You may be concerned if you have noticed that your dog has difficulty urinating or if there are solid pieces in his urine. This condition goes by many names, including bladder and kidney stones, urinary calculi and urolithiasis. Your veterinarian can make a proper diagnosis of your dog's health and you may want to discuss some of the homeopathic treatment options.
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Prevention
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Avoid feeding your dog table scraps and ensure that he has access to plenty of water. Water helps dilute the urine and enables your dog to pass smaller urinary stones and crystals without issue. Some medications may increase the likelihood of bladder stones in your dog. These include cortisone-type medications such as Prednisone (commonly used for itchy skin and other inflammatory conditions), diuretics like Furosemide (brand name: Lasix or Salix) and vitamin D or C supplements. However, some dogs are more prone to urinary stones and there is no way to completely prevent the crystals from forming.
Diet
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Most natural urinary stone treatments and forms of prevention focus on altering your dog's diet. If your dog is prone to bladder stones, consider feeding her specialized canned food for bladder health such as Hill's u/d Canine or Royal Canin Renal LP Modified. Even if your dog is prone to bladder stones, some human foods are safe, including: plain cooked chicken or turkey, rice, peas, pasta, white potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and bananas.
Other Treatments
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You may treat urinary stones in your dog with natural supplements. Most of these supplements are available at pet stores, health stores or bulk online retailers. You may also give your dog potassium citrate supplements. They can be purchased in granule form from pet stores. This compound binds with calcium instead of calcium naturally binding with oxalate and creating bladder stones. Cranberry juice or capsules can aid in general urinary tract health and treat crystals in his urine. Lew Olson of B-Naturals.com recommends giving your dog supplements such as HAC Kidni Flow, which is "an herbal blend in a tincture formula that is helpful for dissolving and breaking up stones and stone formation."
Benefits
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Homeopathic treatments of urinary crystals do not tend to cause the side effects that are common with prescription drugs. If your homeopathic treatments are effective, you can save money that you would have otherwise spent on costly medications or surgery.
Warning
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Although surgery is an invasive procedure, it is important to note that it is the only viable option for some extreme cases of bladder crystals. Left untreated, these crystals can completely block your dog's urinary system and even cause death. It is best to follow your veterinarian's recommendation, even if he recommends surgery.
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