While urinary health isn’t a very popular subject, it’s critical to your dog’s overall well-being. Kidney stones and urinary tract infections can be very painful and dangerous to your dog. In addition to the trauma on your pup, certain types of stones may require surgery to treat, and all types of stones may require surgery for analysis so your vet can form a prevention plan to keep them from reforming.
We’ve reviewed the seven best dog foods specifically for urinary health to help you treat and prevent kidney stones and UTIs in your pup. Different stones will require different foods to help them dissolve (if dissolution is possible), but generally, dogs with urinary health problems may benefit from a wet food formula since dehydration is a primary concern. Dry food absorbs the water in your dog’s body, which may make it harder to urinate as well as digest food if they aren’t drinking enough water already or aren’t in optimal health. However, wet food can be more expensive, so we’ve included a mix of wet and dry in our reviews.
A Quick Glance at our Top Picks in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Hill’s Prescription Diet Urinary Care Chicken Flavor Dry
Formulated to help prevent two types of kidney stones
Vet-recommended
Positive reviews
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Best Value
Purina Proplan UR Urinary OX/ST Dry Dog Food
Low-cost food
Designed to dissolve struvite stones and prevent calcium oxalate crystals from forming
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Premium Choice
Nom Nom Fresh Pork Recipe Fresh Dog Food Subscription
Real, fresh ingredients
Customizable to your pup’s needs
High moisture level
Click to Save 50%
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Vet’s Choice
Royal Canin Adult Urinary SO Moderate Calorie
Formulated to dissolve struvite stones
Low calorie to prevent obesity
Wet food
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Hill’s Prescription Chicken Flavor Wet Dog Food
Wet food
Features appropriate levels of magnesium and calcium
Low-sodium
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The 7 Best Dog Foods for Urinary Health
We thought this was the best overall dog food for urinary health because it targets two distinct types of stones at once (struvite and calcium oxalate). Hill’s Prescription Diet Multicare c/d is pea-free, but not grain-free, which we love. This food carefully balances your dog’s need for calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium while keeping the levels low for optimal urinary health.
Main ingredients: Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat, Corn Gluten Meal
Protein content: 18%
Fat content: 13%
Calories: 375 kcal/cup
Check Price on Chewy
While wet food is preferred for dogs with kidney stones, dry food is more cost-efficient. Like several other common specialty diets, this formula requires a vet’s prescription but can be purchased on Chewy. You’ll just need a letter from your vet along with their contact information so that Chewy can verify the prescription.
Pros
Formulated to help prevent two types of kidney stones
Vet-recommended
Positive reviews
Carefully regulated levels of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous
Cons
Expensive
Dry food, which isn’t necessarily preferred for dogs with urinary complications
We liked how this food is formulated to dissolve existing struvite stones and prevent calcium oxalate crystals from forming. This formula is the best for the money because it’s relatively cheap for prescription food and way more affordable than wet formulas. Like all veterinary diets, you’ll need a note from your vet in order to purchase from Chewy. We didn’t like how this food seems to contain a lot of preservatives, but it’s understandable given the price.
Formulated to help prevent two types of kidney stones
Vet-recommended
Positive reviews
Carefully regulated levels of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous
- Formulated to help prevent two types of kidney stones
- Vet-recommended
- Positive reviews
- Carefully regulated levels of sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous
Expensive
Dry food, which isn’t necessarily preferred for dogs with urinary complications
- Expensive
- Dry food, which isn’t necessarily preferred for dogs with urinary complications
Main ingredients: Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Animal Fat
Protein content: 21%
Fat content: 9%
Calories: 408 kcal/cup
Pros
Low-cost food
Designed to dissolve struvite stones and prevent calcium oxalate crystals from forming
Cons
Contains a lot of preservatives
Dry food
- Nom Nom Pork Recipe Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Premium Choice Click Here to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping with Nom Nom!We love Nom Nom Fresh because it uses fresh, real ingredients to feed your dog! This food is formulated by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists and customized to fit your pet’s health needs. This food has a high moisture level which is great for dogs with sensitive digestive and urinary systems. This recipe features pork as the main ingredient, providing a healthy but not excessive source of protein for dogs who might particularly need a protein-restricted diet due to cystine stones.
