# Urinary Issues



## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

My male GSD is 4 months off 7 years of age. About 6 months ago he went to work like normal when he suddenly stopped urinating. He was raced to emergency and seemed like he was going into shutdown. He spent 3 days in ICU before being transferred to a specialist.

At the time infection, stones etc were ruled out ... so they operated. His prostate was found to be suspect but thankfully pathology ruled out cancer. There prostate was slightly enlarged and was believed to be pressing on the urethra. He was desexed on the table and after 6 days he was back to normal ... and we are $4,600 poorer.

4/5 days ago the same dog has a partial tear in his crucial ligament .... so he is on daily doses of metacam and received a injection of Pentosan. On his last outing for a toilet break (he is confined) I noticed his urine stream is weak - he is still passing but it just takes longer.

I desperately need some advice .... what are some options. He had ever test under the sun about 6 months ago and we thought this problem was fixed.

We are a little short on money at the moment and can't really justify another large vet bill ... even though we do love this dog


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I would start easy and cheap: urinalysis and culture.

Get a clean catch of the first urine of the day and drop it off as soon as you can after catching it. (Call the vet so they know it's coming, of course.)


JMO, not a health professional.

Post back after the tests.


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## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

Is it likely to be a caused by something different this time? 

I had a culture and urinalysis done the first time and both came back negative (which is why they operated) - these tests cost me about $500.

Would changing his diet to raw be of any help? Or is there something in his diet which we need to avoid?

I don't want it to seem money is the only issue here. Our previous dog (rottie) died 12 months ago - about 6 weeks after being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate ... and we have a new GSD pup arriving tomorrow. Money is not normally this tight ... and all the recent expenses the dog funds are reaching a low point.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

I’m not saying this is good advice but if he is still pissing I would wait it out a little bit before throwing more money at it. Hell I’m 38 and I don’t flow like I did at 18, and I hear it doesn’t get any better. Sometimes I get tired of standing there. (maybe I’ll start sitting?) I don’t know if anyone can really make a real call with the info you supplied but I wouldn’t expect miracles by going raw.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Tilly Smith said:


> Is it likely to be a caused by something different this time?
> 
> I had a culture and urinalysis done the first time and both came back negative (which is why they operated) - these tests cost me about $500.


You are thinking of something else done with the urinalysis, probably an ultrasound; the urinalysis runs around $40 to $50 here, as low as $30 some places. 

The culture might run another $50, but start with the urinalysis.

Trust me: I do not mean $500 when I say "I'd start easy and cheap."

I mean $40 and then, depending on that result, consider the culture at maybe $50 more.

If the dog has a UTI, finding it now is much cheaper than later.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

If the test tells you he is forming struvite crystals or something, then post back about diet.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Tilly Smith said:


> ... Would changing his diet to raw be of any help? Or is there something in his diet which we need to avoid?


What is his diet? I stopped and thought after the last post. He's not on some crap-in-a-bag, right? If not, then as much of a fresh raw advocate as I am, no, a switch to raw is not going to cure the problems he has had so far.


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## Tilly Smith (May 6, 2009)

He diet is mainly chicken frames, chicken pieces, chicken necks, a mince mix (mackeral, beef mince, chicken mince, veges - usually served with yoghurt and an egg), beef/roo mince, brisket bones, lamb flaps and some Eukanuba Large Breed.

We had to keep adding Eukanuba (this is the only dry food they will eat) because we found we had lots of trouble keeping weight on feeding purely raw.

He is currently eating about 3-4kg of meat and 1 cup of dry food which can change to about 2kg of meat and up to 3 cups of dry food when we need to put weight back on him. His weight ranges from 55kg to about 60kg - 60kg is a good weight for him.

Eukanuba has a urinary tract care product - which I am thinking of looking into...


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Tilly Smith said:


> Eukanuba has a urinary tract care product - which I am thinking of looking into...


I'd have the urinalysis done.

I consider Eukanuba crap-in-a-bag, but regardless, I would never be looking at a so-called kidney diet food without even diagnosing a problem.

And if he does have a UTI, and you want some material about far better nutrition support than Eukanuba (or any of the brands of K/D foods), just PM me. JMO, of course.

Here's a thread going on right now about adding calories for a raw-fed dog:
http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f25/keeping-weight-raw-fed-dogs-11100/

It sounds like the raw part of the dog's diet is very good. Good for you!


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