1375. AUDIT. Owner's financial constraints. An 11-year-old Miniature Pinscher has calcium oxalate stones

Case TP 44133
The 11-year-old Miniature Pinscher was overweight at 12 kg and could not stand up yesterday. Two weeks of dribbling urine. He stopped eating for the past 2 days and had been dribbling urine for the last 2 weeks or more.

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Thursday, April 24, 2014

1358. An old Miniature Pinscher can't pee

"It is always best to get an X-ray done rather than just unblocking the bladder," I said to Dr Daniel as the owner of the overweight Miniature Doberman Pinscher dribbling urine wanted to save on medical costs and so the dog was warded for 2 days. So today, I got the dog X-rayed. Several big urinary stones obstructed the urethra at the os penis area and many more were in the bladder.

"The bladder is about to rupture," I advised an emergency surgery. "Around 10 stones in the os penis and more than 16 inside the bladder!"

The owner had delayed seeking veterinary treatment for many weeks. Blood tests showed kidney failure, thus explaining the persistence of daily vomiting by the dog.

The owner gave permission for the emergency surgery. The dog survived anaesthesia and surgery done by Dr Daniel. However, he passed away 3 days later.

Chances of survival after surgery are much lower if owners have been dragging their feet in getting their dog treated early by the vet.

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BLOOD TEST
Urea 44.6  (4.2-6.3), Creatinine 514 (89-177)
Haemoglobin and red cell count were below normal. Total white cell count at 26.1 (6-17) with Neutrophils at 95.5%. Haemocrit was low at 0.32 (0.37 - 0.55). However, the platelet count was normal. The dog was obese and very ill. This was a very high anaesthetic risk but the owner consented to the surgery.

X-RAYS
Urethral stones and bladder stones
To upload X-ray

URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION relieved by catherisation by Dr Daniel.
URINE TEST
pH 7, SG 1.011, Blood 4+ Crystals Nil, Bacteria Nil
No urine culture done

The dog passed away a day after surgery. The owner did not want any stone analysis.

I sent the stones c/o Hills to Minnesota Urolith Center Quantitative Urolith Analysis
Results: Calcium oxalate stones