Why The Farmer’s Dog Does Relative Supersaturation (RSS) Testing on All of Its Ready-to-Eat Recipes, and Why It Matters for Dogs’ Urinary Health
In this article:
- What are urinary crystals, and how do they impact dogs?
- How do veterinarians treat bladder stones in dogs?
- How does RSS testing work?
- What do RSS testing results mean for my dog?
Every recipe from The Farmer’s Dog is formulated by our on-staff, board-certified nutritionists to be 100% complete and balanced. We have options suitable for dogs in every stage of life, from puppies through seniors. We’ve conducted AAFCO feeding trials on multiple recipes, and have gone further to prove that our food provides dogs with the nutrition they need to thrive by partnering with the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine on a long-term feeding study.
But there’s even more that goes into making sure dogs’ food helps them achieve optimal health. When it comes to urinary health, Relative Supersaturation—or RSS—testing is a big part of that. RSS testing is the best way to assess the risk of urinary crystal formation in dogs.
What are urinary crystals, and how do they impact dogs?
Crystals can form in dogs due to minerals in their urine. In some cases, this can be normal and nothing to worry about. But when there are too many crystals, or when they’re of a certain variety, they can indicate a medical problem.
The most common kinds of urinary stones in dogs are struvite and calcium oxalate.
Struvite bladder stones—also known as MAP stones because they contain magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate—often form in dogs because of a bladder infection. They can also be caused by drugs, kidney diseases, and anything that raises the pH of the urine (making it more alkaline). These account for 42% of urinary stones in dogs.
Calcium oxalate stones make up 32% of bladder stones in dogs, and are the second most common type. The causes of calcium oxalate bladder stones are not as clear as those of struvite bladder stones. Hypercalciuria (excess calcium in the urine) is the most commonly identified urinary abnormality detected in calcium oxalate–stone-forming dogs; however, many impacted dogs have normal serum calcium levels.
Recently, the University of Minnesota identified calcium tartrate tetrahydrate (CTT) stones in dogs. From 2020 to 2024, they received 318,147 submissions of canine uroliths, which were analyzed to identify the stone type. Based on their analysis, CTT stones were identified in 63 dogs (0.02%). This study evaluated only those rare cases, and involved a very small sample size, mostly of dogs predisposed to forming calcium-based stones. The researchers did not identify a true cause and effect. Fewer than half of the dogs studied had a diet history, and those who did had consumed wet, dry, homemade, and fresh foods that contained choline bitartrate or choline chloride. CTT stones are incredibly rare, and have no known health implications beyond those of much more common calcium oxalate stones.
All three of these stones are more likely to impact small dogs than larger ones, but can appear in any breed. They can cause difficulty urinating and blood in the urine, and dogs suffering from them often show signs that they’re in pain. If you suspect that your dog has a bladder stone, see a veterinarian right away; if left untreated, they can become life-threatening.
How do veterinarians treat bladder stones in dogs?
Veterinarians can treat bladder stones through dietary changes, medication, or removal by surgical or non-surgical means. If your dog has stones that are due to a urinary tract infection, they will need antibiotics.
Because diet can be a factor in the formation and treatment of some bladder stones, RSS testing can be a useful tool for veterinarians as they determine which food is best for a particular dog.
How does RSS testing work?
The Farmer’s Dog has performed RSS testing on all of its ready-to-eat recipes.
The testing is performed by feeding dogs a single diet for a few weeks, then collecting and analyzing all of their urine from a 24-hour period. The urine is tested for specific gravity, pH, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, oxalate, citrate, ammonia, and creatinine.
These values are then entered into a computer program designed to determine the level of urinary saturation. If urine is supersaturated with certain compounds—meaning it contains too many of them to be dissolved—that makes crystal formation more likely. A qualified veterinarian can use RSS testing results to make the best dietary choice for a particular dog.
What do RSS results mean for my dog?
If you have any questions about what diet is optimal for your dog considering their medical history and needs, the best person to consult is your veterinarian. The Farmer’s Dog provides information about its RSS testing results for veterinarians’ use, so they’ll have all the information they need to help you make the right decision.
Are you a veterinary professional? Sign up for our Vet Team Portal to get RSS information about each of our recipes, complete nutritional profiles, exclusive discounts, and more.
The post Why The Farmer’s Dog Does Relative Supersaturation (RSS) Testing on All of Its Ready-to-Eat Recipes, and Why It Matters for Dogs’ Urinary Health appeared first on The Farmer’s Dog - Digest.
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