#uroliths

[criticalcaredvm]

Aren’t these #uroliths (also known as bladderstones) pretty? These are stones were visualized during #cystoscopy, a minimally-invasive diagnostic imaging procedure to look inside the lower genitourinary tract without making an incision. #dogs #cats #pets #vetmedicine #endoscopy #vetmed #vetlife #urology https://www.instagram.com/p/B74ePZvpbyg/?igshid=1r8qlenz6bnvp

[criticalcaredvm]

Urinary bladder stones are so unique but also problematic #uroliths #UO #surgery #dogsofinstagram #dogs #obstruction

[avoiding-claws]

3 stones removed following a cystotomy on a adult DSH cat.

[fuckyeahvetmed]

Key Points ■ Struvite crystalluria is a risk factor for urolith formation; however, crystalluria alone does not indicate clinical disease. ■ Diagnostic evaluation, including medical imaging of the abdomen, should be performed in cats with lower urinary tract signs and struvite crystalluria. ■ Nutritional management is an effective and efficient method for eliminating struvite uroliths in cats; most sterile struvite uroliths dissolve in 2 to 4 weeks using an appropriate dissolution food. ■ Following eradication of struvite uroliths or plugs, recommend a struvite preventive food until cats are at least 7 to 8 years old.

[mayadogsvlog]

This was about half the number of uroliths (bladder stones) removed from a Corgi at work recently. For size comparison, the large ones are about as big as large macadamia nuts. Yes, in Vet Medicine, we DO compare everything to food.

[iheartvmt]

Bladder stones from a small dog. Yikes!

[lie-lane]

Juggling July part II

Back to reality! One of my dogs hasn't been her usual self for days. Due to exhaustion, I shrugged it off and thought little of it. To justify that, I can’t really squeeze her in my frantic schedule. So, after dropping my aunt off at the airport, I fetched my dog and brought her in the vet. I didn't think much of it. I was thinking she’ll be checked, lab works and what-nots buy her prescriptions and off we go.

The lab work was remarkably fast. It shows her white blood cells were high which can indicate infection.  As I described her condition, the vet alleged pyometra, so she ordered an X-ray. An incidental findings was caught, my poor dog is suffering from urinary bladder stones. From the x-ray film shown, it was quite huge. She then told me that the uroliths need to be surgically removed. I was distressed my brain was in fast paced, I started thinking pessimistically. Add to the injury the doctor told me she needed to be confined. I remember asking her, do we really need to? Like a hearing-impaired idiot.

Just like any other people these days, I went to Facebook to vent out! the modern way

Without hyperbole I fight off tearing up when I was lead to the room where she’ll stay for a night or two. She obliged when I placed her at a metal crate with a thin cloth lining. When the cage was closed and had to move away that’s when she realize what was going on and started to bark furiously. The doctor barked off instructions to what I assume is an intern, relaying computations/drips of her IV fluids, her meds. I started fiddling with my phone, dialed my brother’s number and can’t seem to reach him, I probably looked calm on the exterior, but I was dying to cry inside, I wiped a tear on a short hallway. I can still hear her bark on the closed door. On the way home, I was inconsolable. But I had to weep quietly. It’s no big deal, she’ll be fine. I feigned being concerned about the bills. I was concerned about that ofcourse, but, moreover I was sad that I had to leave her there, I mean she’s not used at being caged, there were a couple of dogs barking. How could she sleep, she’s scared, sick and had to cope up with being separated from her usual environment.

The next day, with my concerned siblings behind me, we went to her room. She was sleeping face away from the cage opening, we started calling her name, she didn’t respond. I thought Oh God! Is this one of those things that I hear about dogs becoming worse when they’ve been left off at the vet? After a couple of calls, she finally realized our existence, her tail wagged frantically, started moaning, scratching her cage, my grandmother said her IV might come off if she keeps stirring. So we calmed her down.

We then heard what sounded like a child’s whimper, a child who’s in pain, the sound was indescribable and it was bloodcurdling. Looking at the sound’s direction we saw a white Labrador being carried just infront of my dog’s cage. The Labrador’s tongue sticking out, from what we’ve eavesdropped, the dog just came out of operation and the anesthesia’s started to worn down and was in tremendous pain.

On Saturday, I received a text from the hospital saying that my dog was ready to be discharged. I was relieved. Upon arrival the RN gave me the vet’s instructions and prescriptions, I was thrilled to get her home. I was about to pay the remaining bills, when the vet halted us and told us to wait. I overheard her telling the nurse that she requested a transfer/forward for my dog, meaning we still had to transfer her to another animal clinic. (As they don’t have confinement on Sundays)  My mood shifted quickly, but I don’t have the degree she does, so off we go to that animal hospital. As we arrived I told my brother what if I enlisted the help of my friend’s father, a seasoned veterinarian instead of having her confined again. I was at wits end. So, we decided to go inside the clinic, showed the one in charge the referral letter of the doctor, and weaved an elaborate thespian story of financial constraint, which was a semi true story though. My funds were starting to deplete. Moreover, my true intention is that I can’t bare another day away from my dog, not now that she won’t stop acting weird and overly attached (I know, who’s overly attached again?) As I told him that he kindly gave me the information of what treatments they’d be giving her, he said it was ok to get her home, since it’s just medications that she needs, but he told us that she needs IV fluid to help her flush out toxins in preparation for her uroliths removal surgery. So I told him about our veterinary friend, he told us its fine then. I thanked him.

When we came home, IV fluid was saturated in my dog’s veins. I was quite happy and confident that she’s responding positively, we didn't had a hard time feeding her, and we kept shoving water bowls in her so she would drink, hydrating is very important in her condition. I even found out through research reading that dogs gets encouraged to drink when they hear pouring water, my sister even concocted a shtick where she gradually pours water in her bowl and like magic it worked.

And because I refuse to cage her, as she rarely roams around and prefers to sleep. It was up to me to look after her IV. On the second day, she was acting normal, back to her usual laid-back-but-tends-to-get-excited self, she would look forward to feeding session, it was easy putting the small tablet prescription in her food, minus the 7.4 ml Doxycycline that I had to gradually give her, everything went smoothly, well except for me being sleep deprived, a little price to pay for her wellness

Her pre-operation schedule came. It was another hectic day for me, in the morning I accompanied my grandmother she was scheduled for blood test at her usual hospital, which is an hour and a half drive from home. In the afternoon it’s the animal hospital, I was a bit nervous knowing that I defied the doctor’s advice of confinement. I also felt like if her blood test would show no improvement or if it gets worse, it was obviously my fault. Thankfully, her results were good, her WBC’s still a bit high, but it has improved. Her platelets still not in the normal range but that too also improved as compared to her initial results. The vet then advised to continue medications for another week. And what I was really happy about is that I wouldn't have to leave her there again. She’s still scheduled for operation once her platelets reached the considered normal numbers. But for now seeing that she’s responding accordingly to the prescribed meds, I will continuously hope that she’ll be fine and that none of my dogs will be away from me, it’s just really hard. I was telling my brother, I somewhat know how parents feel and damn! parenthood sure is onerous.

[iheartvmt]

When this little guy started urinating in strange places his owner took him to the vet, and it’s a good thing she did: the 8-year-old Yorkie had a bladder infection, as well as a single large bladder stone. After x-rays, blood work, medicinal treatments, and a new expensive prescription food his owner had spent over a thousand dollars. When she was told the surgery he needed to remove the stone would be between $700 and $1,000 she was beside herself! We were able to do the surgery at a price his owner could afford. He has made a full recovery.