Bladder stones are common in dogs. They develop from crystal deposits that form in the kidneys from minerals.
Bladder stones can sometimes become so large that affected dogs can no longer pass urine.
Without treatment, this can even be life-threatening in the worst case. As a dog owner, you should therefore take possible symptoms of bladder stones seriously and take your dog to a vet as soon as possible.
In the following, you will learn exactly how bladder stones develop in dogs and what symptoms they cause. We will also explain which treatment methods are available and which preventive measures are useful.
Bladder stones are crystalline deposits that form from the dog's urine. They can have different compositions and come in different sizes.
Such urinary stones can form in the entire urinary tract of the dog. Their exact name varies depending on where they are found. Urinary stones in the kidneys are called kidney stones, while in the ureters they are called ureteral stones.
If the urinary stones are in the dog's bladder, they are called bladder stones and in the urethra, urethral stones.
Depending on their composition, there are different types of bladder stones in dogs. For optimal treatment, it is important to know these and adjust the measures accordingly.
If a dog develops bladder stones, there are various possible reasons. The mineral content of a dog food plays a particularly important role in this context. If the food contains too much magnesium, calcium and phosphorus, this can contribute decisively to the formation of bladder stones.
In addition, insufficient fluid intake and the resulting low urine output in dogs can contribute to the development of bladder stones.
Various health problems, such as liver disease, can also play a role in the formation of urinary stones. Another possible cause is an increased PH level in the urine, which can occur as a result of bacterial urinary tract infections and promote the formation of struvite stones in dogs.
Although in principle any dog can get bladder stones, some breeds are naturally at increased risk. These include the Dalmatian, in which incorrect feeding can very easily lead to the formation of urinary stones due to a genetic disorder in the purine metabolism.
Small bladder stones usually do not lead to any recognisable symptoms, as the dog can excrete them without any problems when passing urine. However, this changes very quickly as soon as the dog's bladder stones reach a certain size or several smaller stones have formed.
This is because in this case, the bladder stones may block the urethra completely or partially, which inevitably leads to difficulties in passing urine.
Bladder stones that block the dog's urethra can be life-threatening and must therefore be treated as quickly as possible. If you notice the above-mentioned symptoms in your four-legged friend, a timely visit to the vet is therefore essential.
The veterinarian can check with a urine test whether your dog suffers from bladder stones. If there are stones in your dog's urine, their composition can also be determined directly.
In addition, the vet can use ultrasound examinations and X-rays to check how large your dog's bladder stones are and where exactly they are located. Depending on the results of the examination, the vet will then decide which treatment measures need to be taken.
If the bladder stones in your dog are still quite small, they can often be dissolved with the help of special medication. However, once they reach a certain size, it is necessary to remove them surgically. For this purpose, your four-legged friend is put under general anaesthesia so that his bladder can be opened and the bladder stones removed.
Following this, your dog will be given painkillers and antibiotics for a few days. It is also important that your dog drinks enough fluids, which may require infusions. Finally, X-rays will be taken to check whether all the bladder stones have been removed.
As already mentioned, the diet or the mineral content of the food plays a very important role in the development of bladder stones in dogs. To counteract the formation of bladder stones, your four-legged friend needs suitable food with adapted mineral content.
The exact specifications regarding the composition can vary depending on the type of bladder stone. A laboratory examination of the stones can provide information. In general, however, it can be said that a diet to prevent bladder stones in dogs should contain a reduced amount of magnesium, calcium and phosphorus and have a low pH value.
To prevent the formation of bladder stones in your dog, we recommend feeding him the Bellfor Landgut Menu. This is our digestible insect-based wet food.
Bellfor Landgut-Menü has an adapted mineral content. For example, the food contains only 0.05 per cent magnesium. It also has a low pH value of 5.5, which can be particularly beneficial for the breakdown of struvite stones in dogs.
At the same time, the insect protein from the larvae of black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) contained in the food is a very high-quality and easily-digestible protein supplier. With our Landgut menu, you can therefore not only reduce the risk of bladder stones forming but at the same time ensure a long-term diet that meets your dog's needs and provides him with all the important nutrients.
It is not possible to make general statements about the prognosis for dogs that have had bladder stones surgically removed. Especially if your four-legged friend was already suffering from renal insufficiency before the operation, a fatal kidney failure may well occur after the removal of the bladder stones.
If your dog is otherwise healthy, the chances of recovery are usually very good. However, you should pay close attention to the nutritional needs of your four-legged friend when feeding him and keep regular appointments with your vet for check-ups.