My Dog Bailey

[Hobie]

Bailey has been sick since the NRA meetings. FORMER vet prescribed antibiotics AFTER simple rehydration failed. Apparently never x-rayed despite my specific approval for same. NEW vet today found 3 (THREE) bladder stones the largest of which was the size of a ping-pong ball. Surgically removed same. Dog is recovering. Hopefully will have more time for the forum! Sorry for any delay in responding to anyone.

[BigSky56]

Hope your pup will be ok Hobie. danny

[mod71alaska]

Well wishes to Bailey for a fast recuperation. Glad you were able to help him. Our dogs are very important!

[Don McDowell]

Hope your best buddy gets healed up quick now.




Dang dogs anyway.....

[madman4570]

Hope your dog Bailey heals real quick Hobie!
Went through same thing 2 years ago with our female mini schnauzer.
They thought it was just a urinary tract infection.(I asked for an Xray)they said lets try antibotics first?
We almost lost her following week(totally blocked,stone like a golf ball)
I am sure they will want your pooch on Hills prescription diet dog food from now on.($80 a bag)
Just make sure they analyzed that removed stone to determine if it was Struvite type or Oxalate type and treat accordingly.
Best of luck friend!

[Ysabel Kid]

Hobie, I hope Bailey recovers fully soon!!!

[firefuzz]

Don't worry about this place, we'll be here when you get back. Take care of Bailey.

Rob

[Tycer]

Heal Bailey, heal!

[Borregos]

Hope Bailey will heal well now.

[Hobie]

Hope your dog Bailey heals real quick Hobie!
Went through same thing 2 years ago with our female mini schnauzer.
They thought it was just a urinary tract infection.(I asked for an Xray)they said lets try antibotics first?
We almost lost her following week(totally blocked,stone like a golf ball)
I am sure they will want your pooch on Hills prescription diet dog food from now on.($80 a bag)
Just make sure they analyzed that removed stone to determine if it was Struvite type or Oxalate type and treat accordingly.
Best of luck friend!

They ARE sending the stone(s) off for analysis. I understand now that Miniature Schnauzers are much more likely to get these than other breeds. If this is so common why wasn't it an immediate red flag? I don't know. I feel I should have had her to another vet sooner but I trusted the vet. Not too happy with myself either.

[J Miller]

Hobie,

Give Bailey a big scratch between the ears for us. I know how frustrating miss diagnosis can be. We just lost a kitty to tumors around his lungs and esophagus that was diagnosed as intestinal blockage.
Vets aren't perfect, sometimes they miss things.
Glad your second vet found the problem.

Joe

[2ndovc]

Best wishes for Bailey's speedy recovery!!

jason

[Blaine]

Good thoughts and prayers abound.....Sending my best, Hobie.

[madman4570]

Hobie----Wonder if Bailey is like our Gabby? With that post op plastic big collar around their little head to prevent them licking the stiches does your dog "freeze" / not move,and I mean stay that way. I ended up cutting it some so at least she would move her head but still couldnt reach that area to lick.

Couple important things we now do I think that has really helped with our Schnauzer:
We give our dog "filtered water" only and give the dog a Cranberry pill daily.
Also I have decieded every year to have an xray of the dogs bladder area even with no symptoms.
(if any signs of a urinary tract infection etc. between that time I will spend the $40 for an xray before leaving the clinic with just some meds?(aint going through that ordeal again)

Because if crystals are caught(in bladder/urine tract) early then just a short time regiment of the other prscription dog food which disolves those crystals can save big ordeal/exspense later.(those crystals are the early formation of the big stones)

Anyhow below is some useful info on either condition:

Dr. Bill Donohue, of Vale Park Animal Hospital in Valparaiso, said certain dog breeds are predisposed to bladder stones. They include Shih Tzu, Schnauzer, Dalmatian, Maltese, Bichon, Pugs and Lhasa Apso.

"Dogs with urinary tract infections that do not respond to antibiotic therapy or recur frequently are highly suggestive of bladder stones and warrant an X-ray to evaluate for bladder stones," Donohue said. "Recovery is complete with surgical removal, but calcium oxalate stones are the most likely to recur."

Calcium oxalate stones require special diets, but even the diets are not 100 percent successful. Donohue recommends that dogs with repeated stones of this type be X-rayed every six months.

Lower urine volume and higher calcium concentration, according to an American Veterinary Medical Association study, may contribute to the high prevalence of calcium oxalate stones observed in Miniature Schnauzers.

Donohue said that other types of stones -- struvite or triple phosphate -- are typically infection-induced in the dog, meaning a prior or current urinary tract infection has caused them to appear. Resolving the infection and treating with a diet to dissolve the crystals can be pursued. Treatment options include surgical removal, special diets to dissolve or minimize recurrent stones, or voiding urohydropropulsion, a nonsurgical method of removing stones from the urinary bladder.

Dogs tend to be stoics about pain, and we don't tend to notice urination frequency until it happens indoors, so it is difficult to recognize bladder infections or stones. Donohue said clinical signs of bladder stone are usually frequent urination of small amounts, blood in the urine and straining to urinate.

Dr. Bill Donohue, of Vale Park Animal Hospital in Valparaiso, said certain dog breeds are predisposed to bladder stones. They include Shih Tzu, Schnauzer, Dalmatian, Maltese, Bichon, Pugs and Lhasa Apso.

