Whitefish and Potato, try a different Fromm formula, go back to Natural Balance Ultra Premium, or put her on a food specifically formulated for puppies.  If so, what foods would you recommend?

ANSWER: Hi Lorenzo,
My apologies, this question seems to have got lost in cyberspace, I only just saw it! Let`s see what we can do to hep.

In all likelihood, the presence of the crystals was related to the UTI, more than the food:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2114&aid=400

I actually prefer the Fromm FourStar Duck and Sweet Potato to the Ultra Premium, have a look at the numbers:

Fromm Duck and Sweet Potato:


Guaranteed Analysis
Protein   24% Min
Fat   15% Min
Fiber   3% Max
Moisture   10% Max
Ash   6.5% Max
Omega 6 Fatty Acids   2.6% Min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids   0.4% Min


Typical Analysis
Calcium   1.2%
Phosphorus   1.0%

NB Ultra Premium Duck and Potato:

Crude Protein     21.0% minimum
Crude Fat    10.0% minimum
Crude Fiber    3.0% maximum
Moisture    10.0% maximum
Calcium    1.0% minimum
Phosphorus    0.9% minimum
Omega-3 Fatty Acids    0.5% minimum
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)    0.01% minimum
Omega-6 Fatty Acids    3.0% minimum


How old is your puppy? Personally, I would use a home made diet, but if this isn`t possible I like the Fromm food out of those two options.

all the best, Catherine

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your response, Dr. Lane.  In answer to your question, my labradoodle puppy was born on April 22, 2009, so she's almost 15 weeks old.

What is the benefit of duck as a protein source for puppies/dogs?  I see that the Natural Balance Duck and Sweet Potato formula is part of their limited ingredients diet for dogs with allergies.  My puppy doesn't have any known allergies.  I'm happy to switch my puppy from Fromm Whitefish and Potato to Fromm Duck and Sweet Potato if it will be of greater nutritional benefit for my puppy.  I got my puppy at 8 1/2 weeks old, and she has gained about one pound every week.  Is this normal?  She is 17 lbs now and is expected to reach anywhere between 35-45 pounds.

Answer
Hello Lorenzo (and, I am not a vet, I have a diploma in nutrition but not a DVM)

With all foods, there are pros and cons, and I can critique all of them, really - no perfect foods, just better and worse choices. I like this food, but I also really like Innova for pups too; if you're going to feed a commercial diet there will always be some compromise, but you can be assured with the premium foods you're getting the benefit of science in regard to the nutrient levels, which is not often true of home made diets.

I think your puppy is gaining a little too quickly; does she look roly-poly? I prefer to see them grow slowly and stay on the lean side, if possible. And reach about 50% of adult weight around 6 months. The actual weight will vary according to many factors, but I prefer to see them grow a little too slow as opposed to a little too fast.

There are different school of thought with regard to feeding a "novel
protein like duck for the first year of life. I have no problem if you want to use another protein source, the Acana line (www.championpetfoods.com) is higher protein and offers many options - just throwing some names out for you to investigate.
All the best, Catherine