Meet Noid

A friend's Chinese Crested, Noid, has also been impacted by recent changes made by the Royal Canin Company.  Noid's mom has given me permission to post his story here.  In her words:

“Back in 2007 Noid was diagnosed with a rare genetic kidney disease called Canine Cystinuria which basically is his inability to reabsorb cystine and some other amino acids which then forms crystals and those block his urethra.

He had gone in several times to have a hydropulsion to flush his system when he blocked, most times it was in and out and a few antibiotics due to a foreign object inside but not too bad. Once he did have to stay over night because he couldn't relax and they had to put him under to do it.

There aren't many treatment options.  There are 2 different drugs, one, penicillamine, the vet did not want Noid on due to the side effects, and the other, thiola, which we could not get in Canada even though it is tolerated well by dogs and apparently works to control it.

 The last option was to have a scrotal urethrostomy In a nutshell, this is a surgery that redirects the dog's urethra away from the penis and out a new, surgically-created opening in front of the scrotum. This enables male dogs to more easily pass small stones, and can help prevent urinary blockage, the main risk from this condition. While it's not impossible they will still obstruct, it reduces the chances substantially.

Noid had this operation a year ago now.   He had to live in diapers for a while and was caged and not allowed to play or do anything for several weeks.   But now it's a year later and he hasn't clogged other than a couple times back when his insides were still all swollen . 

He still forms stones and always will.  This is an incurable disease and will never go away, but the operation was to be able to pass the stones which so far is working.

When he does pass the stones he tends to get a little cranky and he bleeds a little bit just a few drops though and not like it was that's for sure!

And through it all he's been a little trooper and has kept his Noidatude intact and is doing so very well.”

One of the things that has kept Noid going (quite literally, I suppose!) is a supplement made by Royal Canin.  And, as with the Royal Canin Digestive Low Fat food, Noid’s mom reports that Royal Canin has recently stopped manufacturing this supplement. 

Due to the problems he has had, she is fearful of using anything else.  Like me, she has a small supply of the product yet.  She does not know what she will do for Noid when that is gone.