Boxers and reoccuring UTI's?

Question

I have a 5 and a half year old spayed female boxer. I rescued her a year ago from a rescue league so I don't know much of her background. However, I do know that for some reason, boxers tend to be prone to UTI's. (Urinary Tract Infections)

We had her on Science Diet Maintenance dry/canned for about the first 10 months or so. I recently switched her to Iams Large Breed dry/canned. She does well on it but her urinary pH is shooting back up.

Now I know that the food "ingredient", ash, has some role in the pH. My question lies in what good quality food(s) are good for boxers? And can anyone tell me that these "breed specific" diets are actually any different than regular food?

Thanks for all your advice.

Answer 1

The PH of the urine will affect crystal or stone formation. What is the cause of her UTI's? Have they figured it out? Some females have a fold of skin covering their vulva, and this catches puddles of urine, increasing the incidence of infection. A simple surgical procedure can fix this permanently. Something to ask about. If she is having the infections from abnormal PH, then a veterinary prescription diet should be recommended to correct it. Ask your vet about one of them. The breed specific diets generally are geared to small or big dogs, and can differ in mineral and protein content. I don't think they'll matter much in the way of UTI's.