10 Best Dog Food for Urinary Health [2023]

A dog’s urinary system processes and removes waste from the body. The urinary conditions that can affect your dog include urinary infections, crystals, and bladder stones. These urinary issues should be addressed once symptoms are observed for a quick recovery. If your dog has a urinary problem, the best dog food for urinary health might become a requirement to help and manage an existing condition. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, these urinary problems can turn fatal.

Finding the right dog food for urinary health isn’t as easy as it sounds. This post will help you find the best dog food for urinary tract health. Let’s get started.

Best Dog Food for Urinary Health

When writing this article, we’ve evaluated various dog food for urinary health options and chose the best products. Further down you’ll find reviews on each food product with the pros and cons. If you know what your dog needs, follow these links directly to products.

1. Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food – one of the best dog food for urinary tract infections
2. Blue Buffalo Urinary Care Dry Dog Food
3. Royal Canin Urinary Dog Food – Premium Choice
4. Purina Canine UR Urinary Ox/St Dog Food (Dry)
5. Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Dog Food
6. Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food, Small Breed
7. Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Wet Dog Food
8. Royal Canin Canine Urinary SO Aging 7+ Loaf in Sauce Canned Dog Food
9. Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d Multi-Benefit Digestive/Weight/Glucose/Urinary Management Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food
10. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Why is your dog’s urinary health important?

Your dog’s urinary health is crucial to its internal functions. The dog’s urinary tract includes kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra.

Your dog’s urinary system works to process and remove waste from its body. If there are urinary tract issues, the dog’s system can no longer remove these waste products.

Bladder and urinary tract problems might include infections, crystals, or stones. These urinary health issues can affect your dog’s comfort and overall health.

Signs your dog may have urinary health problems

Here are some symptoms that your dog may have urinary health problems:

• Frequent urination
• Accidents in the house due to loss of bladder control
• Excessive thirst
• Bloody or cloudy urine
• Excessive licking, particularly around the urinary opening
• Strong odor in the urine
• Fever in UTIs
• Changes in dog’s weight and appetite
• Lethargy

Sometimes, dogs don’t show any symptoms of urinary health problems. If your dog’s urinary tract problems go untreated, it can disrupt urine output and lead to toxic levels of waste buildup.

Pay attention to your dog’s behavior as some symptoms of urinary tract health problems are not easy to spot. If you notice signs of pain and discomfort, particularly while your dog is urinating, call your vet to figure out the problems and the best treatment course to deal with them.

Causes of urinary tract health problems in dogs

Some of the common causes of urinary health issues in dogs are:

• Inability to hold urine due to weak bladder
• Bladder infection or inflammation
• Stones, crystals, or debris in the dog’s bladder or urethra
• Stress or trauma
• Prostate disease
• Cancer
• Congenital abnormality
• Spinal cord abnormalities

Diagnosing a dog’s urinary tract health problems requires a visit to the vet. The health checkup includes a physical examination of the kidneys and bladder. Your vet may also likely perform a urinalysis, blood work, urine culture, radiographs, and ultrasound.

How can I promote my dog’s urinary health?

The most significant considerations for your dog’s urinary health are:

• You should track how much food and water your dog consumes.
• Dilute your dog’s urine by increasing your dog’s water intake. Make sure your dog has plenty of water. Frequent urination flushes your dog’s urinary tract.
• Reduce the intake of the compounds that make up the bladder stones in the diet. Excessive intake of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium can cause crystals and stones to form in dogs’ urine.
• Monitor your dog’s urine pH to ensure it does not become overly acidic. High acid levels in urine can create a hostile environment for unhealthy and hostile bacteria.
• Try to prevent bacterial infections or treat bacterial infections as soon as possible to promote good urinary tract health.
• Keep the area around your dog’s urinary opening clean. You can use antibacterial wipes to clean this area.
• If you observe symptoms like pain and discomfort in dogs during urinating, call your vet to figure out the problem and the best way to treat it. An underlying medical condition might also be what’s behind your dog’s discomfort.

If you suspect a urinary problem in your dog, speak to your vet about your dog’s condition and diet.

By giving a nutritionally balanced diet, you will set your dog up for a healthy urinary system that is not disposed to stones, crystals, infections, or hostile bacteria. The good news is that many dog foods help maintain urinary health in dogs.

10 Best dog food for urinary health

Choosing a good dog food for your dog’s urinary health can be challenging. We’re here to help you select the right diet to support your pet’s urinary health.

After extensive research, we have picked the following best dog foods to maintain your dog’s urinary health. Let’s take a look at them:

1. Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food

Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Dry Dog Food is a veterinary diet specially formulated to support your dog’s urinary health. The unique formula reduces protein, magnesium, and phosphorus to help reduce the chance of your dog getting a bladder stone. The dog food for urinary health also has controlled fat levels and low sodium to help prevent high blood pressure.

