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If you’ve ever had any experience with a cat bladder stone, you want to know why this happened to your cat and how to prevent it from happening in the future.  By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll have a better understanding of bladder stones in cats.

Where Do Cat Bladder Stones Come From?

Researchers have several theories on this.  The most commonly accepted one is that they form due to high mineral levels in your cat’s urine.  This can be due to a bladder infection or from his diet.  When the mineral levels get too high, crystals form.  These crystals grow and form stones in your cat’s bladder.  These stones can be very small, about the size of a grain of sand, or they can grow to the size of a small pebble.

If a stone blocks one of your cat’s ureters (the tube leading from the kidney to the bladder), or his urethra, a urinary blockage can occur, making it difficult or impossible for him to pass urine. 

Tips For Preventing Bladder Stones In Cats

The most important thing you can do is to start feeding your cat a high quality canned food.  Cats who eat dry food exclusively are more prone to developing bladder stones because they are usually chronically dehydrated.  Cats are made to get most of their water from their prey.  A mouse is over 90% water, so a cat in its natural environment doesn’t need to drink as much water.

Most canned foods have a moisture level of about 78%.  You can see that feeding your cat canned food will help prevent him from becoming dehydrated.  A cat that is dehydrated will have very concentrated urine, which can lead to the formation of bladder stones.

Be sure your cat always has plenty of clean fresh water available.  It’s best to give him filtered water to be sure it’s pure.  A cat that drinks plenty of water will have dilute urine, which is helpful in preventing bladder stones.

Some cat owners give their cats a supplement containing cranberry.  Cranberry is great for making the urine more acidic and preventing the formation of bladder stones.  It also helps to prevent cat bladder infections, too.

Herbal Pet Remedies Can Help Prevent Cat Urinary Problems

People have been using herbal remedies like uva ursi and barberry to treat and prevent urinary problems for centuries.  Homeopathic remedies are  in great demand as well. 

Now cat owners are asking if these herbal pet remedies can help their cats.  The answer is yes.  The advantages of these remedies is that not only are they safe and effective, but they’re inexpensive, and don’t have any side effects.

However, it’s extremely important to buy products that are formulated especially for animals.  You’ll want to purchase herbal pet remedies only from reputable companies that stand behind their products.

Natural remedies for cat urinary problems can help treat and prevent the problem of cat bladder stones.  This is an easy way to keep your kitty healthy.

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Feline bladder stones are formed by small crystals which grow to the point of blocking the urethra and preventing urination.  It can be quite painful for your cat, watch out for difficulty urination and blood in the urine.  Sometimes the cat will go outside the box because of the association with the litter box and pain.

Minerals in the bladder can be made up of magnesium, phosphorous, calcium and ammonia which cause feline bladder stones to form.  Veterinarians thought that by reducing magnesium in the diet the stones would not develop, so the low ash diet was supported.  Later it was discovered that it wasn’t magnesium preventing cat bladder stones but whether are not the cat’s urine ph was either acidic or alkaline.  If the cat has acidic urine the crystals did not form.  The “acidic” urine would dissolve any that had formed and prevent any new stones or crystals from developing. 

Preventing cat bladder stones can be achieved by diet depending on the type of stone, as some types of feline bladder stones require the urine to be alkaline.  The best prevention is to make sure your cat has plenty of fresh water to flush out any concentrations of crystals so they can not form.  Dry food should be avoided as this causes dehydration in the urinary tract and is counter productive for flushing out the system.

Another preventative can be the use of homeopathic urinary tract products to support their immune system so they can fight off any bacteria while it is just starting before it grows into a full bacterial infection needing antibiotics.

The main thing is to get your cat diagnosed to find out if she has feline bladder stones so treatment can start and to rule out any other medical problems such as defects with the ureters, lower UTI infections, cancer, kidney and bladder worms, prostate or vaginal diseases.

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There are many types of bladder stones that can affect your dog. The most common are calcium, oxalate, struvite and urate. Different medical circumstances contribute to each of these types of canine bladder stones. Some breeds are genetically predisposed to developing certain types of stones in the bladder.

How Canine Bladder Stones Form

All types of bladder stones develop as a result of excess minerals being present in the urine. They begin as crystals that are suspended in the urine. Over time, the concentration of crystals increases. These crystals fall and create “sand” at the bottom of the bladder. Eventually, this sand becomes complete bladder stones.

Treating Canine Bladder Stones

Treatment of bladder stones in dogs depends largely on the type of stone that is present. In most cases, a veterinarian recommends surgery, prescription medication or some form of diet therapy to help your dog. Unfortunately, dogs that have developed bladder stones tend to repeat the process and have to be monitored for future bladder stone development. Prevention is the best treatment available for your beloved pet.

Preventing Bladder Stones

Water is the key step in preventing canine bladder stones. The more water your dog drinks, the more diluted the urine becomes. This means there is less of a concentration of the minerals that form into crystals and stones. Encourage consumption of large amounts of water by placing extra bowls of fresh, cool water all over the house. You may also consider a water fountain designed specifically for pets that provides continuous water flow. Feeding your dog canned food or adding water to your dog’s dry food will supply extra liquid in its diet, as well.

Frequent Urination

Another proven method for the prevention of canine bladder stones is encouraging frequent urination. The more your dog urinates, the faster crystals and minerals are removed from the bladder. This decreases the likelihood of developing bladder stones.

Unfortunately, dogs that are trained to hold their urine until their owner returns from work are prime candidates for canine bladder stones. Get someone to walk your dog in the middle of the day. Another option is a doggie door. This allows your dog to come in and out when the need arises and will help maintain a healthy, stone-free bladder.

Proper Diet

It is important for many reasons to be sure you are maintaining a proper diet for your dog. High levels of certain minerals and elements can cause quicker development of some types of canine bladder stones. These include magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and protein.

Treatment of Canine Bladder Infections

Bacteria present in the bladder may cause stones to develop faster than they normally would. If you observe any signs that your pet may be having difficulty urinating, get to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The longer you wait to have your pet’s infection treated, the more likely it is that bladder stones will develop. Prevention is as important in the care and health of your pet as it is in your own physical health.

Proper diet and exercise are very important in maintaining the health and welfare of your pet. Canine bladder stones are just as painful and debilitating to your dog as they would be if you had them yourself. Because of their inability to communicate through speech, a pet in pain is often overlooked by its owner. In these cases, the pet suffers needlessly a lot longer than it should. It is your responsibility as a pet owner to be sure your animal is healthy and well cared for. Pay attention and observe them carefully. Chances are that if there is a problem developing, you will see some sort of sign, even if it is a very slight one.

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