Detection of tripelphosphates in the urine of a dog indicates that the animal is suffering from urolithiasis. Tripelphosphates also indicate a bacterial infection. The stones themselves do not provide pain to the animal, as they have a smooth surface. The trouble is that tripelphosphates in an animal can grow to incredible sizes, which interferes with urination. If you do not contact the veterinarian on time, do not start treatment, then the dog may die. In this article, we propose to understand the question of what it means - tripelfosphates in urine. We learn about the causes of the appearance of such stones, about all methods of treatment: drug and surgical.
Urolithiasis disease
Tripelphosphates in the dog’s urine indicate that stones began to form and deposit in the urinary system. Today, about 15% of dogs suffer from urolithiasis. Phosphate stones are most often formed in the structural elements of the kidneys and inside the bladder.
The disease can be hereditary. If one of the dog’s parents had an urolithiasis, then with a probability of 30% the offspring will also have a predisposition to the deposition of insoluble salts in the urinary system. Most often, older dogs suffer from urolithiasis.
general information
Due to a change in the balance of urine in the acid or alkaline side in the bladder, kidneys, urinary tract or urethra, stones or sand begin to deposit. The crystallization of salts in dogs mostly occurs in the bladder and / or urethra. Tripelphosphates in the urine of a dog are formed from trace elements. Formed in an alkaline environment.
Stones of this kind grow very quickly. If tripelphosphates are found in the dog’s urine, the diet prescribed by the veterinarian will slow the growth of the stones, and they will quickly dissolve and come out naturally. In this article we will describe the diet, but it is for informational purposes only, only a specialist should diagnose and prescribe treatment. The fact is that tripelphosphates in dogs may not be the only type of stones, the disease can be mixed. Different types of stones react differently to treatment, and one method can get rid of tripelphosphates, but not affect other stones in any way.
What is the danger of tripelphosphates in the urine of a dog
As already mentioned, stones of this type grow very quickly. Coarse stone or sand can block the urinary tract, and the animal simply cannot defecate. Urine will literally rot inside the dog, causing rapid general intoxication.
In case of urolithiasis, the animal cannot be treated according to the promptings of friends and folk methods, because you just can’t have time to crush the stones, or the method will not help at all. At the first symptoms, you need to contact a veterinarian who will prescribe a urine test. Tripelphosphates, when detected quickly, respond well to treatment.
Why does urolithiasis appear?
This disease is common not only among people, but also among animals. The disease has been studied steadily for a long time, but nevertheless a lot remains incomprehensible today. Identified factors that can affect the oxidation and alkalization of urine. The causes of tripelphosphates in dogs can be as follows:
- Theoretically, any infection can lead to the development of urolithiasis. But this is especially true of infections of the genitourinary system.
- Improper feeding: you can not feed the dog and natural food and dry food, even alternating between them. You need to choose food and canned food, or constantly natural food. You can’t feed the dog with cereals alone, this will lead to an excess of carbohydrates, which will cause alkalinization of urine. And the causes of tripelphosphates in the urine are an alkaline environment. Also, you can’t feed with proteins (fish and meat), because they load the kidneys, and this can aggravate the course of the disease, if any, or cause the appearance of stones of a different kind.
- Lack of fluid in the dog’s diet. The pet should have free access to a bowl of water, this is especially important when feeding dry food and in hot weather. Also, you can not give a dog water, untreated water, it has a lot of metals and trace elements that turn into stones and sand.
- The shortest and most direct way to the development of urolithiasis is crystallization of urine, which occurs when the dog suffers for a long time before walking. Bring the pet at least 2 times a day when he is young, and at least 3 times when he reaches a respectable age.
- The dog needs physical activity. With their lack, the pet will start to fatten, it will have swelling, stagnation of urine, and this again leads to urolithiasis.
- Congenital pathology and hereditary predisposition. Pathologies can be in the kidneys, liver, metabolism and much more.
- The accumulation of salts in the dog’s body also comes from malnutrition. If you feed your pet soups, cereals from your table, give salted fish, meatballs and everything that has salt, then the risk of developing the disease is very high!
There may be several causes of tripelphosphates in a dog. For example, a pet is genetically predisposed, while the owner feeds it incorrectly, drinks tap water and walks once a day. With this lifestyle, even a genetically pure pet will certainly suffer from urolithiasis.