You can order Nom Nom Fresh through a subscription-based plan on their website or buy a sample at a PetSmart near you. Although we like how it’s more convenient than veterinary prescription diets, we’re a little sad to admit this food is not available on Chewy.
Low-cost food
Designed to dissolve struvite stones and prevent calcium oxalate crystals from forming
- Low-cost food
- Designed to dissolve struvite stones and prevent calcium oxalate crystals from forming
Contains a lot of preservatives
Dry food
- Contains a lot of preservatives
- Dry food
Pros
Real, fresh ingredients
Customizable to your pup’s needs
High moisture level
Doesn’t require a prescription to purchase
Cons
Expensive
Not available on Chewy
Our vets like this food because it’s formulated to dissolve and prevent struvite stones while maintaining a healthy calorie count. Your doggie will enjoy this gravy-based wet food as opposed to hard, dry food that’s also harder for their bodies to process. Royal Canin Veterinary Diets do require a prescription from your vet, but they’re easy to order on Chewy as long as you have a letter of recommendation and your vet’s contact information.
Real, fresh ingredients
Customizable to your pup’s needs
High moisture level
Doesn’t require a prescription to purchase
- Real, fresh ingredients
- Customizable to your pup’s needs
- High moisture level
- Doesn’t require a prescription to purchase
Expensive
Not available on Chewy
- Expensive
- Not available on Chewy
Main ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing, Chicken, Pork By-Products, Pork Liver, Chicken By-Products
Protein content: 6.5%
Fat content: 2.5%
Calories: 286 kcal/can
Pros
Formulated to dissolve struvite stones
Low calorie to prevent obesity
Wet food
Cons
Expensive
- Hill’s Prescription Multicare Chicken Flavor Wet Dog Food
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Main ingredients: Water, Beef By-Products, Chicken, Rice, Whole Grain Corn, Pork Liver
Protein content: 5.5%
Fat content: 4%
Calories: 446 kcal/13 oz. can
This food features the same health benefits as its dry food form, but it’s even better for urinary health because it’s a wet formula. We like how this food is low-sodium and uses carefully calculated levels of essential nutrients such as magnesium and calcium. These minerals should be included in your dog’s diet, but they may cause kidney stones if consumed excessively. To purchase from Chewy, you’ll need a prescription letter from your vet as well as your clinic’s contact information.
Formulated to dissolve struvite stones
Low calorie to prevent obesity
Wet food
- Formulated to dissolve struvite stones
- Low calorie to prevent obesity
- Wet food
Expensive
- Expensive
Check Latest Price
Main ingredients: Water, Beef By-Products, Chicken, Rice, Whole Grain Corn, Pork Liver
Protein content: 5.5%
Fat content: 4%
Calories: 446 kcal/13 oz. can
Pros
Wet food
Features appropriate levels of magnesium and calcium
Low-sodium
Cons
Very expensive
This food is formulated to help your dog if they have non-struvite stones. Cystine stones require a low-protein, low-sodium food to dissolve the stones. Hill’s Prescription Diet u/d contains less protein than other dry foods and also features reduced levels of calcium to lessen the risk of kidney stones overall. We thought this food seemed incredibly expensive considering the first two ingredients are brewer’s rice and corn starch, but it does have what your dog needs to treat cystine and urate stones. This is a veterinary diet that requires a prescription to purchase.
Wet food
Features appropriate levels of magnesium and calcium
Low-sodium
- Wet food
- Features appropriate levels of magnesium and calcium
- Low-sodium
Very expensive
- Very expensive
Main ingredients: Brewers Rice, Corn Starch, Pork Fat, Egg Product, Powdered Cellulose
Protein content: 10.5%
Fat content: 16.5%
Calories: 398 kcal/cup
Pros
Low protein content compared to other dry foods
Low sodium
Reduced calcium
Cons
Expensive considering the ingredients
If a prescription diet is out of budget, Solid Gold Holistique Blendz might be a good alternative for dogs with cystine stones. It features only a moderate amount of protein compared with the average dry dog food and carefully calculated levels of essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium that can cause kidney stones in excess amounts.
