Kodi has had crystals and high pH (like eight) on and off since I first took in a urine sample when he was four months old. I even took him to a veterinary referral center when he was 6 mos for a sonogram and cystocentisis - both were clear. Then they were back, so I tried vitamin C 500 mg 2 x a day per the vet and this seemed to help, but came back again so vet said try 3 Vit C a day and that's not doing it. My vet wants him to eat C/D for 30 days and retest. Just what kind of food is this - quality wise? He has been eating Eagle Pack Holistic - 24% protein - the C/D is 19%. Does higher protein cause the crystals? Does this food contain urinary acidifiers? What really bothers me is that this food contains BHA and BHT which I believe could cause cancer. I've mentioned this to my vet and he says there is no evidence of these things causing cancer or anything else and the amt used is very small and it's also in people food. Well, to me, that doesn't mean anything positive. I know there are urinary acidifier pills I could use, but vet wants to try changing diet first.
Is this a hereditary thing? Metabolic disorder? Does it have anything to do with a poor immune system? If Vit C (or cranberry caps) don't do anything, is there anything else to try?
Just so ya know, Kodi is 28 mos old and neutered. There were no red cells when the urinalysis was done (yesterday) and 0-2 white per field, which is normal, but "loads" of crystals (the vet said). He has never shown any symptoms or anything from having these crystals - I just took the first samples in because my other dog had UTI's a lot and I wanted to make sure everything was ok.
I imagine I'll be fighting these crystals the rest of his life, right?
