Bladder Infection or Stones: Causes and Cures?

[jeepin48]

My 2 year old male fox squirrel has what the vet says is some type of UTI infection and or possible stones. The vet is still doing test on his samples and taking another look at his x-ray to see if they can find stones. He is in really rough shape……To further complicate things he has had penis problems from it always sticking out. The vet was able to run a catheter partial down his penis but could not get all the way to his bladder. As a precaution we drained his bladder with a syringe to get samples. He has never had anything but a slow drip of urine so this complication is very, very bad.

Does anyone have any experience with something similar?
Are stones common? If so are they dissolvable or is a risky surgery the only way?

I don’t know if he can handle the surgery to remove stones. More problematic the recovery and dealing with stitches. To open up his urethra is also a risky procedure and may not be successful.

His usual diet is feeding the following twice a day.
1Henerys health squirrel block
1 piece of broccoli, asparagus, or avocado
1 carrot, small piece of orange, small piece of apple, 4 blue berry’s
Occasionally he will get a tortilla chip cereal while I am eating.

He is slightly overweight I am told and weighs about 1.2lbs. I will be adjusting his diet.

I know that food is a potential cause and I have been reading through everything I can from pyramids to calcium/phosphorous balancing. At this point I am just praying for another opportunity to get it right.

[missPixy]

is he always well-hydrated? concentrated urine contributes to formation of stones.

if your vet was able to collect a sample of his urine to check for any "grit" floating around, perhaps they could test for what kind of stones are happening? some stones form from an overabundance of calcium and oxalic acid; others form from an overabundance of uric acid.

ultrasound imaging can also help detect stones in the kidneys.

there's a procedure that can help break up existing stones using sound waves. medication can also help break up stones. surgery is by no means the only way to treat this condition.

[jeepin48]

is he always well-hydrated? concentrated urine contributes to formation of stones.

if your vet was able to collect a sample of his urine to check for any "grit" floating around, perhaps they could test for what kind of stones are happening? some stones form from an overabundance of calcium and oxalic acid; others form from an overabundance of uric acid.

ultrasound imaging can also help detect stones in the kidneys.

there's a procedure that can help break up existing stones using sound waves. medication can also help break up stones. surgery is by no means the only way to treat this condition.

Thanks for the reply.

He has never been one to drink very often so most of his water intake was from his food. He always seemed to pee at dinner time when he was out.

The vet said there are no crystals in the pee that was extracted with the syringe. But there is some type of solid that is causing some blockage in his narrow urethra.

I think the next step will be consulting with Dr. E in Florida and find out how to deal with his penis.

[jeepin48]

Last night the vet was able to pass a catheter all the way to the bladder. This was a HUGE step in the right direction and not easy to do. She had tried to do this multiple other times and could not get it all the way. Maybe because the bladder was so bit it made it easier. We drained and flushed his bladder with over 80ml and got some grit out. Enough that it actually clogged one of the catheters so we had to get a new one.

I dont have the results back from the grit yet but the PH of the urine was fairly neutral, not acidic or basic. This tends to make me think it could be Calcium oxalate stones. WIKI "Calcium oxalate stones form in an acidic to neutral urine."

also from WIKI "There is no recommended diet to dissolve calcium oxalate stones. For prevention a diet low in protein and oxalates and high in magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium is recommended. Increased dietary magnesium and phosphorus decreases the amount of calcium in the urine, and increased dietary calcium reduces absorption of oxalates from the intestines.[7] Potassium citrate has been recommended as a preventative for calcium oxalate stone formation because it forms a soluble complex with oxalates and promotes the formation of alkaline urine."

I will make sure to balance his Calcium / Phosphorus levels with more veggies and minimize his protein levels from nuts.

Fingers crossed that he does not get blocked with those stones again.

[lukaslolamaus]

Praying for you and your little friend what is his name?

[jeepin48]

Swirrley