Q.I have a 16-year-old female Bichon who has been suffering from struvite bladder infections (no stones) since she was diagnosed with Lyme disease several years ago. With the help of a ledum regimen (she could not tolerate antibiotics), she got through the Lyme, but it compromised her kidneys and caused some arthritis. I give her Thorne Arthroplex for the arthritis. The ledum must have helped her kidneys because they seem fine now. But now she is on antibiotics for the bladder infections.

I have fed her a raw diet most of her life and limit vaccines, but I don’t know what to do to prevent the bladder infections. I have tried D-Mannose and Berry Balance but she stops eating when I add these supplements. A sonogram indicated her kidneys have shrunk a bit, but the values suggest no renal problems. The vet says shrinking kidneys are normal for an old dog. I have been giving her the homeopathic remedy Renelix and Akutur UTI Support Drops but they don’t seem to be helping either. I just started giving Cholodin, thinking it might help with old age.

What should I feed her? I can’t seem to find a good supplement. Unfortunately, she’s picky and knows when her food is doctored.

 

A.I’m a bit confused as to why she’s on antibiotics for the bladder infection when she could not tolerate them previously. In our practice, we use Urinary Aid by Professional Complementary Health and UT Strength by Vetri Science Labs for bladder infections. One fairly new product broadly accepted across veterinary medicine is Azodyl by Vetoquinol.

For further kidney support, we commonly use a glandular supplement by Miller Pharmacal named Kidney, or Renal Complex by Professional Complemetary Health. The diet should consist of high quality whole foods, fairly low in carbohydrates. It has been proven that protein restriction is not only unnecessary in cases like this, but can actually cause or contribute to cachexia and wasting.