My Dog is Passing Stones- Help

[Tango]

My 2 year -old Catahoula hasn't been acting like herself today. She's been a little trembly, as if she were scared of something (very unlike her). I've kept an eye on her and finally noticed this evening that she goes to urinate but doesn't. After that realization we gave her a gentle massage and she voided one stone slightly smaller than dime size and several very small pinhead size stones. She is in pain but seems a little relieved and is sleeping right now. My vet is open in the morning. Is there anything I can do/ should do for her this evening? Do dogs usually develop loads of stones like goats or are they more like humans who might pass one stone and be okay? She is a spayed, athletic Catahoula, up to date on everything, very healthy ordinarily. Thanks in advance.

[Little Quacker in OR]

Head to the Vet Tango. If you were passing these stones I know that you would know they really hurt!

She can be put on meds for this as well as a special diet.

Makes me shiver just to think of it! OW!

Almost forgot. do you have the American CLD site:

http://www.catahoulas.org/

Good luck with here...those are very cool working dogs!

LQ

[Tango]

Thanks we'll be there in the morning bright and early. Having suffered from partial obstruction myself recently as well as having a lifelong tendency for cystitis, I am very sympathetic to her feelings. Just want to keep her comfy through the night.

[GoldenMom]

Tango-
If you still have the stones take them to the vet with you. Maybe they can send them in so that you know what you are dealing with sooner. Your dog will probably get an x-ray and urinalysis. If you're lucky she passed them all. If not she may well need surgery.

There are two main types of bladder stones: struvite (aka triple phosphate) and calcium oxalate. Struvite stones form in alkaline urine and can be caused by bladder infections. Calcium oxalate stones form in acid urine and are very common in some breeds. There are special diets that supposedly can dissolve struvite stones but I've never seen them work. Usually we have to go in surgically no matter what type of stone.

After surgery, when you know what type of stone you're dealing with (insist that the vet send at least a sample of the stone for analysis and it would be great to have a culture on her urine), she will probably have to be on a special (read $$ prescription $$) diet and maybe an oral supplement. She should have periodic (every 3-4 months) urinalyses to check pH and x-rays at least once a year to check for additional stone formation.

As far as what you can do now, make sure she's drinking LOTS of water to flush the bladder as much as possible. Hope she feels better real soon!

Sarah

[Tango]

Thanks Sarah,
I saved the stones with that thought in mind. She fell asleep right after that and slept the whole night through. This morning she urinated twice. the first time cloudy and the second time clear. Both good amounts of urine. She is obviously feeling better. We'll see what the vet says

[TnTnTn]

Originally Posted by Tango

Thanks Sarah,
I saved the stones with that thought in mind. She fell asleep right after that and slept the whole night through. This morning she urinated twice. the first time cloudy and the second time clear. Both good amounts of urine. She is obviously feeling better. We'll see what the vet says

Good that she is feeling better. I would put her on Clavamox and feed her S/D while awaiting stone analysis. A urine culture would be nice also and you may need to change antibiotics after the results are known. I have seen S/D dissolve some pretty significant accumulations of struvite stones. Being a female she is less likely to become obstructed and unable to urinate than a male would be. Good luck. TnTnTn