What to Feed a Dog with Thyroid Problems & Struvite Crystals

Novmeber 11, 2014

Hi Jody,
You wrote,
" the research i have done suggests that a lot of the problems Kimbo has had could be rectified with a raw/natural type diet."

You are correct!

Kimbo's immune system must be very weak considering he is only THREE years old and has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism!

And now he is forming struvite crystals in his urine, which indicates that the food he is being fed is creating an alkaline urine, (pH OVER 7).

RAW food diets for dogs will create the proper pH for a carnivore, which is pH 6-6.5. Raw meat also contains vitamin C, which will help to boost his immune system. You can monitor his pH yourself, (and I suggest that you do, to make sure he is in the correct pH range) by buying pH strips from a pharmacy or pool supply store. Check his urine either right before he eats or several hours after eating to get the right pH.

If Kimbo's urine pH DOES NOT return to the correct range, he may need to have some apple cider vinegar added to his food, until he does have the correct pH.

For his thyroid, I suggest that you start him on a supplement called, Thytrophin. This is a glandular supplement made by Standard Process. It DOES NOT contain any thyroid hormone, it contains all of the 'building blocks' to support a healthy thyroid gland. When you are giving him the Soloxine, his pituitary registers that he has enough thyroid hormone in his system, so it does not send any message to the thyroid to make hormone. So, in the long run, the thyroid gland begins to atrophy. Giving Thytrophin, I have been able to reduce the amount of Soloxine needed for many patients. You can order it on amazon.com.

His dose would be 1/2-1 tablet two times daily. After one month, you should have his T4 checked, to see if the level has actually increased. If so, then DECREASE the Soloxine, and maintain the same Thytrophin. After another 1-2 months, check again. If thyroid level is good, then decrease the Soloxine again. You may need to have a holistic vet, who has examined Kimbo and has studied his labwork, coax you through this period.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

For a RAW diet, to maintain Kimbo at 30 lbs, he will need to eat between 500-550 calories per day. Which you can divide into two meals of 250-275 calories twice a day. Most raw foods will list the number of calories on the package. Since the calories will vary depending on the ingredients. Beef may have more calories than chicken, etc. For dogs that need to have more 'quantity' of food, I will sometimes suggest adding in vegetables such as green beans. This is NOT a good idea for Kimbo, since vegetables will cause the pH of his urine to increase over 7. He needs more meat in his diet to keep the urine more acidic. Of course, as you begin transitioning his food to include more raw, you need to monitor his urine pH to make sure you keep him in the correct range of 6-6.5.

He should also take some immune supplements, check out the following:
1. Missing Link Canine Formula
2. Immuplex from Standard Process
3. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

AND, NO MORE vaccinations. Vaccines exert a very powerful negative effect on the immune system. Holistic veterinarians call this effect, 'vaccinosis'. If diet, and supplements, do not help correct the underlying imbalance, then homeopathic remedies are needed to address this and bring the system back to normal health.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the 'click here to add your own comments' link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.