Guinea Lynx : : Bladder Stones. Content. BLADDER STONESHome > Medical Reference > Bladder Stones. Bladder Stones And Sludge. Bladder stones (also called uroliths or urinary calculi) are hard, stone- like structures usually composed of calcium carbonate which form in the bladder. Bladder sludge is a term used to describe gritty calcium- based particles that collect in the bladder. Kidney stones can also form in the kidneys and ureters but this is less frequent and may not be treatable. Learn about bladder stones in dogs, also called urinary calculi, and their causes, signs, treatment, and prevention. Stones can become lodged in the urethra slowing or completely blocking urination. This is especially dangerous for boars, as their urethra is narrower than that of a sow. IF A GUINEA PIG IS UNABLE TO URINATE, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. Any guinea pig with stones should be treated promptly. Stone photo contributed by Trisha. Stone is about 3/4. Stones can sometimes cause so much pain that they interfere with mobility. The only change a few pet owners noticed was heavy breathing, most likely indicating pain. What Your Vet Will Do Your vet will examine your guinea pig and palpate the lower abdomen. Stones cannot always be felt by palpation. An x- ray (two views) must be taken to determine if bladder stones are present. An ultrasound can also be used to check for the presence of stones. Your vet may test for a UTI by collecting urine or drawing it directly from the bladder using a needle (cystocentesis). ![]() Information about the types of kidney stones, including calcium stones, uric acid stones, struvite stones, and cystine stones. What is a calcium oxalate stone? Calcium oxalate stones are the most common type of kidney stone. Kidney stones are solid masses that form in the kidney when there. Kidney stones Description. An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of kidney stones. Alternative Names. Calcium stones; Nephrolithiasis. How common are kidney stones? Each year, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. It is estimated that one in ten people will. Note: The author has had no veterinary or medical training. She has merely documented her experience with her dog's health problems. Be sure to check with your. Kidney Stones Home. KIDNEY STONES (Renal Calculi) AND THEIR RELATION TO DIET. There are five types of kidney stones: 1. Calcium phosphate stones are common and. ![]() Kidney stones in adults are developed from urine crystals containing calcium, uric acid or cystine. Read about kidney stone causes, symptoms, treatment, diet and.Urine is checked for bacteria and blood. If there is no visible blood, the urine may be tested for the presence of blood. Photo contributed by Sef (Sandra). Treatment. Most guinea pigs cannot pass bladder stones on their own and require surgery to remove them. Bladder stones in the urethra can sometimes be plucked from the urethra if close to the opening. Bladder stones that have entered the urethra are sometimes flushed back into the bladder for surgical removal. Two or more weeks of an antibiotic like Bactrim (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) can help prevent infection while the bladder is healing and will treat most urinary tract infections. Multiple Stones. Because new stones may reform within months or even weeks of surgery, it is important to monitor your pet's health after stone removal. Some pet owners report the recurrence of stones 2- 3 weeks post surgery. ![]() An x- ray of Alice. Mcmallis' guinea pig showed it stone- free, but the following week an x- ray showed 3 stones. Nutz. 4pigs's Louie formed a second large stone only 3 weeks or so after his previous stone surgery. Other pet owners tell similar stories. Susan Brown, DVM recommends routine veterinary rechecks to monitor rabbit health following stone removal: . A physical examination should be performed post- surgically to evaluate healing of the bladder and abdomen. Radiographs should be performed within six months initial treatment to look for the return of stones or sludge in the urinary tract. Please follow your veterinarian's recommendations on recheck visits. Because stones seem to run in families, it is likely there is a strong genetic component. Frequent urinary tract infections have also been implicated, as well as improper diet, inadequate water intake, and obesity. Recent studies have shown that the composition of the majority (9. A certain percentage also contain traces of calcium phosphate, oxalate or struvite (1). Pure calcium phosphate or struvite stones are extremely rare. If calcium oxalate is detected, it may be attributed to a high oxalate diet.(2) It is not uncommon for a calcium carbonate stone to be misidentified. Stone analysis may aid in developing prevention strategies. An overall ratio of between 1. Magnesium, vitamin D and C along with other vitamins and minerals are also necessary for good health.