Is Pulsar Dog Food Good Choice For A Dog With Oxalate Stones?

When a question arises from a blog I write, I always like to make sure I research enough to provide the best answer possible.  My friend Martha wanted to know if Pulsar Dog Food is suitable for a dog suffering from oxalate stones.  My research goes beyond just looking at ingredient labels.  There are always questions necessary to ask, such as ‘what does my dog need nutritionally’? I believe a canine diet should be as close to a dog in the wild, which would consist of meat, and the fat it contains and any vegetation, such as herbs that would be found in nature.  However, when we consider the environment of a domesticated dog, and their diet, it does not take much looking to realize it is very different from a wild dog.

When a dog develops a disease, there is a compromised immune system, and certain measures are necessary to bring that back into as much balance as possible to help the healing process.  I feel that a minimal use of grains in the canine diet is a good place to start, as it’s not a requirement in canine nutrition.  This will help eliminate a lot of problems from the beginning. 

Pulsar dog food derives its name from ‘pulses’, which are the edible seeds of legumes, which includes peas, lentils, chick peas, fava beans and the like.  These are considered to be low on the glycemic index, which means they promote stable blood sugar levels…a good thing for a diabetic dog.  The website claims the use of these in their food provides enhanced digestibility.  They use a combination of red lentils and peas, and these are the key carbohydrate and fiber sources, which elevates antioxidant quality to fend off dangerous toxins.  Rich in protein, high in antioxidants, low in fat, gluten free and sodium free.  They also utilize a single animal protein, which would be good for dogs with allergies.

The dog food I mentioned in my blog on the canine oxalate stones was Life’s Abundance.  Since this is formulated to provide a urine pH of 6.6, which is an appropriate number for a dog with these types of stones, I compared the Pulsar against it.  I always look at the first 10 ingredients, as these comprise the bulk of the overall ingredients.  Here is what I found:

               Life’s Abundance                                                                                        

               Chicken Meal
               Ground brown rice
               Oat groats
               Chicken fat (preserved w/mixed tocopherols)
               Dried beet pulp
               Brewer's dried yeast
               Flaxseed meal
               Natural flavor
               Dried egg product
               Catfish meal

               Pulsar
     

             Chicken Meal
             Red lentils
             Peas
             Pea starch
             Chicken
             Chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
             Flaxseed
             Liquid egg product
             Carrots
             Apples

Both foods have had vitamins and minerals added back in which is typical of dry dog food.  In my personal opinion there is no ‘perfect kibble’, even when it comes to the high quality ones.  Dry dog food should not be a stand-alone food in any dog’s diet, as far as I am concerned, especially one suffering from a disease.  I feed my dogs about a 25% ratio of kibble to the rest of their food, and it is the first food I temporarily eliminate if they get a bout with diarrhea, have had surgery, a dental, etc.  Both of these brands contain approximately 48% carbohydrate content.  Compared to a wild dog’s diet having only 14% carbs.

A good practice would be to purchase pH test strips and test your dog’s pH level, utilizing an on/off program with and then without the kibble.  (Solid Gold pH Test Strips are available on the Internet for around $10 for a package of 50) This way you can tell whether it is helping or hurting, and adjust accordingly.  Remember, I mentioned in my blog on the oxalate stones that you’d need to do some home cookin’ for your canine critter…and I truly feel that has a real advantage, because you can control the ingredients, the freshness and the quality.

Bottom line, to answer my friend Martha’s question regarding Pulsar dry dog food for a dog with oxalate stones, yes, I personally feel it would be suitable….ALONG with the pH strip testing to make sure you are staying around that 6.6 pH level AND home cooked foods that I mentioned in the article.  I know, that requires some preparation and time on your part, but isn’t your furry companion worth it?

Canine Oxalate Bladder Crystals/Stones

I have learned so much over the past 17 plus years as a pet parent, and I have discovered so much more in the world of canine nutrition since I embarked on self-study almost five years ago, which led to more ‘formal’ study to obtain certification as a canine nutritionist, which is very close to happening for me. I know that may sound crazy to some, as commercial food diets have become so mainstream for our furry companions, we typically don’t consider a dog’s diet to be overly important, but it is. A healthy, nurturing environment is just as necessary for a dog as it is for a person. The typical hectic, on-the-go lifestyle of most individuals these days is very stressful, and I believe this is evident in especially the food choices we make as humans. The faster and more convenient, the better.

