Options for Shih Tzu with bladder stones

[Mcclete22]

I have a Shih Tzu that was born in 2008, and he recently was diagnosed with bladder stones. We followed the vets advice for anti-biotics for a month and also fed him a soft canned food that the vet said may help reduce the stones size. After a month we went back and the stones were bigger. The clinic said they had switched software or scanners, and that the new stuff may account for the growth.

We took him in today and the stones have shown that the grew since the last check. The vet said that the change in diet was not having any effect and that surgery was the only option. He quoted us a price of $1300 to remove three calcium oxalate bladder stones.

I also want to add that our Shih Tzu is starting to have a hard time jumping up on the bed. We bought him not knowing he was a rescue dog and that the had been abused. Because he started being aggressive toward me (a male), we hired a trainer and paid a lot of money to help train him to where he was a much better behaving dog. At a later vet appointment they performed an X-Ray and found he had been shot by a pellet gun.

I say this because I feel awful about putting him to sleep. We have invested a lot of time and money into him and have really had some struggles. Is there anything we can do besides surgery to help him? Like I said he was a rescue dog when we got him in Jan.- Feb. of 2008. He has a lox of anxiety and has terrible separation anxiety. We have tried everything to help him but nothing works. If I get in the shower he starts shaking uncontrollably, so I am concerned with giving him to another person as a rescue dog, especially if there are unknown males in the home.

My wife and I just can not afford the surgery with our current circumstances. We struggled affording the special food. I don't want to put him to sleep, but we don't think there are a lot of other options. Are there other options? Like I said he is getting old, and this diet appears to be having no impact on the bladder stones.
Thanks for any help and advice.

[tonyb286]

Calcium oxalate bladder stones cannot be dissolved using diet - but a change in diet can certainly prevent them reoccurring once the stones are removed. The stones form due to excessive calcium. This can be caused by diet, but unlikely, and is much more likely to be genetic, particularly in Shi Tzus. Some medications can also cause stones of this type, particularly Prednisone and Furosemide.

Surgery is really the only certain way of treating the stones, though Lithotripsy is another possibility. This is where a laser is used to break the stones up into small enough pieces to pass through the urinary tract. Lithotripsy is less-invasive than surgery, but also less certain to succeed, and potentially just as costly (worth asking about though, just in case).

Hope this helps.

Tony

[Margot49]

Tony is right.  There are 2 or 3 types of stones, some can be controlled with diet, some not.

It sounds like they are too large now, but they can sometimes be washed out by irrigation with the dog under sedation.  Unfortunately, the only other option would be surgery.  They may or may not recur.

A major concern is they will cause a blockage and the dog can't urinate, this is, obviously, an emergency situation.

I don't understand why you would want to try to put him in another home due to his health issues and his anxiety issues.  Not sure where you rescued him from but you have had him for a while so doubt the rescue would be much help but you can try contacting them perhaps.

Many of us know the financial burdens Vet bills can be and doubt anyone here is judge mental to your circumstances.  You have obviously put a lot of time and effort into this little dog and bless you for that.

As difficult as the decision to let him go, would be, you might have to make that decision when it comes down to a quality of life issue.  That can often be the last act of live we can do.

Wish I had better answers and maybe someone else will.

Good luck and this little dog has been lucky to have ended up in such a living home.
Please do update.