It is important to monitor your dog’s urination habits. Unfortunately, dogs do get bladder stones. Your monitoring vigilance can mean the difference between soothing relief and prolonged pain for the dog.
The medical terminology for canine bladder stones is urolithiasis. Bladder stones can be found anywhere in the urinary tract, including the kidneys and the ureters, which are the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. However, most stones are found within the dogs’ bladders.
Bladder stones, which block the flow of urine from the urinary tract out of the body, are formed in the same manner as pearls found in oysters. It starts with one tiny crystal of a mineral. The crystal separates from the urine in the bladder. A stone forms when other crystals bond with the first one.
There are several types of bladder stones. The most common are struvite stones, which are caused by a bacterial infection. They are made of magnesium ammonium phosphate. Other types include calcium oxalate and uric acid stones.
Dogs with bladder stones need to be treated by a veterinarian. In the case of struvite stones, antibiotics may be needed to treat the infection that was the underlying cause of the stones. The dog’s veterinarian may prescribe a special diet to take care of stones. In more serious cases, surgery could be required. If left untreated, a stone that totally blocks off the urine flow can become life threatening.
How do you know if your dog has bladder stones? One common symptom is frequent urination with small amounts of urine. This can manifest itself in what appears to be accidental urination throughout the house.
Another symptom is that the dog may strain to pass urine, but very little will be eliminated. You may also see blood in the urine.
Unfortunately, many dogs develop bladder stones without showing any symptoms. Veterinarians can often feel the stones when giving the dog’s abdomen a routine examination, so be sure that your dog gets regular check ups.
If bladder stones are suspected, your dog will most likely have to be x-rayed to determine the size and number of the stones.
Once the veterinarian determines the extent of the stone problem, he or she will be able to make a recommendation for treatment. In the case of a total blockage, surgery will have to be performed right away. Otherwise, the vet might recommend a special diet that will help dissolve the bladder stones. It is possible that it could take a combination of diet and surgery to rectify the problem.
If surgery is needed, the stones are removed by opening the bladder. Stones in the urethra need to be flushed back into the bladder so that they can be removed. If the flushing fails, an incision may have to be made in the urethra.
Once the stones are removed, the veterinarian will analyze them to determine what type of stones they are. This information is helpful in treating the problem and can indicate that the pH of the urine needs to be changed. The dog may have to drink more water to increase urine.
Struvite stones tend to form in urine that is alkaline. This means that the acidity of the urine needs to be increased. Other types of stones form in acidic urine, so measures need to be taken to make the urine more alkaline. The veterinarian can make the proper diagnosis and prescribe a diet regiment that will help your dog.
Related posts:
- Canine Urinary Problems
- Canine Urinary Tract Infections
- Puppy Incontinence
- Canine Diabetes
- Canine Diabetes
