Urolithiasis in dogs: symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Our pets are not immune from various diseases. The problem is that they cannot openly tell what is bothering them, so an attentive owner can only suspect something is wrong by unusual symptoms. Urolithiasis in dogs is diagnosed quite often and requires timely treatment. We will talk about the first signs of pathology and methods of therapy further.

What should the owner know about the disease?

If you have even the slightest idea about the features of the pathology, you can identify the disease in your pet at an early stage. Important Facts:

• Stones can form anywhere in the urinary system, but they are most commonly found in the bladder as urine accumulates there.
• The process of stone formation is not always associated with a violation of metabolic processes.
• Urolithiasis in dogs does not always show symptoms in the first stage, so periodic urinalysis is recommended.
• GroupSmall breed dogs are at risk.
• When making a diagnosis, the type of stones must be determined, without which the treatment of urolithiasis in dogs will not be effective.
• It should be borne in mind that most often the pathology affects middle-aged and male animals.

Difficulties in therapy may arise if stones of a different nature are found in the body of an animal.

Varieties of stones

Dogs have the following composition of stones:

• Struvites. In the composition of magnesium and calcium carbonates, ammonium phosphates. Most often, bacterial infections are the provocateur of education.
• Phosphates. The easiest to remove from the body. A diet for urolithiasis in dogs after the discovery of such stones gives excellent results.
• Cystines. Detected in dogs that have a hereditary tendency to urolithiasis.
• Oxalates. Poorly treatable and have the ability to grow rapidly.

The type of stones affects the choice of treatment tactics.

Causes of kidney stones

The main role in the formation of stones, according to doctors, is played by infectious diseases. The inflammatory process against their background leads not only to a change in the structure of the bladder mucosa, but also to a change in acidity towards an increase in the alkaline environment.

But other predisposing factors cannot be discounted, these include:

• Unbalanced diet. It's bad when the ownersfeed their pets with mixed food, combining dry factory food and natural food. This leads to an increase in protein in the body and a violation of the composition of the urine.
• Water deficiency in the diet, especially if the dog eats dry food. But it is also undesirable to give water from the tap, it provokes the formation of inorganic deposits in the bladder. It must be passed through the filter.
• Urolithiasis in dogs can develop due to congenital abnormalities in the structure of the organs of the excretory system.
• Hereditary predisposition to disease.
• According to veterinarians, struvites often form in the background of a sedentary lifestyle, when the owner believes that walking in the morning and evening is enough for his pet.

• Excess weight in an animal leads to an increased load not only on the cardiovascular system, but also on the excretory system. Fluid is retained in the body, which changes the composition of urine.
• Metabolism disorders in the presence of pathologies of the liver, kidneys, organs of the digestive system.

The likelihood of developing urolithiasis in dogs increases several times if there is a combination of several predisposing factors at once.

How does the disease manifest itself?

Depending on the form, the symptoms of urolithiasis in dogs will differ, and the treatment will be different. There are several stages of the disease:

1. Asymptomatic.
2. Easy.
3. Heavy stage.

The first degree of manifestationthe disease has almost no symptoms. Abnormalities in the composition of urine and sand and stones can only be detected by chance as a result of an ultrasound or x-ray.

Mild outwardly it may appear as a malaise, but some characteristic signs of urolithiasis in dogs can be noted:

The dog goes to the toilet more often

• There may be drops of blood in the urine.
• In the process of urination, the animal takes strange positions, the duration of urine excretion increases, the animal may whine.
• The pet licks its genitals for a long time.
• If a bacterial infection joins, the temperature may rise.

If the owner missed or did not pay attention to the manifestations of a mild form of the disease, then a severe degree will not take long. Its symptoms cannot be overlooked:

• Involuntary emptying of the bladder is constantly observed, as evidenced by droplets of urine in the perineum.
• If the dog lives in the house, then traces of urine can be found in different corners.
• There is blood in the urine.
• When trying to empty the bladder, the dog constantly whines.
• The outflow of urine is difficult and you can feel an enlarged bladder.
• The animal begins to eat poorly, looks sick and weakened.
• Some dogs have an increased need for water.
• Temperature may rise.

A severe degree should not be left without the help of a doctor, otherwise everythingmay end badly for the pet.

When do I need to see the vet urgently?

When some symptoms appear, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor. The following manifestations should alert the owner:

• Urine stopped flowing.
• There are symptoms of dehydration.
• The animal is constantly lying and practically does not react to the voice of the owner.
• The bladder is either full and painful when palpated or impossible to detect at all if it has ruptured.
• There are all signs of intoxication of the body: vomiting, convulsions.
• The temperature is dropping.

Efficiency in this case of treatment of urolithiasis in dogs will depend on the professionalism of the veterinarian and his ability to recognize the disease by the symptoms.

Diagnosis of disease

It is necessary to confirm the symptoms of urolithiasis in dogs by diagnosis and treatment will depend on the severity of the pathology and the type of deposits. If the owner carefully monitors the he alth of his pet, then the disease is detected even at the stage of not pronounced symptoms during the delivery of laboratory tests. This study allows you to determine the nature of the stones and prescribe the appropriate therapy and diet for the animal.

To confirm the diagnosis, prescribe:

X-ray

• Ultrasound allows you to determine the size and localization of stones.
• A bacterial urine test will show the presence of an infection.

After clarifying the diagnosis and definitionvarieties of stones are prescribed effective therapy.

