Re: bladder stones

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Posted by iZ's mom on July 16, 2001 at 20:56:34:

In Reply to: bladder stones posted by geo on July 16, 2001 at 14:33:40:

iZ has had *two* bladder stones ... (heavy sigh ... i HATE knowing stuff like this 1st hand!)

pretty much, the only treatment is surgery, altho it will depend on how large the stone has become ... the 1st stone iZ had pretty much filled his bladder + had to be surgically removed ...
5 months post-op he passed one that was 1/2 the size of the 1st ... (it was smaller, but still impressively large + unbelieveable that he got it out ~ which is a story in itself ...)

there are different *kinds* of stones + there's no way to tell what kind this one is while it's inside, so there aren't any drugs that can help "dissolve" it ...

there's "lithotripsy", which is a non-surgical procedure that breaks the stone up into smaller pieces so the animal can pass them ... BUT ...
it is a RARE thing to find a vet who does even animals as small as a medium-sized dog ~ doubtful there is anyone doing it on something as small as an ig ... (everyone laughed at me when i called the vet colleges in this area ...)

so ... unfortunately, the only answer is surgery to remove the stone and lab analysis on the stone itself to try + figure out *why* it formed in the 1st place + prob'ly dietary restrictions to prevent another one ...

find a vet who has LOTS of experience with igs + surgery and get a 2nd opinion before anything else ~ prob'ly another set of x-rays ... if it's a *stone*, it'll be fairly obvious ... i *think* that it is more rare that there would be multiple stones in the bladder at one time + i'd wonder if there's a chance that it *is* eggs???

when their bladder is full of a stone, they pretty much lose their appetite cuz they kinda feel "full" anyway as well as the fact they're uncomfortable ... or in pain ...
iZ went thru some DRASTIC personality changes, wouldn't eat ~ which made him constipated ...

best thing i can think of is get an ig-surgeon's opinion ASAP ~ before she gets *really* sick ... keep her warm ~ maybe a few degrees warmer than usual, don't let her cool down at night at all (keep her metabolism UP) ... tempt her with her favorite foods to get calories in her + keep her strength up (extra fruit right now if she likes it ~ both to tempt her + for the calories, but also for the laxative effect) ... give her fluids with an eye-dropper or an oral syinge ~ LOTS of fluids! both to prevent dehydration *and* in the hopes that the extra fluid may help flush the stone out ... "Pedialyte" or "Enfalyte" is better than plain water ...

email me if i can help ...

Bon. + iZ

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: iZ has had *two* bladder stones ... <i><small>(heavy sigh ... i HATE knowing stuff like this 1st hand!)</i></small> : pretty much, the only treatment is surgery, altho it will depend on how large the stone has become ... the 1st stone iZ had pretty much filled his bladder + had to be surgically removed ... : 5 months post-op he passed one that was 1/2 the size of the 1st ... (it was smaller, but still impressively large + unbelieveable that he got it out ~ which is a story in itself ...) : there are different *kinds* of stones + there's no way to tell what kind this one is while it's inside, so there aren't any drugs that can help "dissolve" it ... : there's "lithotripsy", which is a non-surgical procedure that breaks the stone up into smaller pieces so the animal can pass them ... BUT ... : it is a RARE thing to find a vet who does even animals as small as a medium-sized dog ~ doubtful there is anyone doing it on something as small as an ig ... (everyone laughed at me when i called the vet colleges in this area ...) : so ... unfortunately, the only answer is surgery to remove the stone and lab analysis on the stone itself to try + figure out *why* it formed in the 1st place + prob'ly dietary restrictions to prevent another one ... : find a vet who has LOTS of experience with igs + surgery and get a 2nd opinion before anything else ~ prob'ly another set of x-rays ... if it's a *stone*, it'll be fairly obvious ... i *think* that it is more rare that there would be multiple stones in the bladder at one time + i'd wonder if there's a chance that it *is* eggs??? : when their bladder is full of a stone, they pretty much lose their appetite cuz they kinda feel "full" anyway as well as the fact they're uncomfortable ... or in pain ... : iZ went thru some DRASTIC personality changes, wouldn't eat ~ which made him constipated ... : best thing i can think of is get an ig-surgeon's opinion ASAP ~ before she gets *really* sick ... keep her warm ~ maybe a few degrees warmer than usual, don't let her cool down at night at all (keep her metabolism UP) ... tempt her with her favorite foods to get calories in her + keep her strength up (extra fruit right now if she likes it ~ both to tempt her + for the calories, but also for the laxative effect) ... give her fluids with an eye-dropper or an oral syinge ~ LOTS of fluids! both to prevent dehydration *and* in the hopes that the extra fluid may help flush the stone out ... "Pedialyte" or "Enfalyte" is better than plain water ... : email me if i can help ... : : Bon. + iZ

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