Lucky the Yorkshire Terrier mix was first seen at his primary care veterinarian for trouble with urination. He had been straining to urinate for several days and his owners were worried. After radiographs were taken, Lucky’s veterinarian made the decision to have him seen at VREC for treatment.
Our emergency team reviewed the radiographs which revealed urethral calculi (also known as urinary stones) – meaning Lucky had a urinary obstruction. He received a flushing of his urethral stones and was internally transferred to the surgery service for additional treatment.
Once qualified for the Angel Fund, Lucky had a urinary cystotomy, a surgical procedure that opens a wall of the urinary bladder to inspect its contents. It is most commonly used for the treatment of bladder problems, such as the removal of bladder stones or tumors. These stones are often sent to a lab for additional analysis, oftentimes helping veterinarians recommend changes (such as medication or diet) to prevent the issue from happening again.