This dog food for urinary health is enriched with antioxidants, potassium citrate, and omega-3 fatty acids. It is packed with natural ingredients to help dissolve struvite stones. You need a prescription to get it from Amazon!

Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Dry Dog Food maintains a 4.8-star rating from 574 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• Flavor: Chicken
• Item form: dry food
• Enriched with antioxidants, potassium citrate, and omega-3
• Low sodium
• Prescription diet
• Urinary care formula

Pros

• Many buyers mentioned that their dog loves the chicken flavor.
• Buyers feel that this dry dog food is great for dogs with UTI issues.
• For a prescription diet, this dog food is very affordable.
• Prevents high blood pressure in dogs

Cons

• A problem highlighted by buyers is that dog food has less protein and more fat in it.

 

2. Blue Buffalo Urinary Care Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet Urinary Care Dog Food is formulated to help your dog achieve optimum weight and maintain urinary health. Made with the finest natural ingredients, the dog food for urinary health is packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Blue

Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet Urinary Care Dog Food includes ideal amounts of fat, calories and prevents the formation of kidney stones. The increased fiber helps dogs feel full and promote weight loss.

The formulas contain no chicken by-product meals. It doesn’t contain corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or chemical preservatives. This dog food for urinary health requires your vet’s authorization.

Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet Urinary Care Dog Food online maintains a 4.5-star rating from 99 customer reviews.

Key Features

• Flavor: Chicken
• Item form: dry dog food
• Made with the finest natural ingredients
• Increased fiber
• Weight management and urinary care formula
• Includes ideal levels of fats and calories
• Enhanced with vitamins and minerals
• No corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives

Pros

• The best thing about this dog food is that no prescription is needed from the vet.
• Reviewers backup claims Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet Urinary Care Dog Food is an excellent food for dogs who develop urinary stones.
• Buyers have mentioned that this dog food is wholesome, natural diet.
• Helps dogs feel full longer.

Cons

• Some reviews report that this dog food doesn’t taste yummy to dogs.

 

3. Royal Canin Urinary Dog Food – Premium Choice

Royal Canin Urinary SO Dry Dog Food dissolves urinary stones from your dog’s urinary tract and prevents them from returning. It creates an environment unfavorable to crystal formation in the bladder. Royal Canin Urinary So Dog Food also helps dissolve struvite stones and prevent calcium oxalate stones.

The formula has less protein, magnesium, and phosphorus to prevent the growth of new bladder stones. Royal Canin Urinary So Dog Food also lowers the pH of your dog’s urine to prevent stone formation in the bladder. The Urinary So Dog Food is packed with ingredients that work to increase the amount of urine your dog expels.

Royal Canin Urinary So Dog Food maintains a 4.2-star rating from 173 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• Item form: dry
• Supports urinary health
• Lowers the pH of your dog’s urine
• Prevent the growth of new stones
• Vet approval required

Pros

• Many good reviews stated that the Royal Canin Urinary So Dog Food is great for picky eaters.
• Reviewers back up claim that it definitely does work on Crystals.
• Helps prevent the growth of new bladder stones.
• Buyers have mentioned that the formula helps dogs with a sensitive stomach.
• Reviews stated that dog food is good for dogs with kidney problems.

Cons

• Some buyers expressed concerns that it is quite expensive for dog food.

 

4. Purina Canine UR Urinary Ox/St Dog Food (Dry)

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary Ox/St Dog Food promotes an unfavorable environment for the development of sterile struvite and calcium oxalate crystals. The formula helps reduce the risk of both sterile struvite and calcium oxalate stone recurrence.

The dog food for urinary health is made with premium quality ingredients. It is formulated to promote your dog’s urinary health. This non-prescription dog food for urinary health works well for dogs with urinary infections.

Purina Urinary Dog Food maintains a 4.6-star rating from 159 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• Flavor: Chicken
• Item form: dry
• Contains antioxidants
• High-quality ingredients
• Reduces the risk of both sterile struvite and calcium oxalate stone

Pros

• The positive reviews stated that the dog food for urinary health is a great option for dogs with both types of bladder crystals
• Buyers love this product as it works well for dogs with urinary tract infections.
• Promotes your dog’s urinary health

Cons

• However, some customers had complaints about this dog food. A few noted that the dog food causes diarrhea in some dogs.

 

5. Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan UR Urinary Wet Dog Food promotes an unfavorable urinary environment for developing both sterile struvite crystals and calcium oxalate crystals. The formula helps dissolve bladder stones and reduce the risk of recurrence.

The non-prescription dog food for urinary health contains significant moisture and contributes to your dog’s total water intake. The high-quality ingredients of this wet dog food help reduce the risk of bladder stone formation in dogs. It also has a reduced-fat and salt content to maintain stable blood pressure.

