Struvite Crystals are one category of balder stone from a total of six. It is also called magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) and knows as triple phosphate uroliths. Struvite also can develop in the kidney, where it is known as nephroliths. In this disease, 85% of patients are female dogs, and Just 15% are males. We suggest using high-quality, balanced formula dog food to prevent struvite crystals.
It usually forms many crystals combined with the urinary tract infection from the urease-producing bacteria such as staphylococcus proteus. Urease is an enzyme, and its friendly function is to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea and form carbon dioxide and ammonia. It is mainly responsible for struvite and alkaline urine that is high in Ph urine.
Dog parents, caregivers, and vets want to prevent struvite crystals efficiently, but what can work and what not is a topic of confusion.
Using the best dog food for allergies is also comes as prevention as these foods are made without grains, and most of the elements which cause struvite crystals are not found in these foods.
What is the Main Cause of Struvite Crystals?
We consider thousands of reviews and comments to find what went wrong that cause structural crystal and find that its only cheap and poor-quality diet leads to this disease. To prevent the struvite, you need to switch on quality balanced formula.
Low-quality formulas only concentrate on proteins and fats, and most of them use cheap sources to get these two ingredients that result in an imbalanced formula. Even most poor-quality dog foods contain more protein and other nutrients than required, which causes the problem.
Note: Dog foods to prevent struvite crystals are totally different from foods used to dilute the crystals.
Domestic dogs become more prone to new medical conditions but Thanks to God manufacturers are responding to such conditions; we recently dig into deep for Best low-fat canned dog food and Dog Food to Prevent Gas to prevent certain medical conditions.
In this article, we list the 5 Best Dog Food to Prevent Struvite Crystals that can help you to prevent struvite crystals. These balanced formulas provide all the nutrients that your dog needs and keep him away from such diseases.
1. Addiction Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Formulas Salmon
- First 5 Ingredients: Salmon Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Chicken Fat, Tapioca
- Type: Grain Free
- Profile: All Life stages food
- Best For: All Breeds
This food is proudly made in New Zealand, that considered the safest place to prepare meals. The primary ingredient is salmon from the bluest oceans. Addiction Pet Foods featured this food with sun-kissed berries and herbs. Herbs are used to phytonutrients that need to make this food balanced to avoid struvite crystals.
Delicious and quality salmon from New Zealand are used to provide all the necessary nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. It is high in natural antioxidants and Omega fatty acids to ensure that your dog never misses a single essential nutrient that he needs.
While feeding this food, you can see the difference in your dog’s activity level within a week. It will sharpen the mind of your dog and make the dog more playful and energetic to chase.
PROS
- Grain-Free.
- Optimally balanced nutrients.
- Hypoallergenic diet.
- Salmon based.
- Berries and herbs make it healthy.
CONS
- Nothing found not to love.
2. Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Grain-Free Dog Food
- First 5 Ingredients: Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Tripe, Beef Bone, Pumpkin Seed
- Type: Non-Grain Free
- Profile: All life Stages
- Best For: All Breeds
Most vets and experienced dog owners suggest feeding balanced and high-quality food with natural ingredients to avoid kidney and bladder stones. Studies show that imbalanced dog foods always lead to dangerous diseases like struvite crystals.
Stay sure you are feeding organic dog food when you feed Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Stella’s Super Beef Dinner Patties Grain-Free Dog Food. Ingredients of this food are sustainably sourced. So, it is the best dog food to prevent struvite crystals. We also review this food in the resource of Low Fat Dog Food Brands for Pancreatitis as it made to prevent certain medical conditions.
It is a balanced dog food to get healthy skin and a shiny coat. The manufacturer guarantees each protein is grass-fed and cage-free, wild-caught to provide the real taste. All of the foods from Stella & Chewy’s are 100% organic and single-sourced.
It is a good regulator that can control and expel unnecessary elements from your dog’s body.
PROS
- Contains 95% beef.
- 100% organic fruits.
- Minimally process.
- Contains added hormones.
- Freeze-dried.
CONS
- (Quality Issues) Bone shreds are reported in food recently.
3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Dog Food
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Tropicana starch, pea protein.
- Type: Grain Free
- Profile: For Adults
- Best For: All breeds
It’s packed with high protein and real chicken as the first ingredient in this food. It’s featured as a balanced food that provides all the required energy. It tastes excellent and smells sweet; your dog will start dibbling when your dog senses this food. It is the Best Dog Food to Prevent Struvite Crystals because of its balance and carefully selected ingredients.
