Food Allergies and Struvite stones

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I have a 6 year old Puggle who recently developed a case of struvite stones.  He has already been diagnosed with a severe case of food allergies to Beef, Corn, Eggs, Kelp, Milk, Poultry Mix, and Oats.  In order to treat the Struvite stones he has been put on Hills Pet Prod S/D but this could potentially create past problems of ear infections, ear hematomas, skin bleeding from the chewing, etc. The vet has informed us he will be on C/D for the rest of his life but hes allergic.

Is there a food available either in C/D or equivalent that would prevent future struvite stone/crytstal development and keep his allergies at bay, we do not want to have to give oral steriods or injections?

Puggle
24lb
6yrs
Male
Previous Working Diet
Food - Natures Recipe Healthy Skin Vegetarian
Meds - Benedryl 25mg 4-6 pills/day

New Diet For Struvite Stones (Not Working)
Food - Hills S/D Canned
Meds - 1-Claritin/Day; 2-25mg Bendryl/day; 1-3V Fish Oil/day; 1-Deramax/day

Recent changes to diet also might include a reduction in water consumption, we moved from Illinois to Florida (Well Water).  He never really drank much water previously.




Grain free SoJO Dog fo   ANSWER: Yes, I am glad you contacted me ... Don't give(  that awful Hills Product to your baby - He will end up with Ear infections and open sores due to the ingredients.  Wow!  I can't believe they did not come up with a home-cooked diet for you.  At least they could have told you to investigate home cooking.

YOU have a few options-  Home cooking with SoJO ( grain free ) or a recipe that is below:
Make sure you get the grain free sojo they have a few kinds.......

SoJO - one of the keys is WATER intake and WET food (grain-free) like SoJo...

The grain-free alternative to kibble, Sojos Grain-Free Dog Food Mix (formerly known as Sojos Europa) is a wholesome pre-mix that you combine with meat and water to create a fresh, homemade dog food.

Sojos Grain-Free works great for dogs with sensitivities to grains, and also as a great fruit and vegetable supplement to our other mixes.

Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, Celery, Apples, Whole Egg, Flax Meal, Parsley Leaf, Calcium Carbonate, Carob Powder, Kelp Powder, Alfalfa, Ginger Root, Garlic  
( The kelp is a very small amount )
YOU add your fresh or Lightly cooked meat of your choice...

I have free shipping right to my door:
http://www.sojos.com/index.aspx?affiliate=petnurse

Supplements:

Cranberry - you will need one of the two:
GREAT for kidney health:
Doc Roy's Potassium Citrate + Cranberry  ( powder)

http://www.revivalanimal.com/store/p/1995-Doc-Roy-s-Potassium
Citrate-Cranberry.aspx

or
Nature's Sunshine:  Cranberry ( tablets)
http://www.mynsp.com/nuvetpetnurse/products/guide.aspx?stockNum=834

Make your own food:

For a recipe :  not too many options - a lower fat meat - plenty of water in the mix:

Here are a few recipes for dogs with struvite stones--
.... Again, this is also related to infections ....
***If the UTI is under control the struvite crystals may be under control, too.

Talk to your doctor (VET) about the following recipes for dog food.

I KNOW YOUR DOG IS ALLERGIC TO SOME OF THE RECIPE - YOU CAN CHANGE SOME THINGS OUT FOR YOUR DOG'S NEEDS...

Beef and Rice Diet

1/4 pound very lean beef (raw weight), cooked
** ( DO Lamb or chicken)**
1 egg, large, hard-boiled  *( NO EGG for your Dog *)
2 cups brown rice, long-grain, cooked
1/2 ounce brewer's yeast
4 bonemeal tablets (10-grain or equivalent)
1/4 teaspoon salt substitute (potassium chloride)
1 multiple vitamin-mineral ( OR 1/2- 1 --NuVET Waffer ) see below:

Provides 730 kilocalories, 40.7 grams protein, 19.7 grams fat.



