Kidney stones(information needed please)
 

Got up this morning and Harley had been sick during the night and was really doing poorley. As time went by he was getting worse so I rushed him into the vet and I guess he has kidney stones!! They put a cath in him to empty his blatter some and said grainey stuff came out. He is now on antibotics and pain meds and they told us to keep a close eye on him.

I tried search and didnt come up with any information on this. If anyone out there has any info they could pass on to me I would be very thankful.

Thank you,
Kathy-Ut

I don't know a lot about Kidney Stones but posted a thread a few days ago about my stepmom's doxie.
Here is the link:http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=122153
I had a couple of responses and googled it also.

I hope he gets better soon.

Sorry I don't have any experience with kidney stones in dogs but hopefully someone else will post. Hope your baby gets better soon.

I know that kidney stones can pass naturally. They aren't life threatning. It's good that you got them removed. It will be better for your baby not to have the pain of passing them. But sometimes kidney stones come back. So keep a close eye on him. I hope your baby feels better soon and recovers quickly.

Im sorry I dont know to much on this but I did do a search for you and found these links. hope they help.

http://www.2ndchance.info/calculi.htm

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/nephrol...ogs/page1.aspx

I am fostering a pup who recently had bladder stone surgery. Their diet needs to be altered, so please do some reading. Place kidney stone or bladder stone in the search area and you will come up with many discussions.

The diet is probably too high in protein, and there are excellent holistic meals to help eliminate the stones. There is an old says "once a stone maker, always a stone maker".
Warmly, Deborah

i do not know anything about kidney stones in pups but wanted to say that i hope he is doing better after he was flushed out! :love:

we will keep you and harley in our thoughts!

Thank you for your responses. Harley was doing good this morning, going potty ok and eating the chicken and rice. But now this evening, he has not gone potty in quite a while, and you can tell when he is trying he is in pain, so they must not have all come out. I am going to watch him close for another hour or so and than its off to the emerg. vets in hopes they will cath him again to see if that will get him through the weekend till our vet is in again.

I will do another search and see if I can find any info...thank you for the links, I will read them this evening.

Please say a prayer for him, I have only had him for a few months, but the first 3 years of his life were pretty rough....it should be time for him to have some fun and comfort for a while.

Thanks again,
Kathy-Ut

Oh I'm sorry to hear he's having problems again. I hope he can pass them on his own.

Are they kidney stones or bladder stones? It sounds like bladder stones. You need to have the vet check your baby's urine pH and more importantly analyze the stones to find out what kind they are. This is very important. If you do not find out and alter the diet appropriately, your baby will continue to make stones. This is extremely painful and if he has not peed in a long time, he *needs* to go the vet.
If he is not able to urinate, his bladder can rupture which can kill him.

This happened to my dog when he was a pup. He was straining to pee, but nothing would come out, so I took him to the vet and they placed a catheter to help him out. They sent him home, and he seemed fine, but later that evening, the problems started again and he was having a very hard time urinating, so I had to take him back in.

Stones are recurring, and that's why it's absolutely vital to find out what type of stones your dog is forming. Stones are also a symptom of liver shunt/MVD, so I would definitely have a bile acid test done as well, especially if these stones turn out to be ammonium biurate which are basically a by-product of liver problems.

Also, I want to mention that x-rays do NOT show all types of stones, so if necessary, it's optimal to have an ultrasound done as well. Ammonium urate stones do not show on x-rays.

"Stones are recurring, and that's why it's absolutely vital to find out what type of stones your dog is forming. Stones are also a symptom of liver shunt/MVD, so I would definitely have a bile acid test done as well, especially if these stones turn out to be ammonium biurate which are basically a by-product of liver problems."

Can all breeds of dogs have liver shunt problems? just curious.
Is there a good place online to find accurate info on the kidney stones?
I need to do more research for my stepmom's doxie. Thanks.

Yes, all breeds of dogs can have liver shunts..I know of German Shephards, Maltese, Retrievers, Collies, Bichons, Dauchsunds, Chihuahuas, etc. Both small breed and large breed dogs.

I will post a few websites for you regarding stones..

How is Harley doing this evening?
Sending prayers for Harley...your right he should be enjoying life now that he is in a loving caring home!
Keep us posted!

Bladder stones and kidney stones are different...Bladder stones are much more common than kidney stones, so it's likely that the dog probably has bladder stones. Bladder stones are what will cause a dog to strain during urination, etc.

Also, it's important to remember about ammonium urate stones. These are seen in dogs with liver disease/liver shunt/MVD or in dalmations.

