In dogs, bladder stones are typical. Stone analysis is a crucial stage in the diagnostic procedure since they are the outcome of one or more underlying disorders. In order to determine how nutrition may help to avoid bladder stone recurrence, it is also crucial to consider what the dog was eaten before to the diagnosis of a bladder stone and to do blood and urine analyses.
Some bladder stones, or struvites, grow more quickly if the dog already has a urinary tract infection. Bladder stones are the precursor of persistent urinary tract infection. As a result, bladder stones and urinary tract infections frequently co-occur. In order to destroy bacteria continuously while the bladder recovers from surgery and the bladder lining returns to normal, your veterinarian may advise long-term antibiotics. One crucial step in preventing bladder stone recurrence is treating or managing bladder infection.
Is there any possibility that bladder stones could be removed without surgery?
Dissolution—the ability to remove bladder stones in dogs—depends on the nature of the stones. Unfortunately, removing a canine bladder stone and having it examined is the only reliable technique to determine its makeup. However, based on the crystals seen during the urinalysis, certain inferences about the make-up of a bladder stone may be attainable. A tiny bladder stone may also be removed for analysis using a urethral catheter.
Together with you, your veterinarian will decide whether or not trying medicinal dissolution is a viable option for your dog. The preferred treatment for bladder stones is typically surgical removal. Having surgery offers the following advantages:
- keeps the urine outflow from being blocked, which is a real emergency.
- lessens the dog’s discomfort caused by bladder stones.
- enables the bladder to start recovering.
- ensures that the stone(s) can be definitively analyzed, giving the best chance to stop recurrence.
How will I be able to tell what to do and what to feed my dog to stop his bladder stones from coming back?
Your veterinarian is an important collaborator in developing an overall strategy that best suits the composition of your dog’s bladder stones. The dietary focus for a given dog will rely on the precise diagnosis the dog receives. However, there are some broad generalizations that may be drawn regarding the dietary therapy of canine bladder stones:
- purine rocks Dissolution may be feasible with the administration of allopurinol (trade name Zyloprim®), a medicine that increases urine production (diuresis), creates an alkaline urine pH, controls/eradicates any existing urinary tract infection, and suitable protein-restricted therapeutic diet. The same strategy is being used to avoid repetition.
- Oxalate of calcium stones. The nutritional emphasis is intended to stop recurrence since dissolution has not been shown to be successful. Among the objectives are lowering urine specific gravity, lowering oxalic acid in the urine, lowering dietary calcium to lower the amount of calcium expelled in the urine, and lowering oxalic acid levels (concentration). Diets like Hill’s Prescription Diet® w/d® Multi-Benefit, Purina® ProPlan®
- Veterinary Diet UR OxTM/StTM, and Rayne Clinical Nutrition Adult Health-RSSTM may be helpful. These dogs could have issues with table food.
- phosphate of calcium stones. Dissolution hasn’t shown to work well. The rarity of these stones and the possibility of simultaneous development of numerous underlying causes make prevention challenging.
- Feeding wet food as opposed to dry food, reducing sodium consumption, and controlling urine pH (depending on the metabolic profile of the dog) are all aspects of nutritional prevention of recurrence. There are no particular dietary suggestions. There’s a chance the dog will require more medication.
stone crystals. A protein-restricted therapeutic meal that promotes an alkaline urine pH and has a controlled salt level may aid in dissolution (examples include Hill’s Prescription Diet® u/d® and Royal Canin® UC Low Purine). Any urinary tract infection must be treated immediately. The nutrient profile utilized after surgery is also this one. Urine can be alkalinized using potassium citrate, which is sold under the trade names NutriVed and Urocit-K®. It is possible to utilize tiopronin (trade name Thiola®) to bind to extra cystine and eliminate it from the body.
- Stones of struvite. By treating an existing urinary tract infection and applying the proper nutrient profile, dissolution may be made possible. The ideal food profile for dissolving has a rather high fat content, raising the possibility of pancreatitis and necessitating constant supervision. Additionally, the diet will result in greater thirst and more watery urine. Diets include Rayne Clinical Nutrition Adult Health-RSS, Purina® Pro Plan®
- Veterinary UR Urinary, and Hills Prescription Diet® s/d® or c/d®. The full preventative strategy will vary depending on the particular dog, but it will typically center on producing a slightly acidic urine while keeping an eye out for the development of calcium oxalate crystals and/or stones, which can develop in urine that is excessively acidic.
stone silica. They are extremely uncommon bladder stones. No evidence of dissolution has yet been found. - There is not enough information after surgery to clearly outline a course for prevention. The general recommendations include feeding a dietary profile with less plant-based protein and other components, more animal protein, wet rather than dry food, and a diet that supports an alkaline urine pH. It can also be necessary to use a potassium citrate-based urine alkalinizing agent.
- Nutrition will be essential in preventing recurrence, whether surgical removal or dissolving of canine bladder stones is the final course of action. After selecting a nutritional profile, it is crucial to give exactly what has been recommended. Consult your veterinarian before giving your pet any additional food or treats. The additions can negate the benefits of the recommended dietary profile for preventing recurrent bladder stones.
