Q: When Maggie came to us, she had already been in two other homes. Both homes returned her to the breeder because she could not be house broken. When we got her, we noticed that she would go right where she stood, no matter where that was. I took her to my vet and he diagnosed her with a bladder infection. She was about three months old when we got her. So, looking back I can see where she has had bladder problems from a very early age. (I wonder had the first people who owned her taken her to the vet and found out what was wrong and had it treated….would it have ended up a minor infection, whereas, now, she will be forever likely to have a recurrence of the infection and more stones.) After treatment the first time she seemed better. She became house broken and we were all happy. When she again began to go where she stood, I knew the problem was back. I had never heard of dog bladder stones. She probably suffered for a long time before we began to see the symptoms.

I hope this never happens to her again. We are trying to be diligent in what she eats now. It is hard for me to withhold the treats and “people food” she loves so much. I realize now that I was literally killing her with kindness when I would give in to her pleading brown eyes and give her just about anything she wanted. If you come up with something that would be safe for her, please let me know.

A: Maggie is a lucky little girl to have found you! Thanks for sharing your story. Some treat ideas for Maggie:

Try giving her ice cubes…many dogs love them, especially in the warm weather. It is my dog’s favorite treat and she waits at the freezer door! Try making baked treats from her dog food. Put a small (dime-sized) amount of canned dog food (patted out flat) on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on the food). This way she is getting a treat that is good for her. Small bits of unflavored rice cakes can also serve as a little crunchy treat.

Bon appétit, Maggie!

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 12th, 2008 at 7:34 am and is filed under Ask a Vet, Dr Donna Spector, Natural Pet Care, Pet Health, Pet Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.