Five Things You Must Know About Bladder Stones In Dogs

This post was written by admin3 on July 24, 2010
Posted Under: Dogs

If you’re like most dog owners, you’ve probably never even heard of canine bladder stones.  But if it happens to your dog, you need to get answers to these questions.

How Do I Know If Bladder Stones In Dogs Are Causing A Problem?

The following symptoms are clues that your dog could be suffering from this condition:

• Repeated bladder infections in dogs, especially if the same bacteria is causing them


• Bloody or rust-colored urine


• Straining to urinate


• Unable to pass much, if any, urine

These stones do show up on x-rays, so your vet will want to take some if he or she suspects stones are present.

Are There Different Types Of Canine Bladder Stones?

Yes.  The two most common types are struvite and calcium oxalate.It’s necessary to determine what kind of bladder stone your dog has because the different types of stones have different treatments.  The easiest way to do this is to analyze a stone, so if your dog passes one, be sure to save it.

A urinalysis and a dog urine culture can help to identify which kind of stone it is, even if you don’t have one to test.If the dog bladder infection is caused by Staphylococci bacteria, struvite type stones are usually the result.

Also, struvite stones in dogs form in alkaline urine, while calcium oxalate stones form in acid urine.

Are All Dogs Susceptible To This Problem?

Unfortunately, most female dogs are susceptible to struvite stones, as 85% of dogs with this problem are female.  Beagles, miniature schnauzers, and English cocker spaniels are the breeds at highest risk.

How Are Bladder Stones In Dogs Treated?

Most of the time, struvite stones will dissolve on their own once the dog bladder infection is gone, so it’s very important to treat that infection.

A special diet to dissolve the stones may be needed if treating the infection doesn’t work.  Your dog may not like it, but it’s necessary that this is the only thing she eats during the treatment period, which may last up to six months.

Your vet will want to keep your dog on antibiotics while she’s on the special diet.  This is because bacteria are embedded in the stones, and they’re released as the stone dissolves.

If there is a canine urinary tract blockage, surgery may be necessary to remove the stones.

How Does Natural Treatment For Dog Bladder Infection Help?

Since bladder stones in dogs usually form only when a bladder infection is present, it makes sense to prevent infections from occurring.Many dog owners hope to prevent this problem by turning to herbal remedies for pets.

The best thing about a natural treatment for dogs is that you can give it right along with antibiotic therapy.  It doesn’t interfere in any way with the action of the drugs, plus it supports bladder health in dogs naturally.

You’ll want to look for a remedy that contains uva ursi, and barberry, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagria.  These remedies have stood the test of time for preventing and treating bladder infections.  It’s also important that the remedy you choose is formulated specifically for pets, not people, and is easy to give.

Do yourself and your dog a favor, and prevent the bladder infections in dogs that lead to canine bladder stones.  Click on any link in this article to learn how.

Tags: bladder infections in dogs, bladder stones in dogs, canine bladder stones, dog bladder infection

What You Need to Learn About Bladder Stones

Photo: Bob Mills

Types of Bladder Stones

Ever since Gigi was diagnosed with bladder stones, I’ve been wanting to learn more about these. There are two major types of stones — struvite and calcium oxalate.The stones in the photo pictured above are the type of stones that Gigi has been fighting. They are called Struvite stones which is an alkaline-based stone. These are the type of stones that can dissolve in type. Struvite is composed of magnesium, phospate and ammonium (which is the main ingredient in ammonia). The bacteria in a dog’s bladder will combine with this minerals to form the stones.

As all dogs are different, certain dogs are prone to getting struvite stones.Some of these breeds include: Shih Tzus(Gigi is a Shih Tzu/Poodle mix), Miniature Schnauzer, Yorkshire Terrier, Labrador Retriever, and Dachshund. Females are twice as likely to get this stones than males. The main way we’ve been treating Gigi’s affliction is through giving antibiotics daily and giving her specially prescribed food by Royal Canin (their SO variety). Another good treatment for this which is also prescription is the SD variety by Hill’s Prescription Diet.

Calcium Oxalate Stones

Another main type of bladder stone is the calcium oxalate variety. These are brown-colored in contrast to the white struvite variety. They are primarily found in most male dogs and are rarely spotted in females. Breeds who typically get these stones include: Shih Tzus, Miniature Schnauzers, Bichon Frise, Lhasa Apso, and Yorkshire Terrier.

Unlike Struvite stones, these stones have to be surgically removed. It’s possible that a dog can pass these through their system, but only if the stone is small enough. It has been said that the commercial foods can speed the formation of Calcium Oxalate stones. With the increase in commercial food over the years, the incidence of bladder stones has increased. Combined with a lack of water, bladder stones can grow at a fast rate.

Life After Bladder Stones.

The funny thing about dogs who get bladder stones, the chance of them recurring is very high. For this reason, it’s important to keep your dog on a strict diet, watch the treats, and make sure they don’t ingest too much protein.

Let’s Discuss!

Has your dog had an incidence with bladder stones? If you are a veterinarian, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this.

It’s All Related!

Gigi’s Battle With Bladder Stones

Bladder Stone Surgery In A Dog(Learn About Bladder Stones In A Dog )

A 1 pound bladderstone  removed from a Chow		Bladderstones removed from a dog
	Â

Bladder stones in dogs present an interesting medical and surgical challenge for veterinarians.  One of the most often-encountered health problems of dogs and cats is urinary tract infections.  A fairly large percentage of these infections are caused by or complicated by bladder stones.  Any persistent bladder infection should be carefully screened for bladder stones and if present, bladder stone removal should be considered.

