Doesn't like s/d.

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer because legally I can't make medical recommendations for Copper unless he was my patient. But, I can give you my thoughts.

I have had a few patients that would not eat s/d, so that is not that uncommon. You may want to ask your vet if a switch to Royal Canin s/o is a possibility. Most dogs really like the taste of s/o and it is usually a very good food for dogs with struvite stones (which is probably what Copper has if he is on s/d).

There are medications that can acidify a dog's urine and can prevent struvite stones from forming. However, they are not recommended because they can actually cause the urine to become too basic and can predispose dogs to getting another type of stone called calcium oxalate.

I'm reluctant to recommend a diet because I find that it is very difficult to cook a balanced diet for dogs. The risk again here would be that if you find foods that acidify the urine enough to dissolve struvite stones then they may end up promoting calcium oxalate stones. The medical diets such as s/d and royal canin are extensively tested so that they will be safe in this respect (and no, I have no affiliation with either company.)

If I have a case like this where I need a dog to eat a prescription food and he won't eat it, what I often do is consult with the food companies. Both Hills and Royal Canin are excellent at consulting with veterinary staff to go over challenging cases like this. They may be able to suggest a combo of foods that might work or may have alternative solutions.

I hope things look up soon!

Dr. Marie.

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