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?