(1) Composition and Characteristics of Urinary Calculi from Guinea Pigs by Hawkins, et el, JAVMA Vol 2. No, 2, January 1. Urinary Stones in Small Animal Medicine by Neiger Hesse, Manson Publishing, 2. DIETA good quality diet is thought to help prevent the formation and reformation of bladder stones. Poor diets consisting primarily of alfalfa pellets but low in hay and vegetables may contribute to stone formation. Jolankai, et al.; Urolithiasis in Guinea Pigs- -Nutritional Aspects; 2. Offer the best hay you can find to encourage eating as much as possible. Vegetables. Guinea pigs are herbivores. Their digestive system is designed to extract nutrients from a variety of grasses and greens. Wet, leafy greens are a good choice. Fruits, generally high in sucrose and other sugars, can be added as treats. Forages are a good supplement to your guinea pig's diet. See the information on the Calcium: Phosophorus ratio below. Pellets. Use a lower calcium timothy pellet and consider limiting or using no pellets at all. Some timothy guinea pig pellets have added calcium. Some owners report better management of bladder sludge by feeding KMS Hayloft pellets, which are lower in calcium and sodium than most commercial brands. If you severely limit or remove pellets, extra care must be paid diet by offering a wide variety of appropriate vegetables (with a few fruits) for their added vitamin and mineral content. Vitamin D is required for proper absorption of calcium. For a guinea pig lacking regular exposure to sunlight, removing pellets may result in a diet devoid of vitamin D. Vitamin D is not present in hays and greens but is added to most guinea pig pellets. If you will be going pellet- free, consider a vitamin D supplement. Your vet can recommend a specific dose. Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, Fourth Revised Edition, 1. D requirement for guinea pigs has not been established . The requirement for growth is set at 1,0. IU vitamin D/kg diet (6. Dietary oxalate binds with calcium. Often foods higher in oxalic acid are also higher in calcium, providing the calcium needed to bind with the oxalate. Note: Oxalic Acid Content in Foods is an excellent list, providing sources and pointing out the discrepancies among them. For example, the USDA Agriculture Handbook No. Vegetables and Vegetable Products, 1. Litholink's rates carrots at 0% oxalates. The Calcium: :Phosphorus Ratio. Most studies of animal nutrition recognize the importance of a proper calcium phosphorus ratio to good health. While it is likely an overall lowering of calcium in the diet will help prevent the formation of stones, calcium is still essential to bone growth and many metabolic functions. Check the Nutrition Chart for information on calcium and phosphorus content and Ca: P ratios. Combine a variety of vegetables (and a few fruits) low in calcium, aiming at an overall ratio of between 1. If you wish to evaluate the diet you are providing, the Excel Calculator makes it easy. Enter the weight of foods in grams and automatically generate a calcium: phosphorus ratio for a day's worth of foods, along with Vitamin C amounts. Read Dawn Hromanik's comments on stone formation and Ca: P ratios originally posted in the Reference Forum. The rule of thumb that I use is that all vegetative parts of plants have a higher Ca: P ratio. This is ideal, you do *not* want the inverse where the phosphorus is higher than calcium. Reproductive parts of plants (seeds and roots) have a higher Ph content. This includes all fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, raisins), seeds (treat mixes, sunflowers, oatmeal etc), and carrots. Just another reason not to feed the above food. Exercise. Increased exercise may encourage more fluid intake and help keep sediment from forming in the bladder. In addition, exercise helps keep weight under control and can improve overall guinea pig health and happiness! Husbandry. Keep bedding clean and dry. A guinea pig that sits in the same spot for long periods of time (which may be wet and harbor bacteria) may be more prone to develop urinary tract infections. Trim butt hairs to help limit the growth of bacteria that can be aggravated by continued wetness. Remove houses during the day to encourage more changes of location. Or change the location of sleeping areas and switch out sleeping pads frequently. Plastic grid- like tiles (see alternate bedding) allow drainage of urine to an absorbent material below. Supplements. Actigall. However there may be risks to hindgut fermenters like rabbits and guinea pigs and it is not clear that Actigall. Tracis has compiled a thread on the use of Actigall. Since guinea pigs naturally have alkaline urine (8. H> ) and usually do not develop oxalate stones, Polycitra may not be beneficial. However, urinary tract infections, kidney diseases, and genetic predispositions can lower citrate in the urine. Although urine p. H is seldom tested by vets, urine analysis may be useful in determining whether or not Polycitra is having the desired results. An article at Marvistavet explains how oral treatment works for cats and dogs by increasing citrate levels in the urine and allowing the calcium to bind to the citrate instead of to oxalate. Since calcium citrate tends to stay dissolved, it is more likely to be passed in the urine. Calcium oxalate, on the other hand, tends to precipitate out as mineral deposits. As noted above, most guinea pig uroliths are calcium carbonate. Calcium oxalate may also be passed through the urine. Shilintong. A Chinese herb called . Shilintong's Chinese name is Guang jin qian cao; the scientific name is Desmodium Styracifolium according to a half dozen online sources. Its pharmaceutical