Phinney’s recently helped little Layla get emergency bladder stone surgery. Layla is an eight-year-old Yorkie-Shih Tzu mix, who lives with her dad, Warren. Layla had been diagnosed with hematuria—blood in the urine—and despite two different antibiotics, her symptoms persisted. She was also in a lot of pain from a huge bladder stone that was discovered during an urgent-care vet visit. The vet also suspected Layla had a urinary tract infection (UTI) and recommended emergency surgery to remove the bladder stone and perform a workup for her UTI. Warren reached out to Phinney’s for financial help. With our assistance, Warren was able to get Layla the care she needed through Angell at Nashoba. There Layla underwent surgery to remove the bladder stone and had the UTI treated. Since the surgery, she has been doing great. She doesn’t have any blood in her urine and she’s “very playful,” Warren says, adding that he couldn’t have done this without Phinney’s help. Warren tells Phinney’s he is so grateful for the financial assistance to be able to help Layla. More on Bladder Stones & UTIs Bladder Stones There are many causes and varieties of bladder stones in pets. Some can be quite serious while others can resolve on their own. For instance, struvite stones may be due to chronic bacterial infections, which can be common in female dogs. Calcium oxalate stones may form due to a kidney condition and can be more common in male dogs and cats And, another form--ammonium biurate stones--tend to form when a pet has liver disease. Despite the variations of stones, the signs are all similar and include straining to urinate, passing blood-tinged urine, frequent urination, and having urinary accidents in the house. If your pet is straining to urinate or not urinating at all this can be very serious and should not be ignored. Treatment includes a prescription diet and antibiotics or in some cases surgery to remove the stone. With the proper treatment the prognosis is good. Urinary Tract Infections Urinary tract infections (UTIs) usually refer to bacterial infections of any or all parts of the urinary tract, but they most commonly involve the urinary bladder. UTIs are common in dogs, especially females, and cats who are older than 10 years of age. Signs of a UTI include urgency and frequent urination (pollakiuria). Other symptoms may include blood in urine, straining to urinate, foul-smelling urine, urination in inappropriate places, inability to hold urine, and urinating small volumes or not passing any urine while posturing to urinate. Your vet will need to test the urine to determine whether there is an infection and will provide antibiotics as they see fit. The above content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as any type of specific medical or other advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian with specific questions or concerns about your pet(s).
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