Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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Urinary stones and your pet The formation of stones (calculi or uroliths) along the urinary tract is called urolithiasis. These stones can be found anywhere along the urinary tract including the kidneys, ureters (outflow tract from the kidney to the bladder), and the bladder itself. The formation of stones in the bladder is the most common type of urinary calculi in the dog and cat. In order for urinary stones to form, the urine must contain sufficiently high levels of urolith forming minerals, a favorable urine pH & time in the urinary tract. There are many causes of urolithiasis which include but are not limited to: * Dietary composition and insufficient water intake. * Genetics — certain breeds of dogs like the Dalmatian, English Bulldog and Bichon Frise are prone to certain types of urinary calculi. * Congenital abnormalities such as shunts in the liver or abnormal kidney function. * High levels of calcium in the blood due to a hyperactive parathyroid gland. * Bacterial infection in the urinary tract. Symptoms of Urinary Stones * Frequent urination (pollakiuria), only passing small amounts of urine Hematuria (blood in urine). * Excessive genital licking, way beyond normal self-cleaning. * Sudden halt in litter box usage, normally noticed by inappropriate elimination in places around the house other than the litter box, such as the bath or floor. * Painful and difficult urination. You may hear your cat crying near, around or in the litter box. This also involves the cat or dog attempting to urinate and little or no urine is passed. * Straining to urinate, only letting out a few drops (if any) at a time. This can sometimes lead the owner to believe that the cat or dog is constipated. * Vomiting Diagnosis of Urinary Stones Diagnostic tests are needed to identify urolithiasis as the cause of your pet's symptoms and to exclude other disease processes. Your veterinarian may recommend: * A complete physical examination. * Blood work (including a complete blood count to evaluate for infection and blood chemistries). * Urinalysis and urine culture. * Abdominal x-rays to identify stones that are dense enough to be visualized radiographically and/or ultrasound. * Analysis of the stone to determine the best course of treatment. Treatment of Urinary Stones Surgical removal of uroliths: It is the most invasive treatment, however, it usually ensures complete removal of the stones, and allows for proper analysis of the stone so as to determine post operative care and preventative measures. Dissolving the stones by dietary changes or administration of medication that can dissolve certain types of stones. Dissolution of stones by dietary methods is not invasive but does not allow mineral analysis of the stones and requires your veterinarian to make an educated guess about the type of stone present. Some stones can be dissolved by dietary and /or medical means and others cannot Treatment of bacterial infections While there are certain things that pet owners can do to reduce stone formation in animals that are prone to them, such as encouraging more water intake, and certain dietary changes, it is difficult to prevent the formation of urinary stone. It is best to note that prompt evaluation of your pet after the onset of clinical signs will lead to faster treatment and relief for your pet. Monday, June 29, 2009