Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 7.5 year old male pug has recurrent stones. He had them removed last March and we were just told he has more. He has been on the U/D diet. The vet wants to do a urethrostomy so that future recurrences can be flushed out. I am not feeling very comfortable about this procedure and would like to know the alternatives. If I find a holistic vet in my area, Philadephia, Pa, what would be a probable treatment plan? Is removal of the stones absolutely necessary? I've read several sources on the net that swear by a homemade diet with supplements.

He does have some other health problems as well - ruptured ear drum that caused facial nerve paralysis along with head tilt and droopy face. He's also overweight and always hungry!

Thank you.

Oxylate stones are more difficult to dissolve than struvite crystals. They develop in acid urine, so if you are adding anything acidic, such as ascorbic acid or cider vinegar, it would be advisable to stop. If you feed a meat-based diet, without grain, adding water and salt to the food, it would help prevent stone formation. The only supplement I have found to dissolve oxylates is a chinese formulation, which works slowly, but the operation should not be necessary, for that assumes that the problem will continue.