We Are The Cure Blog

As we move towards finding better ways to improve canine lives, this blog is another small effort to make dog parents aware of the implications urinary bladder stones can have on canine health. By now I think we are already aware of the repercussions any disease can have on our pets’ heath. So, as responsible dog parents we should be extra cautious and immediately pull up our socks whenever we notice any abnormalities in their behavior.

Urinary bladder stones can be excruciatingly painful and if left untreated can damage the kidneys completely. The symptoms of bladder stones may include difficulty while urinating, hematuria, vomiting, fever, lethargy, dribbling urine, inappetance and depression. Some dogs are genetically predisposed but in others they may result from poor diet or recurring bacterial infections.

Bladder stones can be easily diagnosed with the help of X-ray and urinanalysis. Since they are amenable to resection, surgery is the treatment of choice. But other available options may entail dietary alterations, antibiotic drugs and urohydropropulsion in which the stones are flushed out from the dog’s urinary system with the help of water pressure.

Eventually, the mode of treatment depends upon the general health of the dog, and the severity of the problem. Surgery is opted mostly in case of big stones and dietary alterations are also prescribed depending upon the stone sizes. Like surgery, urohydropropulsion too is performed under anaesthesia. In this procedure the dog’s bladder is filled with saline and then squeezed in such a manner so that the stones come out through the urethra easily. Antibiotic drugs are administered to resolve bacterial infections as they tend to make the urine alkaline which results in the formation of stones.

So, it is very important to be attentive and careful when it comes to our pets’ health because even the slightest negligence can prove fatal.