Skippy is wondering when it will be his turn to visit the Surgery Room.Â

	  He’s had bladder irritation for months but wasn’t displaying any unusual signs… until one day he urinated some blood.  Fortunately his people caretakers noticed, took him to the animal hospital for an exam and a thorough analysis of the urine and a decisive X-ray.  You can see what the veterinarian saw on the X-ray film on the top-right image.  The actual stones are seen below the X-ray.  For actual sizes of the stones, click on the image to view a larger rendition in  a new window.Â

After the surgery, the stone was sent to a lab for analysis; knowing the composition of the stones helps in determining which special diet might assist in preventing a reoccurrence of bladder stones.

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The veterinary technician prepares the surgical area for sterile surgery.	The incision is made with a scalpel and the abdominal cavity is entered.	The bladder is located and gently pulled through the incision.	The bladder is incised and the escaping urine and any tiny stones are caught in sterile gauze.
The larger stones are maneuvered to and through the bladder incision.	The stone is secured and saved for analysis.	More stones are grasped by the forceps and removed from the bladder.	After thorough inspection and flushing, the inner lining (called the mucosa) of the bladder is closed with sutures.
Now another row of sutures closes the muscular bladder wall.	The incision is inspected for leaks and suture security.	The abdominal wall is closed in three layers.	Subcutaneous sutures are placed so that no surface sutures are required.

Discussion of Bladder Stones

There are quite a number of possible factors that interact to allow for the formation of bladder stones.  One of the most favorable conditions for mineral formation is urine that is alkaline rather than acidic.  In fact, bacteria seem to grow better in alkaline urine, too.  (That’s why drinking cranberry juice may benefit us humans in preventing infections in the bladder… the cranberry juice promotes a more acidic urine.)  As you can see in the photo and X-ray the stones are of various sizes.  If just the right (or wrong!) size stone passes from the bladder into the urethra leading outside the body, and becomes lodged… we’ve got an emergency situation immediately!  Any dog or cat with a urethral blockage needs veterinary help right now.

In dogs and cats, grain-based diets contribute to alkaline urine; meat-based diets promote a more acid urine.  If a bacterial infection does occur the waste products of those bacteria promote an alkaline urine.  Plus the bacteria may provide a nice little solid object upon which dissolved minerals can precipitate (come out of a solution and become a solid).  Any patient who has had repeat urinary tract infections should always be evaluated for bladder stones.  Kidney stones, fortunately, happen far less often in dogs and cats than bladder stones; but the possibility of kidney stones should always be considered in urinary tract disease.  Certain types of urinary tract stones can be prevented by special dietary changes.  Genetic programming of kidney function and structure plays a role in the formation of bladderstones and certain breeds (Schnauzers, for example) often seem more predisposed to kidney and bladder trouble than some other breeds.  The Dalmatian has a unique physiology and displays a type of stone formation called Urate Stones.   Modern veterinary medicine can be of great assistance to dogs and cats that develop bladder stones.  Good diets and follow-up care can help our dog and cat friends survive and thrive… even after a surgery such as this.

Finding Honest Answers About Cat Food For Urinary Crystals

Recently I was in one of the pet superstores browsing the pet food isles and couldn’t help but notice that dog food had 4 isles and cat food had only 2. Not only that but the varieties and foods formulated for specific ages and ailments seem to be much more defined in the canine section. This lead me wonder whether there is a cat food for urinary crystals or perhaps only something written about on the internet or pet care manuals. But in order to find the right cat food for urinary crystals it might be helpful to know exactly what we are dealing with.Cat urinary crystals are actually tiny bladder stone formations generally either made up of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate (struvite) or calcium and phosphate (calcium oxalate). Female cats have a high risk of developing struvite crystals, especially those one to two years of age. Calcium oxalate crystals tend to occur in male cats, particularly those who are bordering on senior citizen status.The proper cat food for urinary crystals will vary depending on the type of crystals present. There are couple of cat food manufacturers including Hill’s who have already done much of the formulation for us. Normally prepackaged cat food for urinary crystals is low in magnesium, aids in balancing pH levels, may contain a crystal dissolving agent such as L-methionine, and are high in salt. The high salt content could prove problematic in some cases especially if your feline has a irregular heartbeat or has  other coronary problems. The high salt content is one of the primary reasons why these prepackaged diet are not recommended for long term use.You may be asking why so much salt is included in the first place? The answer is fairly straightforward. Salt encourages increased fluid intake which makes the whole urinary crystal elimination process more effective by keeping the bladder flushed and pH urine levels moderating.Another important step in our program is not to feed your pet table scraps. Now, I know this is a difficult request, cats can beg better than most animals and can generally convince their owners to do almost anything but I encourage you to stay strong. Do not feed them foods that are high in magnesium and also produce high alkaline levels such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, tuna, shellfish, cheese, or vitamin and mineral supplements. Pulling the tablecloth out from under their desires could create a deficiency in essential omega 3 fatty acids. The omegas are found in very few food and not produced by your cat’s body so some form of supplementation could prove beneficial. Omega supplements are widely available, affordable, and can be added to your felines food or given orally.Additionally, many cat owner are implementing supplements containing uva ursi with their diet modification program. Supplemental formulas containing this herb are considered to be a general urinary tonic and may be helpful in preventing crystal formation. This one two punch has proven to be very effective in eliminating urinary crystals and certainly is an option worth considering.

Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field of natural health and wellness.Learn more about natural pet remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com