It is a sad fact that our companion pets can suffer from the same maladies we do…such as cancer, obesity and diabetes and a plethora of other numerous diseases and concerns. One I want to discuss today is oxalate bladder crystals. My friend, Martha inquired about what I knew about calcium oxalate stones. I have blogged about stones in general back in May of 2012, but since there are six types of stones (three that affect the bladder; struvite, urate which are uncommon and oxalate), I wanted to be more in depth regarding this type. It is very important that you know what kind of stone you are dealing with, as treatment can be different, and many times opposite. Along with my canine lesson I just finished (through my E-training For Dogs), I have spent several hours today researching further information, six to be exact. This is also a learning process for me that builds on my canine lessons, and helps me to help dog owners obtain understandable insight and bring it in useable form.

There are high risk breeds such as the Miniature Schnauzers, Lhasa Apsos, Yorkshire Terriers, Miniature Poodles, Shih tzu’s and Bichon Frise’s, however any breed of dog can develop stones. 73% of oxalate bladder crystals occur in male patients, usually in an age range from 5-12 years. First an x-ray or ultrasound would be needed so it can be determined where the stones have developed, how many there are, and how big they are. Oxalate stones need an acidic pH environment to form. A diet of foods that encourage more alkaline urine is necessary; however, existing oxalate stones cannot be dissolved by diet change, surgical removal is necessary. Statistics show that 50% of dogs with surgery to remove these stones will develop new ones within 3 years. That seems rather grim, but take heart…it is at this point you need to be very vigilant about proper nutrition. It will require life-long prevention to maintain a balanced pH so they do not re-form. Left unchecked these stones can be life-threatening, especially in males because of their anatomy.

So, how might you know if your dog has developed these crystals or stones? Well, sometimes there are no symptoms, but usually straining to urinate (and nothing coming out), blood in the urine (which can be difficult to detect when your dog relieves itself on the grass), and recurrent bladder infections.

Okay, so now you’re probably thinking I’ve got a ‘special needs’ dog now that I’ve discovered this. Well, to a point, as I feel most dogs do have special needs just naturally. It will require some cooking on your part to help ensure proper maintenance. It’s really no more than how you would change or restrict your own diet if you were diabetic. But let’s not panic…it’s not the end of the world…it doesn’t have to be complicated. That’s why I’m blogging about this…to guide you in what you need to do. This will be somewhat lengthy, but hang in there with me; diet can be used to manage this problem, once the problem has been removed.

So, we need to focus on developing more alkaline urine. Here are some vegetables you can add to your dog’s diet: broccoli, celery, garlic, barley grass, carrots, lima beans, zucchini, cauliflower and potatoes. I always encourage organic, especially when it comes to thin-skinned or no-skinned veggies and fruits. These can be fed raw, but lightly steamed is encouraged…and I make a habit of sprinkling organic dried parsley on a lot of the food I prepare for my dogs. Fruits can also be in the offering: kiwi, apples, pears, peaches, papaya, watermelon (remove the seeds of course!), pineapple and oranges. You do want to watch meats, as most are acid producing. You can include liver, organ meats and fish (not shell fish) and eggs for protein sources. Moderate amounts of chicken, turkey and lamb are permissible. But no red meats (i.e., beef, buffalo or venison) You can also include lentils and brown rice in the diet. For alkaline dairy consider raw milk (usually referred to as ‘pet milk’, check with a local dairy farmer about acquiring this), and yogurt (the plain, organic variety).

This really isn’t rocket science, so we need not to make it complicated. You will want to decrease the magnesium in foods, and those that are higher in this mineral include whole grains (which dogs don’t require anyway), nuts (which most people do not include in their dog’s diet, and only certain ones are recommended), meats, green beans, spinach, squash and sweet potatoes.

I also did some research on dry dog food, and I found an excellent source that will ease some of the food prep. Life’s Abundance Premium dog food is formulated to provide a urine pH of 6.6, which falls within the necessary formulation level of 6.4 to 6.6. It is available through their website www.lifesabundance.com. You know if you have read many of my blogs how snobbish I can be when it comes to kibble, so when I do give one a ‘thumbs up’, it passes my strict standards! If you are curious about price, a 20 pound bag is about $37. That is reasonable to me for a quality dry dog food. What about treats you ask? I researched those too! These should be grain-free and I found a great product. Nature’s Variety (www.naturesvariety.com) carries ‘Instinct Grain-Free Biscuit Treats’. The website has a ‘find a store’ locator so you can purchase them most likely not far from your home. Fruits and veggies mentioned above can also be used for treats.

