Canine Bladder Stones

This information was shared by Sharda Baker, reprinted with permission.

We humans know how incredibly painful stones can be! Your animals experience that same type of pain! Ouch!

Bladder infections should be addressed right on their onset.

This is to prevent future damages to the other vital organs like the kidneys.

Most breeds of dog like the Bullmastiff are susceptible to forming bladder stones. These stones are produced if excess minerals and other waste products solidify or crystallize in the dog’s bladder area. The presence of stones in your dog’s bladder area could affect your dog’s overall health. For starters, your Bullmastiff may become very irritable.

The most common mistake dog owners make is in not recognizing the symptoms of bladder stones. When there is a slight change in temperment they can attribute the abnormal behavior to any number of incorrect things.

Female dogs are more prone to bladder stones than male dogs. And, smaller dogs acquire it more often than the larger breeds like Bullmastiffs.

More often than not, bladder stones only become a problem once it blocks the flow of urine in the urethra. At such point, your dog won’t be able to urinate properly.

IF NOT ATTENDED TO RIGHT AWAY, your dog might even DIE out of the complications of the disease especially if the crystallized stone is too big for its body to bear.

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SYMPTOMS
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* Frequent Urination
* Abnormalities in the urine
* General weakness
* Loss of appetite

If you have observed any of these symptoms in your dog, especially when your DOG URINATES IRREGULARLY, then it’s important that you take your dog to the VET IMMEDIATELY to make sure if your dog is suffering from this condition.

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TREATMENT
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Treatment depends on the size and location within the urinary tract.
Stones that become lodged in the urethra require immediate veterinary medical and surgical intervention. These are usually small and enter the urethra from the bladder where they form.

Catheterization is performed in an attempt to dislodge the stones pushing them back into the bladder and freeing up the flow of urine. Most of the time, these stones must then be removed from the bladder SURGICALLY.

Smaller stones or crystals can often be effectively managed only with special diets designed to dissolve the stones.

DIET FOR DOG WITH THIS CONDITION:

Homemade diets are PREFERRED for dogs with chronic bladder disorders such as bladder stones. If processed foods must be fed, most holistic veterinarians prefer canned diets, which contain large amounts of water, rather than dry foods.

But it’s suggested to CONSULT YOUR VET FIRST if you do plan on feeding your dog with the said condition a specific homemade diet.