Dogs are very prone todeveloping bladder stones. This disease in dogs is very much like the bladderstones that are suffered by humans. In dogs, certain minerals block the flow ofurine in the urethra, causing pained exertion of liquid wastes. Thesesolidified minerals are alternatively called uroliths, stones, or calculi.
Dogs with bladder stones maydevelop cystitis, a condition wherein their urinary bladder gets inflamed, allbecause of the small stones present in the dog's urinary tract. These smallstones can be made up of calcium oxalate, struvite, cystine calculi, andammonium urate.
Once these small stones form inthe urinary tract of your dog, your pet would show the symptoms of the disease.Such symptoms are frequent urination, decreased amount of urine, and straining.You may also see blood in your pet's urine every now and then. Male dogs aremore likely to be affected by bladder stones because of their narrow urethras.
There are different ways totreat bladder stones in dogs. However, the proper treatment is carried out onlyafter the veterinarian had found out what type of stones had formed in yourdog's urinary tract. As stated earlier, there are many types of stones thatcould possibly form. And each of those stones requires a different set oftreatment strategy.
Bladder stones can be treatedwith the right diet. Veterinarians may prescribe an acidic diet so that thedog's urine would have a higher pH level. At that state, the bladder stones wouldget dissolved and the dog would be cured eventually.
There are also certain dogfoods that are especially created to treat bladder stones in dogs. Yourveterinarian would know if these foods are going to be helpful to your pet ornot. It is very hard to give dogs acidic juices or the fresh juices of fruits.But if the foods are scientifically prepared to contain the needed acids, itbecomes much easier to feed them to your pet. Of course, it is also importantto give your dog the proteins and the nutrients it needs to sustain life.
However, the treatment ofbladder stones through diet is only effective for struvite uroliths. These arethe type of stones that can easily be dissolved with acids. But even so, itwould take several weeks to more than two months before the diet would prove tobe effective and potentially treat your dog. Surgery is still the best way totreat bladder stones in dogs. Ask the help of a qualified veterinarian todetermine whether this treatment process is the best one for your pet. Otherwise,you have to submit your pet to other treatment procedures that would remove thestones in its bladder in the shortest time possible.
Dogs with bladder stones tendto become irritated, excrete less amount of urine but do it very frequently,and exhibit pain while urinating. If you observe your dog to be suffering fromthese symptoms, it is best that you take your pet to the veterinarian rightaway for proper diagnosis.