Here is a great recipe that comes from my E-training For Dogs from this lesson and is formulated for oxalate bladder crystals:


2 eggs (scrambled, over easy or hard boiled) or ½ cup meat from approved meats listed above
1 cup cooked brown rice or lentils
½ tsp. garlic powder
6 Tablespoons chicken broth (preferably low-sodium and organic)
1 cup cooked vegetables (from above list)

Feeding amounts should be proportionate to your dog’s size. (i.e., under 5 pounds, ¼ cup, 5-10 pounds, ½ cup, etc.)

I hope this article has proved useful to any pet parent dealing with these types of stones in their dog. Most of us consider our pets to be family, so going the extra mile to give them quality of life by providing a proper diet, especially when one is suffering from a condition such as this doesn’t seem to be, in my opinion, out of the ordinary.
　
　

How To Become A True Canine Advocate

I originally created this blog because I love dogs...all dogs...my dogs...your dogs...every body's dogs! My greatest desire would be for all dogs to be well taken care of, appreciated, and spoiled rotten with lots of love.  It breaks my heart to see so many of these precious creatures abused and neglected.  Just when you hear or read something and you think you've seen it all...something even more heinous arises from the evil minds of people to perpetrate on these blameless, sinless creatures from God.

I am glad to see more attention has been brought to the plight of our companion animals who so undeservedly fall into the hands of corrupted, cruel persons who do such awful and unimaginable things (in my mind anyway).  These people are bullies and cowards.  So much of the neglect I see and read about doesn't happen in a day or a week....it's months and months, which in my mind equals an intentional act.  The visuals of abuse pictures across my Face Book news feed is difficult, if not near impossible for me to view.  I read a lot of it, because I know turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to it does not solve anything.  If I do not know, then I cannot do something about it.  And I want to do something to change it.

It is incomprehensible to me how we can consider ourselves humans when we are so inhumane to animals.  These sweet babies have done nothing...N-O-T-H-I-N-G!! to deserve this!  There is a tremendous problem out there, and it will not go away on its own.  To those of us animal advocates who truly care, this responsibility falls in our laps.  Since animals cannot speak themselves....we have to be their voice....if we aren't, they suffer needlessly in silence.  This simply cannot continue to go on! More needs to be done! So, you might ask, 'what can I do? I'm just one person...'  Well, anything done in a positive direction is progress...no matter how small, even from just one person.  Then you pass it along.  It's all about networking, probably the buzzword for the 21st Century.

As I mentioned, I have a lot that comes across my news feed on my Face Book page, I read...I share...I do what I can, and I don't even have to leave home to do it.  I 'like' pages of animal shelters and organizations (especially the 'No Kill' ones), I get their notifications.  I sign petitions to help all kinds of animals, I share dogs who need homes, I plead the cases to my friends and family of dogs who have been starved.  You can do this too.  Sure, it takes time and effort, but these babies are worth every bit of time.  You never know when something you 'share' or 'like' may save a life and bring a dog (or other animal) to safety.

It is certainly an overwhelming task before us...when the need is so great, and the workers so few, it seems nothing you do is enough.  But with more people working together, we can really make an impact.  I dream of the day when we become a 'No Kill World'.  These animals do not have to die!  This is so near and dear to my heart....and I know the souls of so many who are in this with me.
Perhaps you think you don't have time.  Well, I work full-time, write two different blogs, and take care of 9, yes NINE of my own dogs (and I home cook their meals), I own a home, have a yard to take care of.  I am currently taking a course on Canine Nutrition to become certified and also keep up on my C.E.C.'s (Continuing Education Credits) for my personal trainer certification...and yes, I even fit in working out....doggie walks, grooming (nails, teeth, bath) on all my furbabies....so I'm not too sympathetic about it being a time issue.  I don't make big money...all my dogs are well cared for with necessary shots, spay and neutering (when I get one that isn't), and lots of cleaning to keep my dogs in a healthy environment.  I hand-wash 18 dog dishes EVERY day!  Oh, I also volunteer in rescue, and am preparing to have a senior canine sanctuary in my home...which means more dogs to care for! So, review your priorities.

I have chosen to devote my life to the care and education of canines, it is that important to me.  You can either stand with me, or view me as some crazy person who prefers dogs over people.  Perhaps one day when people become more responsible pet parents and companion animals and other animals are no longer abused and neglected, I can rest...until then, I have a job to do....one that is voluntary and often thankless...but I do it anyway...why? Because I am a true canine advocate! I work tirelessly, and I understand not everybody can or is able to do this....bottom line, do what you can, when you can. I hope you will seriously consider this, because it's going to 'take a village' to coin a phrase. <3