Some types of stones do not show up on x-rays which is why ultrasounds are recommended.

http://www.lbah.com/canine/urolithiasis.htm

We took Harley into emergency tonight....I dont know what the hell is going on!!! He said..yep...might be stones, you can leave him here and we will just watch him or you can take him home and try to get his meds and some food or water down him and watch him. He said as long as even a little pee is even dripping out that is good. I tried a little chicken...threw it up...the meds all came up too only his antabotic stayed down earler (he has a UTI also). When they put the cath in him yesterday at the vet they said gritty stuff came out but so far theres no stones to test. No blood work has been done. The Vet said I could run him in again later tonight and somebody would feel his blatter to see how full it was, it was ok when we were there at 9pm, its now almost 1:30pm and the vet is still in surgery, I keep calling to see when he is out so I can run him back but I really dont know what that will do??? There is only one vet around here that has a ultra sound mach and they are closed till MONDAY!!!! I am starting to get scared that the money is going to run out before we even get into some serious medical help....I do keep my emergency stash, but it has already been over $500 and I still dont know jack sh*t whats going on!!! Hubby has been wonderful, he told me to take the emergency credit card and to have done what ever I need to have done...BUT I DONT FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DOING ANYTHING!!!! Sorry, I am rambling...but I am scared and I am mad and my "little lover boy" keeps looking at me like he wants to know why I am not fixing things.

Going to go call the vet again, and see if I can get a teaspoon of water down him. Sorry about the rant...but I am just so flustered...thank you for the shoulders...I will keep you posted.

Kathy-Ut

I know how scary this is...I've been through this. The gritty stuff came out of Miko as well and then he had an ultrasound which showed the bunches of stones that he had in his bladder. The next step was surgery because unfortunately, the type of stones that he had do not really dissolve on their own, and he had too many. They can test your baby's urine pH and check for crystals. The crystals may be able to point towards what types of stones he has if they are able to find any crystals. Miko had ammonium biurate crystals...

I think your first step should be to have the urine pH tested along with checking for crystals. This will require a urine sample taken at the vet's to ensure that it is not contaminated in any way.

Thank you for responding....I have calmed down a little. I just got off the phone with the emergency vet and told them I would be up there in a short. I at least want blood work done....and I want him given fluids...and cath again if needed....I want to know if his kidneys are working ok through all of this. I know they are trying to buy time to get through till Monday because the emerg care is so expensive...but if I lose him before Monday what have I saved....duh!!!

Will post when I get home, and I pray I have good news!

Kathy-Ut

Spent the early morning at the emerg vets....they gave Harley an Iv...cath him again and did blood work and changed some of his meds. He was hungry this morning and did eat some chicken and rice but the only water he has taken has been from a syrange (sp?). And he has passed only a few drops of urine since we have been home, but acts like he is trying and trying to.

Talking to the vet was kinda like fishing without a worm on my hook...he went over the tests with me but told me nothing....I finally asked about liver shunt and he said it could be, but it could be pancrees (sp?) too. I am afraid we are going to have to go through the same thing this evening... if he is not pottying I will have to take him back up...its not looking to good for my baby.

He said there are 2 types of LS,one that is genetic and another kind and that at 3 it is kind of old to all of a sudden have the genetic one. I just wonder if the previous owners lied and maybe he had been sick before and that is why they wanted to get rid of him.

Please remember Harley in your prayers...he needs all he can get...

Thanks,
Kathy-Ut

Poor little guy! Well, he is in your care for a reason!
What time does you regular vet get in, in the morning?
I would just keep doing what you are doing to keep him comfortable.
Can you call the previous owners to find out who his vet was before?
Then maybe you could check to see how long he has been ill?

Keep posting progress!
Keeping your family in my prayers.

I thought about calling them.....but....with what he is going through and how I know they treated him when they had him.....well.....I really do not want to use that kind of language on Easter, I dont think I could be very nice to them!

Holding our own here....ate a little more chicken and rice about 2 teaspoons but the only water he is taking I am forcing. Did have a little pee pee on his pad so I have all fingers crossed XXXX.

I am just so scared that with putting over $800 into just trying to make it through the weekend, that if the poor baby is looking at 2 surgerys, I worry if I can do it. When you start looking at your wedding rings and wondering how much you can get for them at the pawn shop......thats getting scared.

Kathy-Ut

I am so sorry you are still trying to get him diagnosed and treated. Poor baby must be uncomfortable. It is so frustrating as you see nothing getting done and your bill rising so fast. I am praying your regular vet can help him tomorrow. You are in my thoughts.

i just sent you a pm, and as a suggestion, when our friends little dog had the stones she put a little bit of gatoraide into the water so that he would drink it better, he did just that and drank a lot and the stones dissolved enough for him to pass them but they were very large, it was so hard to believe those were from this little guy.prayers that harley will be okay real soon.