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Hey everyone...it's been a while since I've been around here, and I need to talk dog food with someone more knowledgeable than myself.
A few years ago, my dog Argos had to have a surgery to remove a struvite bladder stone. I was referred by my normal vet to a new clinic which was better suited to the task. The way that the new vet explained it to me was that it is a rare type of stone that the dog will be prone to having issues with repeatedly, unless he is put on a prescription diet.
In this case, Hill's U/D, whereas I used to feed him Blue Buffalo.
Over the past few years, there have been two instances during which he refuses to eat his kibble. The last time that it happened, he would refuse his morning meal but eat in the evening and it only lasted a short while, so I didn't think much of it.
More recently, he went about a week where he would refuse his meals again on a regular basis. Long story short, he'll eat broccoli, tuna, wet food (hill's UD), but not the kibble. He acts like he's being punished when I give him a meal. At first I thought that he was being picky, so I would pick up the food that he refused to eat.
Over time, it became evident that something was wrong. Over the course of Monday-Tuesday, I'd noticed first that he seemed to be having trouble having a bowel movement, then it felt like he had a gland slightly swollen in his neck, and then that his eye on the same side was producing green mucus. Then, on Wednesday, I noticed that both his penis (sheath) and testicles were swollen and red. He seemed to have some sort of fluid buildup on his stomach, evidenced by a sort of flappy patch of skin that was never there before. Nothing oozing or even gross, just an area where his belly wasn't as tight as it usually is.
Life being what it has been lately, the earliest I could get him to the vet was Thursday.
The vet gave him an antibiotic injection and another for the swelling and fever (103), and prescribed Amoxicillin and something that looks like it reads "Vetprofen"? They had trouble getting a urine sample but finally got one as I was trying to leave; from what I understand, it seems as though he's got an infection in his liver (my vet is very difficult to understand at times due to a speech impediment). They want to see him again on Monday for a follow-up.
He seems to be doing better than he was earlier in the week, the swelling has gone down somewhat and he will eat anything EXCEPT the Hill's U/D kibble. I have a feeling that this food is what is causing the problem that he is having.
I've done some reading online and I'm really seeing some foul things about Hill's brand dog food in general. I've always felt that the ingredients as listed on the bag were inferior to the (MUCH CHEAPER) food that I was feeding him before, but I've been under the impression all this time that I don't have another choice.
Anyone have any thoughts on my issue?
http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-canine-ud-canine-non-struvite-urinary-tract-health-dry.html
A few years ago, my dog Argos had to have a surgery to remove a struvite bladder stone. I was referred by my normal vet to a new clinic which was better suited to the task. The way that the new vet explained it to me was that it is a rare type of stone that the dog will be prone to having issues with repeatedly, unless he is put on a prescription diet.
In this case, Hill's U/D, whereas I used to feed him Blue Buffalo.
Over the past few years, there have been two instances during which he refuses to eat his kibble. The last time that it happened, he would refuse his morning meal but eat in the evening and it only lasted a short while, so I didn't think much of it.
More recently, he went about a week where he would refuse his meals again on a regular basis. Long story short, he'll eat broccoli, tuna, wet food (hill's UD), but not the kibble. He acts like he's being punished when I give him a meal. At first I thought that he was being picky, so I would pick up the food that he refused to eat.
Over time, it became evident that something was wrong. Over the course of Monday-Tuesday, I'd noticed first that he seemed to be having trouble having a bowel movement, then it felt like he had a gland slightly swollen in his neck, and then that his eye on the same side was producing green mucus. Then, on Wednesday, I noticed that both his penis (sheath) and testicles were swollen and red. He seemed to have some sort of fluid buildup on his stomach, evidenced by a sort of flappy patch of skin that was never there before. Nothing oozing or even gross, just an area where his belly wasn't as tight as it usually is.
Life being what it has been lately, the earliest I could get him to the vet was Thursday.
The vet gave him an antibiotic injection and another for the swelling and fever (103), and prescribed Amoxicillin and something that looks like it reads "Vetprofen"? They had trouble getting a urine sample but finally got one as I was trying to leave; from what I understand, it seems as though he's got an infection in his liver (my vet is very difficult to understand at times due to a speech impediment). They want to see him again on Monday for a follow-up.
He seems to be doing better than he was earlier in the week, the swelling has gone down somewhat and he will eat anything EXCEPT the Hill's U/D kibble. I have a feeling that this food is what is causing the problem that he is having.
I've done some reading online and I'm really seeing some foul things about Hill's brand dog food in general. I've always felt that the ingredients as listed on the bag were inferior to the (MUCH CHEAPER) food that I was feeding him before, but I've been under the impression all this time that I don't have another choice.
Anyone have any thoughts on my issue?
http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-canine-ud-canine-non-struvite-urinary-tract-health-dry.html
