The Presence of Kidney Stones in Dogs

Incredibly, your pets can develop bladder or kidney stones just like people do. Bladder stones are more common for them while stones in the kidneys are potentially rare. Though some may live in comfort and ease with stones in their system, others are not so fortunate and it’s recommended that they be removed.

In dogs, the stones can cause extreme pain and substantial blood when urinating and they are brought on by what the dog typically eats or the overall diet, the intake of medications and the recurrent infections of the urinary tract. As a dog owner, you need to generally know foodstuff that can injure and mend a dog’s kidney system. For instance, you can avoid giving foods that are high in protein, sugar, salt and purines since these substances can overwork the kidneys and may trigger the release of acids which can accumulate in the bloodstream and deposit in the kidneys. As a result, your dog’s kidney function can be compromised. It helps to stay away from meal plans that are rich in red organs, shell fish, fatty meats, spinach, processed foods with additives and many more. By contrast, you need to feed them with a diet plan that is balanced and high in whole grains, fruits, white meats, complex carbs, low fat food items, low-purine veggies and those high in vitamin C. These selected foods may tremendously aid the system’s removal of excess acid and stones so long as water intake is simultaneously increased and the dog gets daily exercise.

Of course, doing all these are commendable but you may consider going to a good veterinarian for a full check up and treatment. Basically, tests shall be carried out to diagnose the problem and the vet can lay out the treatment options for your dog which you can both extensively discuss and work out.

Veterinary Visits to Prevent and Treat Kidney Stones in Dogs

Kidney stones in dogs are aggravating and they can be caused by a lot of factors including diet, genetic makeup or even letting the dogs hold their urine for extended hours among other things. The formation of stones can produce dark or bloody urine in dogs, guarding behavior, frequent drinking and urinating and so on. So basically the need to prevent the stones’ formation is ideal but if you’re dog is exhibiting signs and symptoms of infection or kidney stones, it’s crucial that you take him to your vet for tests and some thorough evaluation.

Once diagnosed, your dog will undergo some major changes, depending on the type of stones that are found and what’s causing them to form. If your dog has either kidney or bladder stones and based on the dog’s condition, the doctor may prescribe some antibiotics and urine acidifiers for medical management. Diet changes and some exercise may go with the medications to mobilize the stones and flush them out, and the combined measures typically work for most dogs while some may not be so fortunate. If these don’t work, a decision to operate is done and your dog is normally prepared for the necessary removal of the stones from the system. The veterinarian shall form a surgical opening that allows for the removal of the stones and the location depends on where the stones are visualized which can either be from the kidneys, ureter, bladder or urethra. Of course, the cost of the surgery runs for more than a thousand dollars each time.

In general, the pedigree of dogs like the Dalmatian or Poodle to name a few are basically more susceptible to kidney stones than most so it’s important, as a dog owner, to learn what diet is needed and what improvements are necessary for your pet.