"Dogs with urinary tract infections that do not respond to antibiotic therapy or recur frequently are highly suggestive of bladder stones and warrant an X-ray to evaluate for bladder stones," Donohue said. "Recovery is complete with surgical removal, but calcium oxalate stones are the most likely to recur."

Calcium oxalate stones require special diets, but even the diets are not 100 percent successful. Donohue recommends that dogs with repeated stones of this type be X-rayed every six months.

Lower urine volume and higher calcium concentration, according to an American Veterinary Medical Association study, may contribute to the high prevalence of calcium oxalate stones observed in Miniature Schnauzers.

Donohue said that other types of stones -- struvite or triple phosphate -- are typically infection-induced in the dog, meaning a prior or current urinary tract infection has caused them to appear. Resolving the infection and treating with a diet to dissolve the crystals can be pursued. Treatment options include surgical removal, special diets to dissolve or minimize recurrent stones, or voiding urohydropropulsion, a nonsurgical method of removing stones from the urinary bladder.

Dogs tend to be stoics about pain, and we don't tend to notice urination frequency until it happens indoors, so it is difficult to recognize bladder infections or stones. Donohue said clinical signs of bladder stone are usually frequent urination of small amounts, blood in the urine and straining to urinate.

[lthardman]

Hope Bailey makes a full recovery on the double quick. Do us all a favor and keep us advised if you learn any causes or reasons for the stones. This is not the first story I have heard about this, and it makes me want to question things like popular dog foods, etc.

Take what ever time you need, Bailey comes before banter.

[Hobie]

Cranberry pill

I'd never heard of them. She won't drink Cranberry juice...

Lot's of good info, thank you. Doc says she's doing very well with some time to full recovery. Need to call him Friday with an update.

[madman4570]

This is what I use.
http://www.vitasprings.com/cranrich-cra ... ctors.html
One a day(stuffed in a 1 inch piece of hot dog.)
$10 for 3 months is cheap for what it does plus they say its a preventitive for cancer in those areas as well!

Bottom line Hobie, most the time its the after effects of a urinary tract infection(which those darn stones can develope very fast after it and its the Cranberry pills that works wonders to prevent the original urinary tract infection in the first place plus ensure they drink as much "filtered water" in them daily as possible.(I use the brita)
Its been 2.5 years since Gabby (now 9.5 years old)had her operation then we started this regiment and no problems since.)
I will never forget while we were giving her the prescibed meds and waiting for her to get better(right on the doorstep outside while I let her out to try to go to the bathroom)she just laid on the oustide porch step on her little side and gave up(it was 10 degrees out)I called them frantic and they ended up calling thier vet team in on a Sunday and doing emergency surgery.
I carried her in my arms to the op table and yes I was crying like a baby.(Dogs are family)
Because they said they should have took an xray when I asked days before(no extra charge for doing it on Sunday)

[Boreman]

Hobie,
Your dog Bailey is family,family comes first,hope the recovery time is fast and she's back on her feet.

[JohndeFresno]

Hobie,
Your dog Bailey is family,family comes first,hope the recovery time is fast and she's back on her feet.

+1 - prayers for Bailey's quick recovery, Hobie.

[Hobie]

For those interested I've posted an update at the blog including a pic of the largest of the three bladder stones.

Many thanks for all the public and private messages. As you know, this is group knows how to love a good dog.

[madman4570]

Hobie prayers up for that adoreable pooch.
She looks like our gabby.
Why the heck didnt that vet handle Bailey? Good lord, they are supposed to be professionals?
Anyhow friend, let's just hope that Bailey girl will be up to her good old self soon and guarding/barking at all those deserving it.(trust me, I know)

[Hobie]

She is supposedly a dangerous dog. I guess they handle dogs like sacks of taters expecting to just pick 'em up and sling 'em around as they please, that isn't what I was taught. Certainly professionals should know what to do.

[madman4570]

Hobie ??????????
A dangerous Dog?? OMG (even if she was a little bitey)thats what they use the nylon little muzzles for!
To turn away a Mini Shnauzer for a dangerous dog??????
Hey,when Bailey gets better maybe we could make a low budget horror movie starring our shnauzers.
"Night of the Mini Shnauzers"
You got to be kidding me! (some Vets) :roll
BTW ---That stone was huge!

[Blaine]

Thor has tracked down and slain a rare purple octopus in preperation for a recovery feast, and sends his very best thoughts and prayers.....

[Hobie]

Bailey and I are sitting here in the house while I watch her heal. Everything seems to be good so far. She's got more energy than she should!

[rjohns94]

prayers up, glad they found the problem.

[madman4570]

That's very good news Hobie -----Prayers to keep being sent!

[Griff]

Hope your best buddy gets healed up quick now.




Dang dogs anyway.....

Ditto and pets in general!

[flounderjig]

Take care of your dog, I have seven of them of various makes and models, they are truely "man's best friend." I lost one two years ago to liver cancer, only 7 years old, my beagle stud, Rambo. I will pray for a speedy recovery with your friend. They are better then most people I know.

[DadsMod12]

Hobie,

I hope Bailey is up and doing fine by now. I had a similar problem back in May. The doctor thought it was an infection so she was given some antibiotics. The next day she was is pain. Turns out it was a kidney stone. My wife is doing fine now.