Bladder stones can cause urination problems for your dog, and can even become life-threatening if they cause a total obstruction of the bladder. Here, our Albany vets explain some signs of bladder stones in dogs and how they are treated.
Watching your furry friend struggle with bladder stones is heartbreaking. If you’ve noticed your dog straining to pee, having accidents in the house, or even spotting blood in their urine, bladder stones might be the culprit. The good news? You’re not alone in this journey, and yes – some bladder stones in dogs can actually be dissolved without surgery!
As a pet parent who’s been through this with my own dog, I know the worry that comes with a bladder stone diagnosis But don’t panic – there are several effective treatment options available, and understanding them is the first step toward helping your four-legged friend feel better
What Are Bladder Stones in Dogs?
Bladder stones (also called uroliths or cystic calculi) are rock-like formations of minerals that develop in your dog’s urinary bladder. They can range in size from tiny sand-like grains to larger gravel-sized stones. Sometimes, a dog might have just one large stone while others may have a collection of various sizes.
These pesky stones form because of disease or inflammation in the bladder. When certain minerals in your dog’s urine aren’t properly processed by their urinary system or when these minerals appear at higher-than-normal levels they can crystallize. These sharp crystals irritate the bladder lining, causing mucus production. The crystals and mucus stick together, gradually growing into hardened stones.
Common Signs Your Dog Has Bladder Stones
How do you know if your pup is suffering from this condition? Look out for these warning signs:
- Blood in the urine (hematuria)
- Straining to urinate (dysuria)
- Frequent attempts to urinate with little output
- Accidents in the house despite being house-trained
- Pain when urinating or when the abdomen is touched
- Licking around the urinary opening more than usual
In severe cases, stones can block the urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to outside the body), causing a complete urinary obstruction. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate veterinary attention, as it can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Can Bladder Stones in Dogs Really Be Dissolved?
Yes, some types of bladder stones in dogs can be dissolved! However, not all stones respond to dissolution therapy. The approach depends on several factors:
- The type of stone (mineral composition)
- Size and number of stones
- Your dog’s overall health
- Whether there’s a urinary blockage present
Small bladder stones may pass through the urine on their own or be dissolved with diet therapy, while larger ones may require surgery. If your dog is showing any signs of urinary issues, it’s important to see a veterinarian as soon as possible to rule out bladder stones.
Treatment Options Based on Stone Type
Let’s break down the different types of bladder stones and whether they can be dissolved:
1. Struvite Stones
Can they be dissolved? Yes!
Struvite stones (magnesium ammonium phosphate) are among the most common bladder stones in dogs and fortunately, they’re usually dissolvable. These stones are almost always associated with bacterial infections in the bladder.
Treatment approach:
- Special prescription diets that reduce protein, magnesium, and phosphorus
- Increased salt levels to encourage water consumption
- Creating acidic urine conditions
- Antibiotics to treat the underlying infection
Recommended prescription diets:
- Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Urinary SO
- Hill’s Prescription Diet s/d or c/d Multicare
- Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary Ox/St
Timeframe: Dissolution typically takes from a few weeks to several months, depending on stone size.
2. Calcium Oxalate Stones
Can they be dissolved? No.
Unfortunately, calcium oxalate stones cannot be dissolved with diet or medications. These common stones require physical removal.
Treatment approach:
- Surgical removal (cystotomy)
- Lithotripsy (breaking stones with sound waves or laser)
- Urohydropropulsion (flushing out small stones)
After removal, special diets can help prevent recurrence.
3. Cystine Stones
Can they be dissolved? Yes!
These less common stones can usually be dissolved with appropriate dietary management.
Treatment approach:
- Diets with reduced protein levels
- Low sodium content
- Low levels of amino acids cystine and methionine
- Creating alkaline urine
Recommended prescription diets:
- Hill’s Prescription Diet u/d
- Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary UC
4. Purine Stones (Urate or Xanthine)
Can they be dissolved? Yes for urate, sometimes for xanthine.
Treatment approach:
- Reduced protein diets, especially limiting fish and organ meats
- Low sodium content
- Creating alkaline urine
Recommended prescription diets:
- Hill’s Prescription Diet u/d
- Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary UC
5. Other Stone Types
Calcium phosphate and silica stones are rare in dogs and typically cannot be dissolved. They usually require surgical removal or other physical extraction methods.
Beyond Diet: Other Dissolution Methods
While prescription diets are the main approach to dissolving bladder stones, they’re not the only tool we have:
1. Medications
Certain medications can help create the right urinary conditions for stone dissolution:
- Urinary acidifiers – Help dissolve struvite stones by making urine more acidic
- Urinary alkalinizers – Aid in dissolving cystine and urate stones by making urine more alkaline
- Antibiotics – Essential for treating infections that cause struvite stones
- Thiol-containing drugs – Can help dissolve cystine stones
2. Increased Water Intake
Keeping your dog well-hydrated is super important! Increased water consumption dilutes the urine, which helps prevent crystal formation and can aid in dissolution of existing stones.
Ways to increase your dog’s water intake:
- Feed wet/canned food instead of dry kibble
- Add water to their food
- Use pet water fountains (some dogs prefer running water)
- Provide multiple water bowls throughout your home
- Add low-sodium broth to water for flavor
3. Voiding Urohydropropulsion
For very small stones, veterinarians might try a technique called voiding urohydropropulsion. This involves:
- Sedating the dog
- Filling the bladder with fluid through a catheter
- Applying pressure to the bladder while the dog is positioned to help flush out the stones
This method isn’t effective for larger stones and works better in female dogs due to their wider urethras.