name is Desmodii Styracifolii (only one source) and the common name is Snowbell- leaf Tickclover Herb (several sources). GP Lover, a forum member, dissolved 1 pill in about 2. Angel twice/day. Since the pills are coated and very hard, soak first for several minutes in water and then crush. Shilintong can be purchased from www. A Chinese study of the anti- inflammatory effects of two species of Lysimachia christinae Hance and Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr. Despite following every guideline and providing the best of care, these dreaded stones can still return. Dog. Aware. com Articles: Calcium Oxalate Stones. Home > Articles > Calcium Oxalates. Treatment and prevention of calcium oxalate kidney and bladder stones. Article by CJ Puotinen and Mary Straus, published in the Whole Dog Journal, May 2. Also see these related articles: Photo of Leslie Bean with Fuzzerbear. Introduction Bladder and kidney stones are serious problems in dogs as well as people. These conditions – which are also known as uroliths or urinary calculi – can be excruciatingly painful as well as potentially fatal. Fortunately, informed caregivers can do much to prevent the formation of stones and in some cases actually help treat stones that develop. Last month, we described struvite stones. They almost always occur in the bladder in combination with a bacterial infection and are most frequently found in small- breed females. Also see last month's article for what to watch for that might indicate your dog has stones. This month, we examine calcium oxalate or Ca. Ox stones. Return to Top of Page. Calcium oxalate stones. Ca. Ox stones occur in both the bladder (lower urinary tract) and kidneys (upper urinary tract) of male and female dogs. Most calcium oxalate uroliths are nephroliths (found in the kidney), and most of the affected patients are small- breed males. Ca. Ox uroliths are radiopaque and most are easily seen on radiographs (X- rays). Twenty- five years ago, struvites were the most common uroliths collected from canine patients, representing almost 8. The percentage of struvite uroliths found has declined while that of Ca. Ox stones has risen, so that nearly half of all canine uroliths analyzed today are calcium oxalate stones. It’s unknown whether the incidence of struvite stones has decreased or if the change is due solely to an increase in calcium oxalate uroliths. Similar changes have occurred in cats, but in that case, we have a good idea why. In an effort to reduce the risk of struvites, pet food manufacturers began adding urinary acidifiers while reducing the magnesium content of foods. This resulted in a reduced incidence of struvite stones, but calcium oxalate stones developed instead. In addition to breed and sex, risk factors for Ca. Ox stones include being overweight, under- exercised, neutered, and eating a dry food diet, which contributes to more concentrated urine. Small dogs are thought to be more susceptible because they drink less water relative to their size than large dogs do. One risk factor is insufficient or abnormal nephrocalcin, a strongly acidic glycoprotein present in normal urine that inhibits calcium oxalate crystal growth. Dogs who produce normal and sufficient nephrocalcin have a reduced risk of developing calcium oxalate stones. Certain prescription drugs contribute to the formation of Ca. Ox uroliths. Prednisone and other cortisone- type medications prescribed for inflammatory illnesses such as arthritis, itchy skin, or inflammatory bowel disease, can contribute to the formation of Ca. Ox stones. So can the diuretic drug furosemide (brand names Lasix or Salix), which is given to dogs with congestive heart failure. Some nutritional supplements, such as vitamins C and D, are believed to contribute to the formation of oxalate stones. Uroliths can develop in any breed, but the greatest number of calcium oxalate stones presented for analysis have come from Miniature Schnauzers, Bichon Frises, Standard Schnauzers, Lhasa Apsos, Shih Tzus, Yorkshire Terriers, Miniature Poodles, Pomeranians, Parson Russell Terriers, Papillons, Keeshonds, Samoyeds, Chihuahuas, Cairn Terriers, Maltese, Toy Poodles, West Highland White Terriers, Dachshunds, and mixed breeds. Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers are believed to be at decreased risk of Ca. Ox stones. In a study published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research in 2. Labrador Retrievers and eight healthy Miniature Schnauzers, all about three years old, were fed the same nutritionally complete dry dog food for 2. The Miniature Schnauzers urinated significantly less often and had a higher urinary calcium concentration. These observations led researchers to conclude that important differences in urine composition exist between breeds fed the same diet. Conventional veterinary practitioners tend to consider calcium oxalate stones irreversible, unaffected by diet or medical therapy, and untreatable except by surgery. They may attempt to remove small bladder stones by flushing the bladder with sterile saline, or perform shock wave or laser lithotripsy (processes that break stones into small pieces that can be flushed out or excreted in the dog’s urine). Surgery may not be necessary for stones that are clinically inactive (not growing or causing problems). Uroliths pose a more serious problem for male dogs than females, because their urine travels through a hollow bone (os penis) that surrounds the urethra within the penis. The bone cannot stretch or expand to accommodate a stone traveling through it, and obstructions readily result. For males with recurring stones, a surgical procedure called urethrostomy sends urine on a new path, avoiding the os penis. The urethrostomy creates a new urinary opening in the scrotum area. This type of surgery cannot be performed unless the dog is neutered; if he is intact, he can be neutered at the time of the urethrostomy. In up to 6. 