Tuna and Rice Diet

4 ounces runa, canned in water, without added salt
1 egg, large, hard-boiled  ( NO egg for your dog ***)
2 cups brown rice, long-grain, cooked
2 teaspoons vegetable (canola) oil
1/2 ounce brewer's yeast
4 bonemeal tables (10-grain or equivalent)
1/4 teaspoon salt substitute (potassium chloride)
1 multiple vitamin-mineral table OR ( NuVET 1/2- 1 ) Wafer  ....
Provides 760 kilocalories, 47.3 grams protein, 21.1 grams fat.



I wouldn't do any treats at all  - unless you want to try the Tuna Cake Recipe:  I would only give 1  tuna cake per day/ I believe you can freeze them after cooking.  ( use freezer bags to keep away freezer burn)
********** NUVET supplements info at the bottom ********

Tuna cakes :

Tuna Cake - Simple Recipes For Low-Protein Dog Food

Try This Fish Recipes for Low-Protein Dog Food Ideas

One of the simplest recipes for low-protein dog food feasts includes
Tuna Cake - perfect for those dogs that are afflicted with a kidney
disease.
This might not offer an appetizing aroma, but our dogs will be
delighted with treats like these, which often take less than ten
minutes to organize.
Begin by mashing up two cans of tuna in a large bowl; add in three
cups of flour and 2 eggs. (* NO EGGS for your Dog - can you cook with an EGG sub?)

Take equal portions of the mixture and mould into small cakes. Now
bake at a low temperature.
It's that simply and your dog will be drooling over it for days to
come.
Various other recipes for low-protein dog food similar to this can be
prepared using other varieties of fish.


Anyway - thought some of you may want to make it : I am sure you can
use wheat flour rather than white...
This is not a Wheat Free recipe...

From Marie Peppers
Ask the Pet Nurse...

mtnmom@gci.net

NuVET vitamins:

NuVET Plus supplements : Great for your little one:
Helps the kidneys, too......
Use each day 1/2 wafer to 1 wafer per day /
Please tell them Marie Peppers sent you from All Experts:
39.00 for the 60 count bottle of Wafer treats
55.00 for the 90 count bottle of Wafer treats
http://www.nuvet.com/81098
Use Order code 81098 and ASK HOW you can get the 15% OFF every order.



OK - I GAVE YOU A BUNCH OF INFO.... THE KEY IS WATER INTAKE OR WATER ADDED INTO ALL THE MEALS... WATER DISH WITH AN ICE CUBE...
KEEP YOUR BABY FREE FROM UTI  INFECTIONS - FREE FROM STONES......

Oh, the NuVET is a great allergy blaster supplement..too.

Let me know if you have questions....



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

QUESTION: Wowza, thanks for all the information Marie.  We really appreciate it.  

I have 2 follow-up questions...

Do I need to include the cranberry supplement if we make our own food... Or was the cranberry supplement for the SoJo diet?

The Tuna & Rice diet, this recipe mix is for one complete days worth of nutrition/feeding?

Or doggy is absolutely miserable on this Hills S/D garbage as we new he would be.  The water tip is already helping out a bunch, we prefers to eat ice, but we are adding a bunch of water to his food.  

Thanks again
Amy & Mike

Answer
Hi - yes, the Tuna and rice meal is for one meal of YOUR sized dog's needs....Give or take a little... Make enough for 3-4 feedings and try giving 1/4 of that mix / then cut that 1/4 into (1/2)- so, now you have two meals for the day.  If your dog seems very hungery give a little x-tra per meal - NOT eating it all / give less.
You will have to work with this a little bit.

SoJO feeding is very easy and not much thinking on that.  See the link in my above note for GRAIN free SoJO mix.
A cranberry pill or powder can be mixed into the food daily.
A NuVET supplement can be given daily for urinary health, too.


Let me know what you try?
Marie Peppers LPN MA
mtnmom@gci.net