Early symptoms
The first symptoms of the early stages are almost impossible to notice. The dog’s urine becomes cloudy, it smells unpleasant, its amount will be less than usual. When urinating, the animal will feel discomfort and cutting pains, but the pain threshold is high, and the animal may not even show what is unpleasant to it.
Tripelphosphates in urine, photos of which can be seen in this publication, are formed over the years, during which the pet can feel excellent. It seems to the owner that the animal is suddenly ill, but in reality this is not so. That is why it is important to visit a veterinarian once a year in order to undergo a diagnosis: take blood and urine tests. Early detection of urolithiasis increases the chances of recovery at times, and the dog will not suffer in the later stages.
Late symptoms
In most cases, the owner notices the ailment of the dog already in the late stages of the disease, when the signs become apparent. You can find out that a pet is suffering from urolithiasis by the following symptoms:
- Urination often occurs in small portions. Many dogs, especially older ones, start to write at home, not having reached the walking distance. If this began to happen, then in no case do not scold the dog, he is already stressed due to the fact that he cheated at home.
- The urine becomes a different color, cloudy, it can even turn pink. Often urine drips when the dog just goes.
- The dog experiences pain during urination, trembles and whines. Males sit down to pee, and do not raise their paws, and knots sit down more often than usual, while urine does not always flow, or it is very small.
If all these symptoms are ignored, a blockage of the urinary tract can occur. Symptoms are the same, but more pronounced. You can find out that the dog suffers from blockage of the stones or sand by the following signs:
- It hurts the dog to defecate, while it whines strongly.
- The peritoneum becomes tight, swollen, the dog does not allow her to feel.
- Appetite decreases, and thirst increases.
- The temperature rises.
When blockage is important every hour, because the body of the animal is intoxicated. When such symptoms appear, you can’t delay, postpone the visit to the veterinarian "for tomorrow", because this may not be for the dog tomorrow. Immediately call a specialist at home or take him to the nearest clinic.
Diagnostics
To determine the presence of stones and their type, it is necessary first of all to become urine tests. Sometimes only an analysis is enough to identify tripelphosphates in a dog, the treatment of which is prescribed only by a veterinarian. But often the veterinarian prescribes an additional study - an ultrasound to accurately determine the location of the stones.
It happens that it is not possible to find stones by ultrasound, then there is another diagnosis option - x-ray.
Without these three methods of stone recognition, it is impossible to identify pathology and prescribe the actual treatment. If these measures were not carried out, and the doctor diagnosed and prescribed drugs at random, then you should not trust this specialist, it is better to find another clinic.
An experienced specialist will take other tests: urine for biochemistry, a smear for microflora, blood. This will allow you to assess the general condition of the animal, as well as to exclude or identify the presence of an infectious disease, which will also need to be eliminated.
Do not trust a veterinarian who is not convinced of the correct diagnosis and has prescribed a lot of medications. Incorrectly selected drugs can not only not help in the treatment, but also exacerbate the situation.
Dog tripelphosphates: treatment
During obstruction (obstruction of the urinary tract), the veterinarian will first insert a catheter into the dog’s urethra to remove decaying urine from the bladder. Next, the doctor should prescribe drugs that will eliminate the effects of blockage, these are painkillers, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and spasm-relieving drugs.
The course of combining Cantarena and Furagin will help to quickly eliminate the consequences. The first medicine is from the list of veterinary drugs, the second is from human ones. But still the treatment is prescribed only by a veterinarian, consult with him about the selected medications. If the doctor determined something else, then you can not contradict him, you need to take a course of prescribed medications.
After the symptoms of the complication have been removed, the veterinarian will prescribe a long-term therapy if tripelphosphates are detected in the urine. Treatment will take a lot of time and energy, but urolithiasis is a chronic ailment, and when noticeable improvements occur, the dog will need to be supported throughout life.
After eliminating the consequences of blockage, it will be necessary to act on tripelfosphates so as to dissolve them, grind them, and gently remove them naturally. The doctor will prescribe not only drugs, but also a diet. Tripelphosphates are dangerous for dogs, so you will need to acidify the alkaline environment of the body with food. The veterinarian may advise you to completely abandon natural foods and switch to a balanced therapeutic feed. For dogs with urolithiasis, many leading manufacturers have developed feeds, among them:
- Royal Canin;
- Purina;
- Eukanuba;
- Hills.
