Lucky is acting strange... *UPDATE*

time for the all-night grocery store (see last paragraph) --  

 I think you should be able to 'have it all' -- food that helps the skin, isn't tough on the digestive tract and also helps the struvites.

Anywhere in all of this did the vet run a good wide blood panel?  Because of the vomiting and the urine involvement I would think it warranted.  Not only that but if you had struvites a month ago, I'd think another urinalysis would be in order (not just the strip test but a real lab-performed urinalysis becaise *I* would want to see how much protein was in the blood AND the urine).

You just have the one, right?  Why not consider home-cooking for him.  It's not difficult and you can probably elminate both problems pretty easily.  You might want to get the input of either someone like Monica Segal (http://www.monicasegal.com) or Mordanna (she used to be a regular on here, and I know she has her own consulting group now -- her 'real' name is Sabine Contreras).  Both of them are good -- I just happen to know Monica and have used her for years (we both started out on the same dog board about 11 years ago and got to know each other then, before she got 'famous';). 

Both women do consults and both are good.  But given that you're dealing with two problems at once and possibly some food sensitivities as well you may be way ahead to address it that way.

I would want to elminate things like early renal failure specifically (and honestly if caught *now* you *CAN* do a lot about it) and quite simply make the dog more comfortable.

In any event, right now, do you happen to have any pitted prunes?  I'm serious.  Just one pitted prune can go a long way towards making this dog WAY more comfortable.  And maybe 1/2 to 1 prune per day (they're sweet -- my dogs LOVE them) may help you at least regulate the problem until you find a better more permanent solution -- but let's get this poor dog some potty help so it can untuck it's tail.

 Poor thing is just plain constipated I think ... ewwww, poor baby.

Now -- if you don't think you can get the dog to 'eat' a prune, get prune juice and get one of those baby medicine syringes.  Fill the syring with juice and put the tip of the syringe right behind the canine tooth.

Hold the muzzle loosely in your hand and squirt slowly (allow enough room for the tongue to work in the mouth to swallow) and emphasize what an awesome treat THIS is and that it **will help you!!!**

I'd start with a full syringe tonight and in the morning if no results -- and while you've got him on that food see how much prune juice/prunes you have to give to help balance this and lessen the constipation.  Prune juice isn't horribly acid -- not at all.  But you can't let the poor thing be in such discomfort.

 In Optimum Nutrition, there is a recipe for a struvite crystal diet. You'd get high quality, FRESH food, and it would be pH appropriate.

Teenie ate prunes, after her bladder stone surgery, LOL, at Callie's suggestion. She LOVED hem!

Thanks for the info. I actually was thinking about cooking for him once the holidays are over (and I'm living on my own again. Its not easy when you're living with your parents constantly down your back... But that is beside the point)

So, anyway, the vet did all these types of poking and proding. He came up with 2 issues- allergies (which is typical. I knew that. I dealt with it with Daisy and Candy) and something that was odd- possible hip issues. The vet did the whole "range of motion" thing with his right rear hip and he squealed when it was to a certain point. The vet said that there is some resistence felt on the ball/socket joint of that one. He thinks its possible its a touch of that, (especially with the cold snap we just had) and fall allergies/hayfever. We got hydroxizine for the allergies, and an anti-inflamatory called...medrol that is given on an "AS needed" basis.

I definitely will start giving him prunes though. You know, I never thought about it. Thanks!