Online, Purina dog food for urinary health maintains a 4.5-star rating from 121 customer reviews.

Key Features

• Item form: wet
• Great taste
• Made with high-quality protein
• Promotes an unfavorable urinary environment for urine crystals
• Non-prescription dog food for urinary health

Pros

• Some buyers have reported that Purina Urinary Dog Food works well with picky eaters.
• Reviews also praise this product for maintaining dog urinary health
• An affordable option
• Customers have mentioned that their dog seems to enjoy this wet dog food for urinary health.

Cons

• A complaint from buyers is that the dog food causes diarrhea.

 

6. Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food, Small Breed

Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food is formulated with high-quality protein and wholesome grains like rice. It’s designed to support the unique health requirements of small dogs.

It  is supported by omega fatty acids, antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics, and taurine and it doesn’t include meat by-products, fillers, or chemical preservatives.

Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food maintains a 4.7-star rating from 1601 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• First ingredient: turkey
• Item form: dry
• Packed with finest globally sourced ingredients
• Free of meat by-products, fillers, or chemical preservatives
• Includes wholesome grains such as rice
• Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
• Wholesome grains like rice
• Made in the USA

Pros

• The biggest selling point of this dog food is that it helps support a healthy immune system.
• Most reviews show promising results for supporting the unique health needs of small dogs
• Effective for dogs to lose weight
• Helps to maintain good urinary health
• Small kibble is easy to digest and chew

Cons

• Some buyers have reported that dog food causes diarrhea in some dogs.

 

7. Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Wet Dog Food

Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Wet Dog Food is specially formulated to support your dog’s urinary tract health. The premium food is enriched with antioxidants, potassium citrate, and omega-3 fatty acids.

The wet dog food for urinary health includes controlled magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus levels. The formula helps reduce the building blocks of struvite stones and calcium oxalate stones.

Online, Hill’s c/d Multicare Urinary Care Wet Dog Food maintains a 4.5-star rating from 189 customer reviews.

Key Features

• Flavor: chicken
• Item form: wet
• Prescription diet
• Packed with antioxidants, potassium citrate, and omega-3
• Suitable for lifelong feeding of adult dogs
• Made in the USA

Pros

• Many buyers were pleased as the food works perfectly for dogs with kidney problems.
• Most buyers love it because it includes controlled fat levels and low sodium.
• Buyers have mentioned that dog food improves senior dogs’ ability to urinate.

Cons

• Some buyers reported that the Hill’s c/d Multicare Urinary Care Wet Dog Food was dry.

 

8. Royal Canin Canine Urinary SO Aging 7+ Loaf in Sauce Canned Dog Food

Royal Canin Canine Urinary SO Canned Dog Food is developed to nutritionally support your dog’s urinary tract and bladder health. It helps dissolve and prevent struvite stones and calcium oxalate stones.

Dog food for urinary health also helps lower the risk of crystal formation for better urinary health. It stimulates aging dogs’ decreasing appetite with highly palatable canned dog food.

Royal Canin Canine Urinary SO Canned Dog Food maintains a 5-star rating from 2 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• Item form: gravy
• Designed with Relative Super Saturation (RSS) methodology
• Promotes your dog’s urinary tract health

Pros

• It complements your dog’s diet or is used for mixed feeding.
• Suitable for long-term urinary support.
• Provides a feeling of satisfaction and a fuller stomach.
• Helps lower ion concentration in urine.
• Lowers the risk of urine crystal formation.

Cons

• Vet approval required

 

9. Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d Multi-Benefit Digestive/Weight/Glucose/Urinary Management Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food

Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d Multi-Benefit Dry Dog Food is a perfect solution for your dog’s digestive, weight, glucose, and urinary management. The therapeutic L-carnitine levels in dog food help metabolize fat and maintain lean muscle.

Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d Multi-Benefit Dry Dog Food has high fiber and low-fat content. This helps to maintain a healthy weight and promotes good urinary health.

Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d Multi-Benefit Dry Dog Food maintains a 4.4-star rating from 569 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• Flavor: Chicken
• Item form: dry
• An ideal blend of soluble and insoluble fiber
• Low fat and low-calorie diet
• Suitable for digestive, weight, glucose, and urinary management
• Veterinary diet

Pros

• Customers are praising the dog food for promoting healthy urinary tract health.
• Buyers have mentioned that dog food works great with diabetic and overweight dogs.
• Many positive reviews have acknowledged the great taste of dog food.

Cons

• Many low reviews stated that the dog food is a little pricier.

 

10. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is designed to provide balanced and complete nutrition to your dog. It helps support bones, joints, and lean muscles. This dog food for urinary health provides powerful antioxidants to help maintain overall vitality.

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food contains high levels of vitamin B12 for a strong immune system. Your furry companion will be less likely to develop urinary tract problems

with all the additional vitamins and minerals.