Prior to significant improvements, it will be necessary to take urine for analysis once a month, then once every six months. You should not skip tests, as they help to identify improvements and deteriorations.
When surgery is needed
In the case when the drug treatment did not give the proper result, the stones could not be dissolved and removed, an operation is prescribed. Surgery is also necessary when a large stone has blocked the urinary tract.
If obstruction occurs regularly, even with effective treatment, the veterinarian will have to expand the urethra by surgery or even create a new urinary tract.
Often, males have to remove the penis, so the urinary tract will not be blocked by stones or fine sand. But still, further treatment after surgery is necessary, because new stones will form regularly.
How to choose a clinic and specialist?
Urolithiasis is insidious, and it is not always possible to find the optimal treatment the first time. If at first it’s not possible to overcome the ailment, then you should not change the veterinarian who is highly qualified. He will select drugs, the structure of treatment, achieve long-term remissions and notice even the slightest deterioration.
You need to choose a doctor so that he can practice your dog for many years. First of all, find a clinic, read reviews about it on the Web, find recommendations of breeders and ordinary animal lovers.
When a clinic is selected, personally visit it, pay attention to the sanitary conditions and the attitude of the staff towards visitors. If you do not like even the presence of an unpleasant smell or lack of good repair, you can always visit another hospital, which will suit you.
If, in the clinic, which you didn’t like, the right specialist is working (acquaintances advised, liked the reviews on the Internet, have personally met him), ask if he can come to the sick animal at home. Usually in clinics there is such a service.
Do not trust the health of your pet to a private practicing veterinarian, in most cases they are not properly qualified, or they have been suspended from work.
Dog ration
If tripelphosphates are detected in the urine, a diet is simply necessary. The best way is to transfer the dog from natural food to balanced feed, which is designed specifically for dogs with urolithiasis.
If you do not want to transfer the pet to dry food, then you will need to slightly acidify the body environment, including the necessary products and removing everything that is harmful to the dog. First, consider what you need to feed your pet with tripelfosphates:
- Buckwheat, baked beans, white rice, mamalyga, corn, rye, white bread (not recommended for feeding dogs, but it happens that the owners feed the pet porridge or soup, adding bread), barley groats, barley.
- Add butter, at least a small piece, to the porridge.
- Boiled eggs whole or just protein.
- From meat choose: chicken, game, turkey, lamb, beef and beef liver, chicken meat, any fish and seafood.
Also, in order for the dog to recover faster and tripelphosphates to form more slowly, give the pet more water. But before pouring water into a bowl, pass the liquid through the filter. If it is not possible to filter, it is always possible to keep the settled water and pour it gently only from the upper level, without spilling from the bottom.
It is necessary to remove alkalizing products from the diet in order to cope with tripelphosphates. The diet for dogs should be complete, it is not enough just to add acidifying products. Look at what the pet should not be given, or the amount of which should be reduced to a minimum.
- If the dog loves apples and other fruits, watermelons, berries (and this happens often), then it is better to remove them from the diet or pamper the doggie very rarely.
- Broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets - all this is loved by many dogs, but all this greatly alkalizes the body.
- Oatmeal and millet.
- Pork fat.
- Everything is sharp and salty, including sausage.
There are not so many products to eliminate, and their absence in the diet will not hurt. Refusing vegetables and fruits, do not forget to buy the dog extra vitamins, which are in specialized stores!
The further lifestyle of the dog with urolithiasis
This is a chronic disease in which it is necessary to maintain a special lifestyle that will help prolong the improvement and reduce the number of relapses:
- The water in the pet's bowl should always be fresh; change it twice a day. The fact is that in a bowl, bacteria develop rapidly that become the cause of bacterial infections, and those - the formation of sand and stones.
- In hot weather, always take clean water in a bottle for a walk with your dog.
- Compliance with a diet designed for the dog by a veterinarian is the key to success.
- Walked the dog three times a day. The first and last walks are half an hour, and the average is hourly.
- Adequate load. The dog should not sit at home all day, but running with obstacles is contraindicated. The best option is walking and jogging on flat terrain.
- Be sure to take urine for tests every six months.