Pictures Stones again....argh!

[iamwhoiam]

Last week Geordie was diagnosed with two very small urinary bladder stones. Scheduled him for voiding hydrouropropulsion today. During the past week when he has gone outside for his AM pee, I've stood him up perpendicular to the ground to increase the pressure when he pees hoping that this would push out the stones. This was recommended to me by his original internal medicine specialist.

Off we went to the vet for the procedure. As soon as I walk in the door they wanted me to pay a $1000 deposit but I told them to first check to see if he even had any stones. Front desk person had to check on this and they said it was OK. They took him to the back to do an ultrasound and about 30 mins. later vet comes out and sits down next to me. First thought...uh oh. Instead she tells me he has peed out one of the stones and there is only one small stone remaining so she wants to wait another week to see if he will pee that one out, too.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will happen so send positive thoughts that Geordie will be stone free when we go back next Sunday.


Geordie relaxing after a long AM.

 

[saroj12]

awwww poor Geordie
hope he passes the stone easily very soon!

 

[TikiMyn]

Sending good thoughts to Geordie Get better soon little boy!

 

[Just-passn-thru]

I hope he passes it. That's a chunk of money. Sometimes these service providers act like it's chump change.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Thanks!!! Hopefully there will be no stones. Stone probably about 1/10th of an inch give or take. Vet said stones were about same size so hope that this one gets pushed out, too.
He had voiding done last year and they wanted to charge me $1600-@$2000. I complained due to the fact that the only time I paid anything near that (actually more) was when he went in to have a procedure done the first time. After that when he stones recurred I've generally paid about $600-$1000. His previous internal medicine specialist moved back to Canada and so he's been seeing a different specialist. They did work with me and only charged $800 but it was a one time deal. I was given the estimate last week and it was much less than that $1600+ estimate last year but his specialist is on maternity so we are working with another new one. I might switch to this one. Even though I knew the estimate, I was surprised when I came in today and was asked to pay it upfront especially when we weren't even sure he still had stones. Last year he was diagnosed with two stones and after the voiding vet comes out and told me he only had one and it was much smaller than she thought. Wish she would have done what this vet did and waited. Also this vet shows me the ultrasound photos and I very much appreciate that.

When I look at my cc bills it seems that most of the expenses are for the birds & dogs. They will always be taken care of and I pay what needs to be paid for whatever they need. Just wish that the vets charged less. On Monday cost me about $400 for Geordie for blood work, exam, antiemetic injection and his special diet food.

 

[finchly]

Sounds like he’s in good hands. What type of food are you using?

I’m asking because my friend just told me her dog has these and she swears it’s the dog food.

 

[iamwhoiam]

He is on a special diet: Purina UR...OX/ST. UR Urinary® Ox/St™ Canine Formula | Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Even with the diet he still makes stones but when it first started he was making a lot. First special food he was on was Urinary SO..dry and canned, then switched him to Hill's UD canned and that stuff made his allergies go ballistic. I was going to make food for him with a recipe I was given but then I found the Purina. He only gets canned with a lot of water added, also gets cranberry extract, potassium citrate (2X a day), B6 and hydrochlorothiazide (2X a day).
What kind of dog does she have? Is the dog on any medication? Geordie is a Bichon and they are known for making stones.

 

[finchly]

She has a Corgi. She had him on the Purina. I don’t know about medication.

I have had a Corgi (years ago) that made stones also. Unfortunately his previous owners didn’t tell me. When I took him for surgery the vet told me, I would’ve had special food if I’d known. After the Hill’s UD he never made stones again.

I’m sorry you and your dog are going through this. It sucks.

 

[iamwhoiam]

She has a Corgi. She had him on the Purina. I don’t know about medication.

I have had a Corgi (years ago) that made stones also. Unfortunately his previous owners didn’t tell me. When I took him for surgery the vet told me, I would’ve had special food if I’d known. After the Hill’s UD he never made stones again.

I’m sorry you and your dog are going through this. It sucks.

Diet depends on the stones that the dog makes, too, although the UR covers both struvite and calcium oxalate. Struvite can be dissolved with medication. Water is very important when it comes to stones. Tried Geordie on UD and WD for about a month or two and then his allergies just went ballistic. He was freaking out, rubbing his feet on the carpeting and crying. Both of the products contain ingredients that he is allergic to and the allergens built up. It was horrible to see him like that. Rushed him to vet and they had me switch allergy meds and also gave him an injection to relax him. It's good that the UD worked for your Corgi.

 

[Dartman]

Ive had stones for 30 years and surprised dogs get them but for me I take magnesium and B6 and it changes the chemistry in the kidneys so the calcium and oxilate tend to not combine. I since 09 have passed about 3 tiny ones that are mostly the oxilate without a bunch of calcium spikes around it.
I don't know if that combo works for animals but might be worth asking about just in case. My urologist said they can give me anti calcium meds but after a year or so the body quits responding and starts making them again and after 30 years lets just say you make stones.
Hoping for the best poor guy, they are so painful it's about as bad as it can get.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Thanks @Dartman. He gets B6 but not magnesium supplements but magnesium sulfate is one of the ingredients in his food. I'll check with the vet, though.
It's good that you haven't had a lot of stones in the past several years and I hope you don't get any more. I've been told they can be VERY painful. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, though, but then these are very small. When he was first diagnosed, the symptom that sent me to the vet with him was blood in his urine. Knock on wood that hasn't happened since the first set of stones were eliminated.