What are the clinical signs of urethral incontinence?
The most common clinical sign is pooling or spotting of urine underneath your dog when she is sleeping or relaxed. Many dog owners report finding wet spots on the bedding or floor where their dog has recently been laying down or sleeping. Occasionally owners will report dribbling of urine while their dog is walking or after she urinates. In many instances the dog seems unaware of what is happening. It is estimated that urethral incontinence may affect over 20% of all spayed female dogs, especially large-breed dogs. Urethral incontinence is most common in middle-aged to senior, medium to large-breed female dogs although any dog may be affected.
There are several potential causes of urinary incontinence. These include:
Check your pets incision twice daily to make sure its dry. The incision will look a little red on the margins. The edges of the incision will be slightly swollen. You should see the swelling and redness decrease over the next several days. We want to hear from you if you notice discharge, abnormal swelling, or if the edges of the incision develop a gap. If youve ever had an incision, you know they can feel itchy as they heal. Its the same for dogs, only dogs lick instead of scratch. Dont let your dog lick or chew their incision.
Dogs, like humans can develop bladder stones. Bladder stones are like rocks formed from a variety of minerals. Also, like humans, bladder stones start out small. They can develop into large stones and cause a significant level of pain for the animal. Dogs give clues when theyre suffering from a bladder stone. They may start having accidents. You may notice straining when they urinate. Often a dog will make multiple attempts to urinate but wont produce more than a tiny amount of urine. They may also lick around the opening to the urethra, which is the urinary opening. If youre able to see their urine, you may notice its discolored. Be aware that these symptoms can be caused by other conditions that affect the dogs urinary tract. Its always best to have a veterinary doctor confirm the diagnosis with an exam.
When your child is sick, you do everything in your power to make it all better. Its the same with a dog. Any good dog owner knows just because Rover has four legs and wears a fur coat 365 days a year, even in Jacksonville, theyre just as important as the human members of the family. So, what happens when the dog needs surgery? Of course, they get 24/7 TLC. A common surgery for dogs is bladder stone removal. Here are tips for caring for your dog after bladder stone surgery.
Once the vet sees your dog and confirms they have bladder stones, its time for surgery. The surgery to remove the stones is a cystotomy. The staff at Forever Vets Animal Hospital understand surgery can be traumatic for both your dog and you. Theyll be right there with your beloved pet for the entire process. The procedure involves an abdominal incision. The incision must be done so the vet can access the bladder. Once the stones are removed, the vet will suture, or stitch, the incision back together. After the veterinary staff make sure your pet is stable, you can head home where youll help them begin the recovery process.
We know one of you and your dogs favorite activities is playing fetch together. Surgery for dogs is a lot like surgery for their humans. They wont feel much like running after a ball. In fact, they may feel tired and groggy for a few days after surgery. Your most important job for the first 2 weeks is making sure your dog doesnt participate in any rigorous activity, including playing fetch. That doesnt mean they cant take short walks on a leash! Any practice that offers veterinary services in Jacksonville, FL, will provide you with postoperative instructions. Follow them and your dog will be back to chasing the ball in no time.
What are bladder stones in pets?
Bladder stones occur when minerals combine in the bladder to form one or more solid, hard stones. These stones can range from the size of a grain of sand to the size of a small orange.
A cystotomy is usually recommended when a pet has bladder stones that cannot be removed by other means. Before surgery, your veterinarian may attempt to dissolve the stones with a prescription diet and/or a course of antibiotics. If this is unsuccessful, surgery will be recommended. Stones in the bladder cause inflammation leading to discomfort for your pet. If the stones pass into the urethra they may become stuck and cause an obstruction. A urethral obstruction will make your pet very ill and if not resolved quickly will result in death.
Admission Time – Bring your pet to Anicira at 7 am.
Food – You may feed your pet a quarter of their normal breakfast no later than 6 am.
Water – Your pet may have water up until the time of the surgery.
Pre-surgical exam – Your pet must be in good health and show no signs of sickness such as coughing, sneezing, runny eyes, or diarrhea.
Medical records – Please bring proof of rabies vaccination if this has not already been provided. If your cat or dog has not been previously vaccinated or lacks proof of vaccination, we will administer a rabies vaccine on the day of surgery.
If you have not already sent your medical records, please bring all relevant medical records.