The cause of urinary stones is simply put, [urinary stones] are stones that have formed in the bladder and urinary system. This is because in the process of producing urine, the dog’s body will excrete ions and minerals through the function of the kidneys, but because the ions, minerals and water will stay in the bladder for a period of time, under the proper pH, these excreted wastes will first form a crystalline substance, and when the crystals combine with each other to become larger and larger, they will begin to become stones and accumulate in the body. There are many types of stones, the most common ones are calcium oxalate, struviting stone and uric acid stone. There are many factors in the formation of stones, the first thing you should pay attention to as an owner is the hygiene of your dog’s urinary tract, because bacteria can breed in the bladder, which in turn changes the acidity of the urine. And when the urine reaches an acid-base value suitable for mineral binding, crystals will begin to form. Typical symptoms of urinary stones in dogs Stones do not have any complications until they interfere with urination. It is important to be familiar with the symptoms of urinary stones, including: blood in the urine, painful urination, increased urination, decreased urination, and licking the genitals more often than usual. Blood in the urine is caused by stones irritating the delicate bladder lining and causing bleeding. When the fine sand-like stones are expelled with the urine, the already inflamed bladder will feel severe pain. Owners should also be aware that: 1. If the dog is frequently in a urinary position with little to no urine; seems irritable when urinating, squatting for a while and then repeatedly spinning around, then the dog is likely to have urinary stones. 2. Dogs struggling to pass large amounts of urine may just be passing stones and should be checked immediately to find and pick them up and send them for laboratory identification (stone passing is not the end, it will recur). 3. Dogs that cannot pass urine should be taken to the hospital immediately for treatment, as an embolized urethra can allow urine to flow back into its original system, leading to bladder rupture or kidney failure! How to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of urinary stones 1. Pets should always maintain adequate water intake and urination, which can prevent the formation of most types of stones. You can add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to every 500 ml of drinking water, which will stimulate your pet to drink a lot.2. Eliminate bacterial infections of the urinary tract; take your pet to the hospital twice a year for genital and urinary examinations.3. Eat less grains and vegetables to prevent alkalinization of the urine and formation of stones. This is why pets must eat pet food.4. Calcium stones are currently the most common and most difficult type of stone to treat. This stone, unlike ammonium magnesium phosphate stones, cannot be effectively controlled by diet, so once the disease is present, it must undergo surgery, and there is a risk of recurrence within a few years. The formation of these stones is associated with excessive calcium intake and sometimes with the sequelae of [heart disease], [canine hyperadrenocorticism] (Cushing’s disease). Supplementation with a small amount of potassium (about 30 mg per pound of body weight) twice daily, along with the daily diet, can reduce the probability of calcium stone formation.5. Eat less purine-containing ingredients. Treatment of urinary stones Many owners mistakenly think that their dogs have [blood in urine] is the disease of urinary stones, so they buy a lot of nutrition and medicine about prevention and treatment on the Internet. Naturally, the result will not be very effective! The correct concept and practice is to take your dog to the animal hospital and ask a professional doctor to diagnose and treat it. There are many factors that can cause a dog to urinate blood, including not only urinary stones, but also bladder tumors, kidney bleeding and so on. In addition, some cases that look like blood in the urine, but are not bleeding, may simply be the use of food containing coloring, and the color of the urine may look the same as blood in the urine. In terms of treatment, there are two types of therapy: medical and surgical. In the case of medical treatment, the stones are first removed surgically and then analyzed. Once the composition of the stone is determined, medical treatment can be started. In terms of medical treatment, some dogs need urinary acidifiers, some need special foods, some need long-term antibiotics, some need diuretics to increase water intake and urine output, and some need to change water to ionized distilled water or electrolytic water to reduce stone regeneration.
English Deutsch Français Español Português 日本語 عربي