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food maintains a 4.7-star rating from 15,481 customer reviews on the internet.

Key Features

• Includes omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat
• Grain-free
• Doesn’t include artificial flavors or artificial colors
• Nutrient-rich
• Made in the USA

Pros

• The best thing about this is that it helps support bones and joints.
• Buyers love it because dog food for urinary health is great for the dog’s immune system and overall wellness.
• It helps support bones, joints, and lean muscles.

Cons

• Many negative reviews believe that this flavor is not enjoyed by all dogs.

 

What can I feed my dog with urinary problems?

Here are a few amazing things that you can add to homemade dog food for urinary health:

• Cranberry works great to counteract bacterial infections in the urinary tract and prevents stone formation.
• Supplements that prevent urinary problems include
• vitamins A,
• vitamin D,
• fish oil,
• vitamin B complex, and
• vitamin C.
• These supplements help acidify urine and prevent urinary tract infections.
• Goldenseal, an antimicrobial herb, can help prevent UTIs that might contribute to bladder stones.
• Marshmallow herb soothes inflammation in the dog’s urinary tract. It’s also helpful in supporting urinary health after your dog is diagnosed with UTI.
• Your homemade dog food for urinary health may include Akebia, dianthus, gardenia, licorice root, and Plantago seed. They can be used to promote healthy urination.

What dog food prevents bladder stones?

Bladder stones are a common problem experienced by many pet parents. The most common bladder stones in dogs include struvite, calcium oxalate, and urate stones. Often, bladder stones are flushed out when the dog urinates, but sometimes they become too large and need treatment.

Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Dog Food and Royal Canin Urinary So Dog Food are our top picks for urinary tract health.

How do you treat crystals in dogs’ urine naturally?

Often, there are crystals in your dog’s urine instead of stones. These crystals might be a warning sign of stone risk. It depends on the type of crystals, dog breed, and presence of a UTI.

Couch grass-root contains disinfecting and anti-inflammatory properties that may help eliminate urine crystals in dogs when they’re at an early stage. Adding glucosamine to your pet’s diet can prevent irritation from crystals in a dog’s urine.

Keep in mind that most natural urine crystals remedies focus more on preventing urine crystal formation or preventing the recurrence of urinary tract problems. For example, popular breeds like Shih Tzu, Bichon Frise, and Yorkshire Terriers are predisposed to urinary tract stones.

Frequently asked questions on dog food for urinary health

Can dog food cause urinary problems?

Excessive intake of certain minerals such as phosphate and magnesium in a dog’s diet can cause urinary problems like bladder stones. Also, improper diet may result in a compromised immune system, making dogs vulnerable to urinary tract infections and other urinary problems.

Is pumpkin good for dogs with bladder stones?

Yes, pumpkin is a great food for dogs with bladder stones. The pumpkin seeds are packed with antioxidants that help prevent urinary incontinence. Pumpkin seeds contain a healthy dose of essential fatty acids. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that can help prevent bladder stones.

Are eggs good for dogs with bladder stones?

Eggs are acceptable for oxalate stone-forming dogs. Also, if your dog has struvite bladder stones, eggs are recommended to increase the acidification of the dog’s urine.

Is apple cider vinegar good for dogs with bladder stones?

Yes, apple cider vinegar is a natural and safe remedy for your dog’s bladder stones. It has antiseptic and antifungal properties and can reduce discomfort caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI).

If your dog is prone to bladder stones, add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to water or their food daily. It will help to lower their urine pH.

Don’t start adding apple cider vinegar to your dog’s diet until it’s confirmed that the dog’s urine is alkaline. Monitor your dog’s urine pH after every few days to ensure that their urine doesn’t become too acidic. Don’t use apple cider vinegar if your dog has calcium oxalate stones.

Is watermelon good for dogs with bladder stones?

Watermelon is nearly 92 percent water and Is good for dogs with bladder stones. It is a refreshing fruit and keeps your dog hydrated. Watermelon contains calcium and potassium that help to boost the dog’s immune system.

This summer fruit contains high amounts of sugar. If you feed your dogs an excessive amount of watermelon, they might develop health issues. Remove the rinds and seeds before giving watermelon to your dog. They can cause gastrointestinal issues or intestinal blockages.

Your key takeaways

A nutrient imbalance due to a poor diet can negatively affect your dog’s urinary health. Try to improve your dog’s diet to prevent bladder stones. You should keep a close eye on your dog’s weight and make sure they stay hydrated. Observe how much food and water your furry companion consumes.

Pet parents having dogs with a history of bladder stones should work with their vets to develop a regular monitoring plan for urine testing. Prevention of urinary problems and the formation of bladder stones is more appropriate than trying remedies in dogs.

Until next time everyone!