1104. I don't want my old dog to be chopped up - urinary stones by ultrasound

Yesterday, an old realtor acquaintance phoned me at home. His 10-year-old Golden Retriever was ultrasound scanned by the "most expensive" veterinary practice in Singapore. The vet said his dog has cysts in the prostate and bladder stones and advised surgery to remove the stones.
"My dog is so old," he said over the phone. "I don't want him to be chopped up."
"Was a urine test done?"
"No," he said.
"How many stones were there?"
"I don't know," the realtor said to me in a worried voice. 
"Were the stones big or small?" 
"I don't know."

In many Singapore families, the dog is family and so the best vet in Singapore should be the best for the pet. The brand-name veterinary surgery.

Unfortunately, the pockets need to be very deep. "Frankly, I can't afford the surgical fees in this practice," the realtor said. "That is why I seek a second opinion from you." He has not consulted me for many years and this is common amongst Singaporean dog owners who tend to doctor-hop and to look for the glitz and presentation of new clinics or proximity. It is good that they have an estimated 50 choices of veterinary practices in Singapore. Brand-name  and beautiful veterinary practices certainly attract Singaporeans.
"There are some types of bladder stones that can be dissolved by special diet," I said. "If you have time, bring the dog to me for urine collection and testing at 9.30 am tomorrow (Sep 18, 2012)."

"My dog pees all at around 8 am when I take him out," he laughed.
"You can try to collect a clean sample of urine from him. Wait for a few seconds and collect the middle stream into a urine collection bottle which you can get from the polyclinic."

Urine analysis is important in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary bladder stones.
See my article to educate dog owners at:
http://www.kongyuensing.com/folder8/20120724struvite_stones_dogs_toapayohvets.htm