How much magnesium is safe for dogs prone to struvite bladder stones?

The answer partially depends on the type of bladder stones that Boo had. I am attaching handouts on the 2 most common types below. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=460 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=662 If Boo had struvite stones, those can often be managed without a prescription diet. If Boo had calcium oxalate stones, then diet will be a very important part of preventing him from forming stones again in the future. Unfortunately, the prescription diets tend to have both by-products and corn. The best option I have found for dogs with calcium oxalate stones are to make a homemade diet for their dogs. A diet can be created by a board certified nutritionist or with the help of Balance It. https://secure.balanceit.com/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry you and Sanjee are going through this. First I think it important to wait until the stone analysis is back before deciding 100% what to do diet wise. Even though she has calcium oxalate crystals doesn't mean the stone will be that exactly, though it is likely. Calcium oxalate stones are the hardest to prevent recurrence. I recommend Veterinary Prescription diets like Royal Canin SO, Hill's c/d or Purina UR. I also recommend monitoring urine pH and concentration. Calcium oxalate crystals form in more acidic (lower pH) urine. If the diet alone won't control the pH and keep it more neutral sometimes we have to add potassium citrate. I think periodic X-rays to check for recurrence are also important. There are many small white dogs that have had many cystotomies to remove calcium oxalate stones. I hope this helps and I wish Sanjee the best today for her surgery and a speedy recovery!

It would not increase his chances of getting Ca Oxalates, but not known to help prevent them either. If you are giving it for a certain condition, then make sure you are giving it as prescribed by a veterinarian. Giving too much can be a concern for other conditions, so it's always best to make sure you are giving the correct amount.

Bladder stones are collections of mineral crystals that combine together in the urinary tract. Excess minerals can encourage the formation of crystals in the urine, leading to the creation of bladder stones. Urinary diets have the correct balance of minerals to maintain bladder health. In addition, they have low protein and calcium, which results in decreased urinary concentrations of stone-forming constituents. To get the biggest benefit, I recommend choosing a urinary specific food for Liir, as regular diets will not be formulated to help with bladder health. I recommend Hill's Science Diet u/d. I hope this helps!

The recommendation is to feed your pet a low protein, low sodium diet to help alkalinize the urine and reduce cystine urine excretion. You can achieve this with the Rx brands Hill's U/D or Royal Canin UC Low Purine. Although it is suggested that feeding a canned diet or increasing water intake will help to dilute the urine as well, and therefore reduce cystine urine excretion. Dissolving stones is possible with the diet, but this can take an extended period of time and there is always the risk of stone blockage along the urinary tract. If blockage occurs then your only option for resolution is to have the stones surgically removed. From a medical standpoint, the drug 2-MPG is used to dissolve stones that are currently in the bladder. You will have more success riding stones if you implement both MPG treatment and a urinary diet simultaneously.

Hello. You do want to keep to this diet for the majority of his calories. Acceptable treats should make up less than 10% of his overall calories per day & include low fat yogurt ( 2-3 tbsp. 2-3 x weekly ), 1/4 of an apple, white rice, rye bread, 2-3 non-salted saltine crackers, 2-3 baby carrots per day, & small amounts of cooked beef, chicken & eggs. Avoid lots of meats & any high protein treats & no vitamin or mineral supplements. The daily Dasaquin is fine to use. Try to keep to the prescribed diet as much as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I believe you're referring to Royal Canines brand of urinary diet SO. In conjunction with appropriate medication SO is a great food to help prevent urinary tract infections. Lulu will likely need to be on this food for the rest of her life. Any changes to a non-urinary diet may trigger a recurrence of crystals or stones. If she does not resolve after a month of anabiotic's and diet, further diagnostic testing such as ultrasound or scoping of the bladder may be necessary to determine the cause of the urinary tract issues. My own dog is on Royal Canin SO and he does great, until my kids feed him the wrong food and then he has a flare up again. So please be sure to feed her only the prescribed diet. Good luck I hope she's feeling better soon, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.