106 Parraweena Road,
Miranda NSW 2228
Louis, the 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles, was referred to VSOS with symptoms including haematuria (blood in urine), dysuria (difficulty urinating) and stranguria (straining to urinate). An ultrasound revealed a large stone in his bladder. He was booked in to have a Percutaneous Cystolithotomy (PCCL) with two of our internal medicine specialists, Dr Barbara Gallagher and Dr Karina Graham. This procedure is a non-invasive way of removing the stones without him undergoing a more in-depth procedure used in the past in patients with this condition.
The procedure involves making a tiny incision in the abdomen above where his bladder sits. A trocar (screw-like tool) is then poked into the bladder allowing a camera to be passed in for direct, perfect visualisation. The scope (camera) allows the veterinarians to see into the bladder, locate the stone/s and remove them safely. Louis had one large stone in his bladder, about 1cm in width, that was removed swiftly using a small, mesh basket inserted through the scope.
Dr Karina and Dr Barbara then decided to inspect his urethra (the tube that allows urine to empty from the bladder) to ensure there were no hidden stones causing any issues… and luckily for Louis, there was a big stone seen causing 95% obstruction the urethra! They removed that one too and the procedure was complete!
Just like humans, cats and dogs can develop stones in their urinary tract causing pain and even obstructions! There can be many types of different stones that develop, and some breeds are much more prone to this condition than others. It is very important to monitor your pet’s urination habits including frequency, ability and even the colour of the urine! Some signs of stones/obstruction in the urinary tract to look out for are blood in the urine (haematuria), straining when urinating, frequent urination and pain when urinating (you may see your pet cry or arch their back when urinating). There are some diets available to prevent the formation of stones in dogs and cats with a history of this condition, such a Science Hills Diet c/d and Royal Canin Urinary s/o.
This condition can be very serious if an obstruction occurs; the build-up of urine in the tract causes toxins to accumulate in the blood stream, this is called azotaemia. In severe cases of complete obstruction, it can lead to the bladder bursting which can be fatal.
Louis is doing very well at home and will be back in 2 weeks to have his few stitches removed.
For more information on urinary stones, you can visit the following link:
Urinary Stones | American College of Veterinary Surgeons – ACVS
See the full video of Louis and the process undertaken to remove the urinary stones here.
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