0 percent of conventionally treated patients, calcium oxalate stones recur within three years. In dogs with Cushing’s Disease (hyperadrenocorticism) or excessive calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), both of which predispose dogs to Ca. Ox stones, the recurrence rate is faster. It’s important to treat these underlying causes, if found, to help prevent recurrence. The recurrence rate among Bichons is higher than that of any other breed. In a study presented at the 2. American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2. Bichons had oxalate stone recurrence after cystotomy. During the first year after surgery, 3. Calcium oxalate crystals are of concern, but their presence doesn’t necessarily mean your dog is at risk of forming stones. Crystals are significant only if found in fresh urine. Crystals that form when urine is refrigerated or analyzed more than 3. Dogs with calcium oxalate crystals in fresh urine should be monitored, and if the finding continues, steps should be taken to reduce the risk of stone formation, particularly in breeds most commonly affected. Return to Top of Page. From death sentence to discovery. In 1. 99. 7, Molly Mc. Mouse, a 1. 4- year- old Lhasa Apso belonging to Leslie Bean of Houston, Texas, was diagnosed with very dense, inoperable calcium oxalate stones affecting both kidneys. Bean owned three more Lhasas – 1. Fuzzer. Bear, 1. 3- year- old Peepers, and 1. CB Wigglesworth – who were closely related to Molly. Fearful that her other dogs could be afflicted by the same condition, Bean had them tested, too, and was shattered when each received the same diagnosis. She checked with veterinarians, veterinary researchers, and directors of veterinary schools and laboratories around the country, only to receive the same sad news from all.“Every one of them said these stones cannot be dissolved,” she says. The dogs disliked the new food and their to- the- floor show coats rapidly dulled. At that point, Bean says, “I accepted the fact that my dogs were going to die but I wanted to make their final months as terrific as possible.” Tossing the prescription food, she began feeding fresh foods such as lamb and peas, chicken and rice, and beef and broccoli. I can still see them singing and dancing with joy when I carried their bowls to their places. Literally within two weeks they began acting more energetic, looked younger, had a spring in their step, and their eyes were clearer. Their coats looked better, too, and we soon had to cut almost an inch in length from each dog every month. Although that is common in young Lhasas in show coat, the rate of growth slows with age, so this was a really noticeable difference.”Because oxalic acid forms strong mineral bonds that can become calcium oxalate crystals and eventually Ca. Ox stones, Bean speculated that low- oxalate foods might help prevent the stones’ formation (see Oxalates in Food below), and she made those ingredients the foundation of her dogs’ menus. Return to Top of Page. Protein. In the past, diets restricted in both protein and phosphorus were thought to reduce the risk of calcium oxalate formation. Studies found, however, that dietary phosphorus restriction increased calcium absorption and the risk of calcium oxalate formation, while higher levels of dietary protein reduced the risk of urolithiasis. Current recommendations for dogs prone to forming Ca. Ox stones say that diets should not be restricted in protein, calcium, or phosphorus. In February 2. 00. The American Journal of Veterinary Research published a study conducted at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine’s Minnesota Urolith Center that compared dietary factors in canned food with the formation of calcium oxalate uroliths in dogs, with surprising results. Canned diets with the highest amount of carbohydrate were associated with an increased risk of Ca. Ox urolith formation. Contrary to commonly accepted beliefs, the study concluded that “canned diets formulated to contain high amounts of protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and moisture and a low amount of carbohydrate may minimize the risk of Ca. Ox urolith formation in dogs.”In contrast, both Hill’s Canine u/d and Royal Canin Urinary SO, often prescribed for dogs prone to forming Ca. Ox stones, are extremely low in protein, and restrict calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium (Royal Canin is less restrictive than u/d). See The Side Effects of Low Protein Diets for more information. At the beginning of her nutritional experiment, Bean reduced her dogs’ protein levels so much that they began to lose muscle mass.
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