Bladder Infection Diet: Reader Question and Vet Suggestions

I have a 6 year old Havanese female. A few months ago she had her first bladder infection. Vet put her on penicillin. A couple weeks later she had another one, so they put her on another antibiotic and did a bladder test and found some crystals in her bladder.

They put her on a pharmaceutical dog food Hills for bladder health. After a few weeks of that, she developed terrible skin irritation. Vet blamed this on allergy but I suspected it was the food. Vet said not the food and gave her antibiotic. Three weeks later itching badly severely so the vet gave her more of the antibiotic.

I took her off the dog food. She had been on an all natural dog food prior to the Hills. I'm giving her all natural again and she's better but I want to support good bladder health. What should I add to her diet? Does she need more fiber? Should I give her more vegetables? She loves vegetables if they're cooked.

Your opinion would be appreciated.

Suggestion From Our Veterinarian<

Hello,

I’m afraid it’s impossible for me to make a specific recommendation for your dog since I haven’t had the chance to examine her and review her records in detail. Giving her the wrong type of nutritional supplement or diet could make her condition worse rather than better!

Your dog’s situation does sound complicated and very likely has a variety of causes (dietary, allergic, etc.) that are all interacting with one another. If you are not pleased with the approach that your veterinarian is taking and he or she does not seem open to discussing alternatives, you can always seek a second opinion.

Since you sound interested in feeding a natural diet, perhaps a veterinarian who specializes in holistic care and complementary therapies would be a good match for you. The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has a “find a vet” tool available on their website.

Another option would be to make use of the services of a veterinary nutritionist (available through many veterinary schools or services such as BalanceIt.com and Petdiets.com) who can formulate nutritionally balanced recipes based on your dog’s particular needs.

Best of luck,


Jennifer Coates, DVM