When Surgery Is Necessary
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, surgery becomes the necessary option:
- When stones are too large to pass naturally
- If the stone type can’t be dissolved (like calcium oxalate)
- When there’s a complete urinary blockage (emergency!)
- If the dog can’t tolerate the prescription diet
- When faster resolution is needed due to severe symptoms
The most common surgical procedure is a cystotomy, where the veterinarian makes an incision into the bladder to remove the stones. While this sounds scary, it’s actually a routine procedure with a typically quick recovery time.
Preventing Recurrence: The Long-Term Strategy
Once your dog’s bladder stones have been dissolved or removed, preventing their return becomes the priority. Recurrence rates can be high without proper management.
Key prevention strategies include:
- Continuing appropriate prescription diets – Many dogs need to stay on special diets long-term
- Regular monitoring – Follow-up urine tests, x-rays, or ultrasounds
- Increased water intake – Keep that urine dilute!
- Treating underlying conditions – Address any health issues that contributed to stone formation
- Regular bathroom breaks – Don’t make your dog “hold it” for too long
Monitoring Urine Concentration
One helpful tool is monitoring your dog’s urine specific gravity (USG), which measures how concentrated the urine is. For stone prevention, veterinarians often recommend keeping USG under 1.020. Your vet can check this with a simple urine sample, or even teach you to measure it at home with a refractometer.
What About Homemade Diets for Dogs with Bladder Stones?
While homemade diets might seem appealing, creating balanced recipes that achieve the specific urinary conditions needed to dissolve or prevent stones is extremely challenging. If you’re interested in this approach, work with a veterinary nutritionist who specializes in urinary health. The wrong homemade diet could actually make the condition worse!
Our Experience with Bladder Stone Dissolution
When my dog Max developed struvite stones, we opted for the dietary dissolution approach rather than immediate surgery. It took about 8 weeks of strict diet management, but his stones completely dissolved! The peace of mind from avoiding surgery was worth the patience required.
However, my friend’s Dalmatian had urate stones that required a combination of diet, medication, and ultimately a minimally invasive procedure to completely resolve. Every dog’s situation is unique.
When to See Your Vet Immediately
While some bladder stones can be managed with time and patience, certain situations require emergency veterinary care:
- Inability to urinate at all
- Excessive straining with little to no urine production
- Severe abdominal pain
- Lethargy and vomiting alongside urinary symptoms
- Collapse or extreme distress
A complete urinary obstruction is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
Final Thoughts
Yes, many bladder stones in dogs can be dissolved through dietary management and medications! The success depends primarily on the type of stone and your commitment to following the treatment plan. Even when dissolution isn’t possible, there are effective options for stone removal and prevention of recurrence.
Working closely with your veterinarian is essential for developing the right approach for your furry friend. With proper treatment and preventive care, most dogs with bladder stones can return to their happy, healthy lives – and stay that way!
Have you dealt with bladder stones in your dog? What treatment approach worked best for you? Share your experience in the comments to help other pet parents navigating this common canine condition!
What are bladder stones in dogs?
Bladder stones – also known as cystic calculi or uroliths – are minerals that develop into rock-like formations in a dog’s urinary bladder.
Bladder stones can either be a buildup of multiple small stones or a single larger stone, and can range in size from the equivalent of a grain of sand to the size of a piece of gravel. Both small and large stones may be present and create an obstruction.
Causes Of Bladder Stones in Dogs
There are a number of theories regarding what causes bladder stones in dogs but the most commonly accepted theory is the Precipitation-Crystallization Theory. This theory states that one or more crystalline compounds may be present in elevated levels in your dog’s urine, and eventually form stones due to dietary factors or previous bladder disease such as a bacterial infection. Sometimes, the body’s metabolism may cause an issue.
If the urine becomes saturated with the crystalline compound due to the acidity (pH) or specific minerals in the urine, tiny crystals can form and irritate the lining of the bladder, causing the production of mucous that sticks to the crystals. Clusters then form and harden into stones.
Bladder stones can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to form, depending on how much crystalline material is present, and on the degree of infection.
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FAQ
What can I give my dog to dissolve bladder stones?
Struvite stones are treated medically with antibiotics and a therapeutic diet to dissolve the stones, such as Hill’s c/d, Royal Canin Urinary SO, and Purina Pro Plan UR. These diets have a reduction in magnesium, phosphorus and protein. They also help to acidify and dilute the urine.
Can a dog live with bladder stones?
A bladder stone won’t necessarily be fatal to your dog, especially because she is female and as long as she can still pass urine. However having the stone will be extremely uncomfortable continuously rubbing along her bladder wall and can lead to persistent and serious bladder infections.
Can bladder stones in dogs dissolve on their own?
Small bladder stones may pass through the urine on their own or be dissolved with diet therapy, while larger ones may require surgery.
How do they remove bladder stones in dogs without surgery?
The laser heats up the molecules around the stone, causing the stone to break into tiny particles that can then be flushed out of the bladder or retrieved with a small basket passed through the cystoscope. It allows for immediate removal of the offending stones without the need for surgery.