Animal Nutrition at Blue Buffalo plays a critical role in crafting this recipe that is balanced and nutritious. It is a pure blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are carefully selected by nutrition to support your dog’s healthy digestion and immune system. Your dog will gain healthy carbohydrates to stay active from the real potatoes and peas; these two ingredients also support the natural digestion process.
It is food crafted for the well-being of your dog. Recently we noted that some of the negative comments point out the quality issues that were a concern. Later on, we find that genuine buyers are satisfied and saying that they are receiving the same quality food in every order.
PROS
- Chicken as the #1 ingredient
- Exclusive LifeSource Bits
- Two meals a day formula
- Provide joint support
- Easy to digest
CONS
- Not good for Picky eater
4. Iams Proactive Health Dog Food
- First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Beet Pulp
- Type: Non-Grain Free
- Profile: For Adults
- Best For: All Breeds
It is the most cost-effective solution on our list. It is a highly review food, and the manufacturer Iams featured the real chicken and vegetables that make it highly digestible and easy to chew. It contains prebiotics and fiber that are supportive of easy digesting and provide a healthy immune system.
Iams use farm-raised chicken to ensure protein quality, and this recipe is crafted as the most balanced and nutritious one. Thousands of positive reviews are enough to prove its quality food. Iams Proactive Health Minichunks Chicken Dry Dog Food is a veterinarian recommended and Best Dog Food to Prevent Struvite.
If your dog is a picky eater and does not like crunchy things, this is not food for your pooch. Most dogs like crunchy food because such food is natural to break down, but many not. So at first, consider your dog’s view towards crunch before buying.
PROS
- Minichunkgs dry dog food.
- Contain real farm-raised chicken.
- Quality protein.
- Provide healthy digestion.
- Supportive for the immune system.
- Good for healthy teeth.
CONS
- Not Recommended for seniors.
- Crunchy kibble.
5. Diamond Naturals Premium Dry Dog Food
- First 5 Ingredients: Beef meal, peas, ground white rice, egg product, dried yeast
- Type: Grain Free
- Profile: For Adult
- Best For: All Breeds
This food is recommended to get a sharp mind, healthy skin, and a shiny coat. It is featured with real beef protein for superior taste and energy. Fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6 make this food superior to others. It provides energy to chase and will keep your dog playful.
It is an enhanced food and best for all breeds; it is full of nutrition and made with pure natural ingredients. For enhancement, supplements are used. If you are feeding supplements to your dog other than food, switching to this food can save you money because it is an enhanced food containing all the supplements in a very balanced form.
Even if you are dealing with food allergies that can be handled with this food, it does not contain Wheat, soy corn, etc.
PROS
- Real beef protein.
- Superior taste and nutrition.
- Balanced vitamin E and selenium.
- Good for skin coat and skin.
- Contain super food probiotics.
- No corn, no wheat, no soy.
CONS
- Do not feed during a medical issue.
- Enhanced food.
Struvite Crystals in Dogs Foods to Avoid
When it’s finally clear that your dog caught into struvite crystals, that is a time to change your dog’s food. A portion of normal food cannot help your dog fight this health condition, even if it worsens the situation. Here are some foods that you need to avoid:
- Wheat/Corn/Rice
- Apple
- Banana
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Millet
- Honey
- Non-Distilled vinegar
- Alfalfa
- Squash
- Dairy products
- And High protein diets
You need to shift from grain-based food to others that depend on a high-quality meat source for protein. Always check with your veterinarian before feeding any vegetables to your dog, as most of them boost the production of struvite crystals. Keep in mind that Okra, Dandelion Greens, Raw endive, Beets, Spinach, Rhubarb, beet greens are high oxalate foods that also similarly dangerous for your dog and may boost the growth of struvite crystals. Oxalate foods are more dangerous for female dogs. If you know about the food well, then here are a few minerals that you need to avoid, which are:
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Ammonia
Dairy products are still fine until you can give them in strict moderation. A small quantity is safe to consume. But in case your dog is more prone to bladder struvite crystals, try to avoid dairy products or them as minimum as possible.
Keep balance in your dog’s diet, do not offer an excess of anything that can pose any threat. Here the balance is the key to success. It would be best if you keep your dog’s protein intake to a maximum of 20% daily.
Final Words
We recommend Addiction Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Formulas Salmon as the best dog food to prevent struvite crystals. It is the best-balanced formula available in the market. It can protect your dog from producing struvite crystals and also will provide him all the needed nutrition.