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Standard Size And Crystals In Urine

I have a 5 month old blue merle male. I am concerned he is not the standard size I was told I would get through a breeder. He is now roughly 30lbs. Additionally, he is showing crystals in his urine and has been on two different antibiotics. Without an ultrasound, it is hard to know if he has a congenital anomaly. Any info out there??!! Thanks. Altanta Aussie

Comments for Standard Size And Crystals In Urine

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Crystals
by: jcrply

Here's a quote from The Whole Dog Journal:
“Struvite crystals do not require a change in diet. Because struvite crystals do not pose a problem unless the dog has a urinary tract infection, there is no required treatment for crystals, including no dietary changes. If the dog does have a urinary tract infection, a prescription dog food will not cure it.”

“If your veterinarian finds struvite crystals in the urine and suggests a diet change, you’d be well advised to find a new vet. You have to wonder how many other things he or she is misinformed about. It isn’t just a case of not keeping up with newer research; this recommendation is just plain wrong.”

“Dogs prone to forming struvite stones should not be kept on a special diet for life. Struvites almost always form because of infections, for which dogs with a history of stones should be closely monitored and properly treated. No long-term dietary change is required, nor will a special diet prevent the formation of infection-induced struvites. However, short-term changes may help speed the dissolution of stones.”

“Low-protein diets do not prevent stone formation. A low-protein diet can speed the dissolution of struvite stones — when accompanied by appropriate antibiotic treatment — but it is not necessary for the prevention of struvite formation in dogs who are prone to this problem. For almost all dogs, controlling infections will prevent more stones from forming.”

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To prevent the re-occurrence of struvites it’s recommended to do the following:

-Closely monitor your dog’s urinary pH to detect UTIs (dogs should have a pH of between 5.5 and 7.0).

-Supplement with cranberry capsules. Compounds found in cranberries help to prevent bacteria from attaching to the tissue that lines the bladder and urinary tract.

-Supplement with probiotics. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria. A healthy population of beneficial bacteria in the dog’s system will help to combat any unhealthy bacteria (such as the bacteria that causes UTIs).

-Vitamin C is often recommended for dogs prone to UTIs due to its anti-inflammatory properties. "

(My own personal recommendation: D-Mannose is great and perfectly safe for treating UTI's. It's available online from many different places. Better than overdoing antibiotics. I highly recommend it for dogs and for people. Unrelated to crystals, I would also add that all dogs can benefit from a grain-free diet.)

Crystals In Urine
by: Tom

I just asked my Wife and she said take to the Vet. and it could also be the food as well.

Urine Problems
by: Nancy

Hi,

I sympathize with your situation. Although I can not comment on the size of your aussie, we had many issues with our aussie's urine. We started her on a more weaker antibiotic and unfortunately that didn't work. She had staphylococcus . We used an antibiotic called clavamox. It worked. So, for us, that was the answer. Good luck! I hope this helped some. : )

Standard size
by: Anonymous

Can't comment on the crystals, but regarding your concern about your boy's size. My full-grown 17-inch tall mini Aussie was 17 lbs at about 5 months. She is 27 lbs now. Hope that reassures you as far as standard size.

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