Bladder stones, or uroliths, which result when calcium and salt form lumps in a dog's bladder, can cause serious problems for canines. When these lumps occur, the urethra can become blocked, making it difficult or impossible for the dog to urinate. According to Bladder Stones in Dogs, if left untreated, bladder stones in dogs can cause serious illness and even death.
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Frequent Urination
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If the dog begins urinating or trying to urinate frequently, it may be a sign of bladder stones. Because bladder stones make urinating difficult, the dog will have a full bladder with the urge to urinate, but its urethra will be blocked. Dogs normally urinate 3 to 4 times a day; when plagued by bladder stones, a dog might try to urinate as many as 20 times a day.
Struggling to Urinate
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If the dog appears to struggle when urinating, or urinating seems painful to the dog, it likely has bladder stones. The stones in its bladder or urethra block the passage so that the dog must struggle to urinate. Commonly, the dog will vocalize during urination; bladder stones cause severe amounts of pain when blocking the urethra.
Blood in the Urine
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When the dog's urine comes out with traces of blood, the dog likely has bladder stones. The stones scratch the inside of the urethra during urination, causing the blood. In severe cases, the blood in the urine will be visible to the eye, though this is not always the case. A veterinarian can test a sample of the dog's urine to determine if trace amounts of red blood cells are present. Urine testing is a common practice when evaluating the likelihood of bladder stones in dogs.
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