Methods of treating the disease

Only an integrated approach will save the pet from the painful symptoms of the disease. Therapy includes the following areas:

1. Medication treatment.
2. Physiotherapy treatments.
3. Special diet.
4. Surgical intervention.

Drug Therapy

The owner of the animal must understand that there is no single treatment regimen for dogs with such a diagnosis, so you should not listen to the advice of dog breeders and give your pet the same drugs. Self-medication can end badly. The veterinarian most often prescribes the following groups of drugs:

1. To maintain the work of the heart, if the animal is in critical condition: Cardiamin, Sulfocamphocaine.
2. To relieve spasms of smooth muscles: Atropine, No-shpa.
3. For pain relief: "Baralgin", "Analgin", "Pentalgin". In case of urgent need, the doctor makes a novocaine blockade.
4. If a bacterial infection has become the culprit for the development of the disease, then antibiotics are indispensable: Furadonin, Neopen or Furagin. Dogs are strictly forbidden to give "Gentamicin".
5. To eliminate the consequences of dehydration and intoxication, they prescribe: "Vetavit", "Nelite".
6. To relieve the inflammatory process, drugs for urolithiasis are prescribed: "Urodan", "Stop-cystitis", "Urotropin", "Uro-ursi".

Dosage andThe regimen for taking drugs is prescribed in each case individually. Treatment of urolithiasis in dogs in Moscow or any other city must be carried out in a specialized clinic for animals. This is the only way to be sure that the specialists will provide qualified assistance to your pet.

Physiotherapy treatment

Of the physiotherapeutic methods of therapy, pulsed magnetotherapy gives good results. This method of treatment allows you to get rid of stones without surgery. In addition, it has some other advantages:

• Magnetotherapy eliminates inflammation.
• Reduces the intensity of pain.
• Speeds up recovery.

Used for the treatment of urolithiasis in dogs and hirudotherapy. It gives good results in the early stages of the development of the disease, as well as rehabilitation or preventive measures.

Surgical treatment

If drug therapy does not give a noticeable improvement, then an operation is prescribed. Most often, surgical intervention has to be resorted to in the formation of oxalate stones.

Surgical removal takes place under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision in the bladder and removes stones from it. Small formations and sand are simply washed out. After 2-3 days, the process of urination normalizes in the dog. Necessarily after the operation, conservative treatment is prescribed and compliance with a special nutrition system for urolithiasis indogs.

Diet to get rid of stones

A properly composed diet will help the animal to recover from urolithiasis. It must be observed even after surgery to avoid relapse. The diet of a dog with mixed urolithiasis or with a certain type of stone is aimed at creating a lack of certain mineral compounds that the body must take from the deposits.

If the diet is not balanced, the disease will progress, and the stones will increase in size.

If struvite is found, the diet for dogs with urolithiasis should be designed in such a way as to create a magnesium, ammonium and phosphate deficiency in the body. Feeding recommendations are as follows:

• If the pet gets natural food, then use special supplements.
• Ready-made dry food should contain a reduced amount of protein.
• Food for the animal should be as hydrated as possible.
• You can not give the animal a large amount of food at a time, the food should be fractional.
• Don't give tap water, better to use purified or bottled water.
• In order not to provoke micronutrient deficiencies while dieting, it is necessary to add veterinary supplements and urine oxidizers to the feed.

Urate-forming disease is the worst to treat, it will take at least 4 months to dissolve such stones. Dogs with such formations should be on a diet for life.

Completed feed for animals with this type of disease shouldcontain a low concentration of proteins. Available in two types:

1. Fodder labeled S/D. Its disadvantage is the acidification of urine, but it contains s alt.
2. There is a U/D mark on the box. Does not contain s alts, but highly alkalizes urine.

With cystine stones, it is important to follow all the recommendations of the veterinarian for taking medications. What to feed a dog with this type of urolithiasis? In this case, drug therapy is more important, and in nutrition, just follow the measure and give more fluid to the animal so that the urine becomes alkaline. If you buy ready-made food, then you should give preference to those that are marked U / D.

The formation of oxalates requires a reduction in calcium in the diet and a balanced menu. But many veterinarians are of the opinion that an excess of this element is a trigger for the development of the disease, but not the fact that after its elimination the problem with stones will be resolved.

In the presence of mixed stones, dog owners can give the following recommendations on the nutrition of their pets:

• It is advisable not to mix ready-made industrial feeds with natural food.
• The diet should be varied, you can not constantly feed the animal with the same products.
• Exclude offal from the dog menu, as they are a source of oxalic acid.
• If urates are found, then rich broths from meat and fish are contraindicated for the animal, but these products are allowed in boiled form.
• In the diet, dairy products shouldbe present, but they must not be overfed.
• After feeding, the food from the bowl should be removed, but the water should be constantly.
• It is recommended to add vitamin A to the food, it favorably affects the condition of the mucous membrane of the bladder.

To maintain the he alth of your pet, it is important to exclude fried foods, s alty, sweet and fatty foods from his diet. If a ready-made medicinal food is selected, then it is not recommended to give the dog other food besides it.

Forecast

Most often, it is not possible to completely get rid of the disease. Yes, the disease is stopped, the symptoms disappear, but the owners should remember that if you stop following the medical recommendations on nutrition and taking medications when the animal becomes better, then very soon everything will return again.

The prognosis will be favorable if you strictly follow all the prescriptions of the veterinarian and periodically take tests and undergo an examination in the clinic.

Prevention of urolithiasis in dogs

You can prevent the development of the disease if you follow some recommendations:

• Revise the diet of the animal and give food containing a large amount of moisture.
• Purchase premium or super premium food.
• The animal must have constant access to water.
• Watch the weight of the dog, do not overfeed the animal.
• It is necessary to provide the pet with an active lifestyle and physical activity.

• Timely treat infectiousdiseases.
• Periodic urinalysis.
• Make sure that the dog does not endure, but empties the bladder in a timely manner.
• If the animal already had a history of urolithiasis, then you should constantly adhere to the recommended nutrition system.

Pets are like little children who need our love and care. Only an attentive and loving owner will prevent the development of a serious illness in his four-legged friend.