Struvite crystals are one type of urinary blockage that pet cats can develop.
Feline struvite crystals diet.
Struvite crystals are the most common form of mineral crystals that form in a cats urinary tract.
Avoid a diet that is vegetarian or cereal based and likely to cause alkaline urine which promotes struvite crystals.
Peak incidence of struvite uroliths in cats appears to be between 2 and 7 years of age.
Risk factors struvite uroliths.
When cats develop struvite risk of recurrence is reasonably high dr.
7 8 however one study found.
Dry cat food provides very little moisture in their diet can make their urine too concentrated making it difficult for them to pass the crystals.
Due to the lack of moisture in the diet the urine becomes too concentrated and highly alkaline.
Some male cats can develop blockages in their urethras the tube through which urine travels out of the bladder from the tiny crystals or full blown stones can develop in a cat s urinary tract.
Around half of all urinary stones in cats are struvite crystals.
Female cats appear to have increased risk for struvite urolithiasis.
If you must use processed foods use canned foods which contain large amounts of water rather than dry foods.
Kornreich notes owners of cats who develop struvite stones may need to control their pets weight through diet and exercise in addition to feeding a struvite prevention diet.
The cause of struvite crystals in cats is most often the result of eating dry cat food.
Breeds reported to have decreased risk for struvite uroliths include burmese persian himalayan rex abyssinian russian blue birman and siamese.
Struvite specifically is a material that is composed of magnesium ammonium and phosphate.
Wysong uretic feline diet was created by a veterinary and it is prepared specifically for urinary health.
Make homemade food for dogs with chronic bladder stones.
Dry and canned therapeutic foods are 100 effective in dissolving feline struvite uroliths in about 1 to 3 weeks.
The crystals themselves can be perfectly normal but become problematic when they combine to form grit or stones of varying shapes and sizes.
The three standard crystals in cats are struvite oxalate and urate.
Struvite crystals are microscopic crystals that are found in the urine of some cats.
Cat crystals do not tend to appear in a more acidic environment a low ph and where the urine is more.
Diet has played an important role in struvite dissolution and prevention for over 3 5 years.
Cats that are routinely fed a diet of dry food are particularly at risk for struvite crystals.
These crystals form when there is more magnesium calcium phosphorus or protein in the urine that it can be dissolved.
Dissolving feline struvite stones struvite is the most common feline stone analyzed by the minnesota urolith center.