The Dalmatian Club of America
Emergency Procedures:
Dalmatian Cannot Pass Urine
("Urinary Obstruction")
-
RUSH DOG TO YOUR VETERINARIAN OR EMERGENCY CLINIC!
Obstruction of the urinary pathway quickly reaches life-threatening status
within 24 to72 hours as urine backs up into the body system instead of
being expelled. It is not unknown for bladders to burst as urine continues
to collect!
-
Have dammed-up urine easily but immediately removed from
bladder either by "cystocentesis" or by catheterization. This may have
to be done several times while diagnosis and treatment are being evaluated.
Draining urine "buys time."
-
Have the type of stone identified by urinalysis: abnormal
urinary crystals are apparent and identifiable under an office microscope.
Urates form in acidic urine (pH below 7.0). Struvite known as "infection"
crystals/stones form in alkaline urine (pH above 7.0). Their treatment
is different!
-
Have size of the stones confirmed by x-ray but remind veterinarian
the most commonly-seen urate stones in Dalmatians may not visualize under
normal x-ray procedures. Urates require skillful "indirect radiography"
to be visualized in situ.
-
Non-surgical clearing of the obstruction can be often accomplished
by "hydropropulsion" whereby, under anesthesia, the stones are flushed
back up into the bladder. This sometimes must be done two to three times,
also under anesthesia, before a free urinary stream is sustained. If stones
quickly move down and constantly re-obstruct after short periods of time,
then bladder surgery may be unavoidable to restore normal urinary flow.
Request "Isofluorane"for the anesthetic if surgery is unavoidable.
"Urethrostomy" is not "bladdersurgery!" It is a surgical creation of a
false urinary opening generally at the base of the scrotal sacs and should
be considered A LAST RESORT after all other anti-stone procedures
have failed. It should be performed only by an experienced surgeon, preferably
one who is "Board certified."
-
Have Dalmatian started on antibiotics for existing urinary
infection or to prevent the onset of one. A bacteriology culture including
"antibiotic discing" may point to the most effective antibiotic for the
species of bacteria inducing the infection.
-
Shift the stone-former to distilled water, only.
-
Rush either stones passed or catheterized or removed surgically
- or sediment centrifuging out during urinalysis - to one of the two urinary
stone centers listed to confirm assay by electron micrography, chromatography
and other highly specialized testing procedures. (Minnesota Urolith Center
does not charge.)
Study Group on Urinary Stones
Research Committee
Dalmatian Club of America
contact: Tracie Tepke, Director
August 1996
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