Low protein content compared to other dry foods
Low sodium
Reduced calcium
- Low protein content compared to other dry foods
- Low sodium
- Reduced calcium
Expensive considering the ingredients
- Expensive considering the ingredients
Main ingredients: Oatmeal, Pearled Barley, Peas, Ocean Fish Meal, Dried Eggs
Protein content: 18%
Fat content: 6%
Calories: 340 kcal/cup
We don’t like how peas are one of the main ingredients because recent studies have linked pea protein to heart disease in dogs. Wet food would also be a more preferable choice because it helps your dog stay hydrated, but this food is able to be cheaper because it’s dry.
Pros
More affordable than prescription diets
Includes carefully calculated levels of magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous
Cons
Not specifically formulated for kidney stones
Peas are one of the main ingredients
Dry food
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Foods for Urinary Health
If your dog suffers from poor urinary health, they most likely have a urinary tract infection (UTI), kidney stones, or both. Treatment will vary depending on the type of stones, but in general your vet will follow this plan for treating kidney stones.
More affordable than prescription diets
Includes carefully calculated levels of magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous
- More affordable than prescription diets
- Includes carefully calculated levels of magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous
Not specifically formulated for kidney stones
Peas are one of the main ingredients
Dry food
- Not specifically formulated for kidney stones
- Peas are one of the main ingredients
- Dry food
Analyze the stones for further treatment.
Your vet may want to perform surgery to remove some of the stones so they can identify what type your dog has. This will help your vet make informed decisions on diet and treatment because different stones have different needs that may contradict others.
Cure the existing UTI.
Your vet may prescribe antibiotics or other medicine to help your dog’s body heal. Sometimes the stones will pass on their own once the inflammation goes down.
Prescribe or recommend appropriate foods that can fight that certain type of stone.
This is why it’s so important for at least one stone to be removed and analyzed by the vet. Though kidney stones form for a variety of reasons, some are food-related and may be prevented through the proper diet and medication.
Types of Kidney Stones and Dietary Requirements for Each
There are six major kinds of kidney stones. Each one has a different method of treatment and prevention, so it’s important to know which one your dog has so you have the best tools to help them.
Purine Stones
If your dog’s urine is too acidic, Purine stones may form. The good news is these stones may be dissolved with a protein-restricted diet, ample hydration, and curing a UTI if one has formed.
Calcium Oxalate Stones
These stones unfortunately don’t dissolve, however, you may try feeding your dog a special diet to discourage them from forming. Find a food that’s low in calcium and protein in order to reduce the growth of calcium crystals and to make your dog’s urine more alkaline.
Calcium Phosphate Stones
These are more difficult to treat, but they rarely form. They don’t dissolve and aren’t as easy to prevent, but keeping your dog hydrated, reducing their sodium levels, and ensuring your dog’s urine is at the proper PH may help.
Cystine Stones
A low-sodium, protein-restricted diet and medication prescribed by your vet may dissolve these stones. You should keep your dog on their new food to prevent these stones from returning.
Struvite Stones
After curing any existing UTI, the plan of action is to switch your dog’s food to a recipe with relatively high amounts of fat that still keeps your dog’s calories in check. Keep in mind your dog’s new food will make them excessively thirsty, so make sure the water bowl stays full. It’s possible struvite stones may dissolve with the proper diet.
Silica Stones
Thankfully, these stubborn stones rarely form because they have never dissolved on their own and will require surgery. Post-operation, your dog will need food with a high animal protein content and may especially benefit from a wet food formula.
Conclusion
Our best overall choice for dogs suffering from poor urinary health was Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare because it tackles two types of stones and is highly recommended by veterinarians. The best value option was Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet UR Urinary OX/ST because it’s cheaper than other prescription diets. We loved Nom Nom Fresh as a premium choice because it’s tailored to your individual pet’s needs and features tasty, fresh ingredients they’ll love. Our vets liked Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Urinary SO Moderate because it’s a low-calorie wet food that targets struvite stones. Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Chicken Flavor Wet Dog Food was our fifth choice because it offers the same health benefits as our overall choice, just in a better (although more expensive) wet food formula.
Kidney stones and other urinary health issues can be a chronic condition that you and your vet will need to work together to treat. Be sure to include your veterinarian in every step of the process so that you can be confident your dog is getting food that’s beneficial to their urinary health while not compromising on other aspects of the overall health.
Sources
VCA Animal Hospitals American Kennel Club
Featured Image Credit: Chris Benson, Unsplash
- VCA Animal Hospitals
- American Kennel Club
