Kidney and Bladder Stones as Related to Diet
May 21, 2016 22:08:50 GMT -5
Sherry, Corvidophile, and 2 more like this
Post by FireAngel on May 21, 2016 22:08:50 GMT -5
I recently rescued 2 older ferrets, Loki and Keto. Loki is a 4 year old with a known MCT and Keto is 6.5 years old with known untreated adrenal. I took them in because their previous owner was going to have to put them to sleep because she was unable to afford the medical treatments they needed. We got home at 9pm on Mothers Day 5/8/16, they had been traveling for 6 hours to get to me so I let them out of their cage and let them roam around and explore their new home. After a few minutes Loki went to the litter box and appeared to be straining and crying while he pooped. The poop was green at the end, and after talking with Katt and Heather and Sherry I decided to just wait and watch, maybe it was due to the travel and new environment stress. Tuesday evening I realized he was not crying when he pooped but rather when he peed! No frank (visible) blood could be seen in the urine but while the previous owner denied he had been doing this with her at all, I was not taking any chances (their scheduled appt was for Saturday). He went in to my vet as an emergency visit on Weds. and while he was there he began pawing at his mouth and drooling. He had not been doing that at home. She took an x-ray this is it:
That is the biggest bladder stone my vet or anyone in her office has ever seen in a ferret.
So I thought I would put together a little info for people about types of stones and what the causes are and common treatment for them. To be honest most of it is just a copy and paste from 2 sites with pictures, but I thought it would be nice for people to have it right here with the sources noted for them.
petMD
Published on petMD (http://www.petmd.com)
Urinary Tract 'Stones' in Ferrets
Urolithiasis in Ferrets
Urolithiasis is a condition where certain compounds called uroliths form in the urinary tract. Made of stones, crystals, or calculi, the uroliths are caused by metabolic and dietary factors that affect the acidity of the ferret's blood. Ferrets with this condition suffer from secondary bacterial infections and pain due to the rubbing of the uroliths against the urinary tract.
Symptoms and Types
Uroliths are rough in nature, causing the ferret's urethra, urinary bladder, or kidneys to become inflamed. Kidneys can also become inflamed due to secondary bacterial infections. Ferrets suffering from urolithiasis will lick or bite the urinary area. And while some are unable to urinate or at least urinate properly, others frequently urinate but only in small amounts, leaving the fur around the perineum damp. In severe cases, urolithiasis may lead to renal failure. Some other symptoms include:
Painful and difficult urination
Cloudy urine
Bloody urine
Foul-smelling urine
Loss of appetite
Weakness
Lethargy
Abdominal pain
Dehydration
The consistency of uroliths depends on the types of minerals or solutions in the formations. For example, urolithiasis struvite stones consist of magnesium ammonium phosphate and causes the ferret's urine to become highly alkaline, and urolithiasis cystine stones consist of calcium oxalate, causing the urine to become highly acidic. Meanwhile, ammonium acid urates and silicate stones cause the urine pH to become either neutral or acidic.
Causes
Urolithiasis is most common in middle-aged to older ferrets (3 to 7 years), especially males. Risk factors include the consumption of dog food, poor quality cat food, or diets with plant-based proteins. Abnormal retention of urine can also lead to urolithiasis.
Diagnosis
Other than observing the ferret's clinical symptoms, the veterinarian may recommend X-rays and urine examinations to confirm the diagnosis. Culture and sensitivity tests may be required if secondary bacterial infections are present.
Treatment
Once the type of urolith is diagnosed and located, your veterinarian will devise a treatment plan. If the uroliths can not be dissolved with antibiotics, surgery is required to remove the “stones.” Fluid therapy is also necessary to maintain the ferret well hydrated.
Living and Management
Once the stones are removed, your veterinarian will devise a dietary and living plan for your ferret.
Prevention
Providing a well-balanced, healthy diet for your ferret may help prevent uroliths from forming in your ferret. But because there are various causes for the condition, there is no surefire way to prevent it.
Copyright © PetMD all right reserved.
Source URL: www.petmd.com/ferret/conditions/urinary/c_ft_urolithiasis
Struvite Stones
Three main factors cause struvite stones: diet, urinary pH and bacterial infections of the bladder.
The two main components of the diet involved in struvite stone occurrence are the source of the protein and the level of magnesium. The source of the protein is important because this affects the pH of the urine. Animal-based protein such as chicken, turkey, pork, egg and fish have the amino acids methionine and cystine in them. These two amino acids contain sulfur. When these two sulfur-containing amino acids are metabolized, they produce sulfuric acid. When sulfuric acid is excreted into the urine, it lowers the pH of the urine. On the other hand plant-based protein like corn gluten, wheat gluten, soy protein isolates and soybean meal do not have those two sulfur-containing amino acids. Thus plant-based protein does not acidify the urine, and the pH of the urine raises higher than normal (above 6.4). Struvites are unlikely to form when the pH of the urine is acidic (below 6.4).
Calcium Oxalate Stones
Calcium oxalate stones are very different than struvite stones. The two main factors that lead to oxalate stones are diet and pH of the urine. These stones are formed from calcium and oxalate, so a ferret should avoid a diet with excessive calcium and oxalate. Other items to avoid include treats like milk, cheese and dairy products. Also, avoid supplements that contain excess calcium. Oxalate is formed from the metabolism of plant-based protein, which contains the amino acids glycine and serine. It can also be formed from the metabolism of vitamin C. Increases in urine oxalate levels promote calcium oxalate stones more so than increases in calcium. This is another great reason to avoid plant-based protein! Calcium oxalate stones are more likely to develop in acidic urine, but they can form in alkaline urine too. [Although meat-based protein makes the urine acidic, it doesn’t cause oxalate to form, so calcium oxalate stones shouldn’t form when a ferret is fed a meat-based diet. – Eds.]
Cystine Stones
Cystine stones are uncommon and uniquely different. These stones are a result of a genetic defect in the kidneys. The kidneys do not reabsorb the amino acid cystine. The kidneys may also have a problem reabsorbing three other amino acids: ornithine, lysine and arginine. Because cystine is the least soluble amino acid, the stone is composed almost entirely of cystine. Cystine solubility depends on urine pH, and cystine stones are more likely to form in acidic urine.
Recognizing A Bladder Stone
The signs of a bladder stone in ferrets can include straining to urinate, vocalizing in pain when urinating, urinating small amounts frequently, dribbling urine, wet fur around the prepuce or vulva, and discoloration of the urine. Occasionally the ferret will be totally unable to urinate and rapidly becomes lethargic and depressed.
Most of the time the bladder stone can be palpated by a veterinarian, but a radiograph (X-ray) should be done to confirm the presence of a stone or stones, to visualize the location of the stone or stones, and to look for other urinary problems such as a prostate problem in males.
Different Than Dogs & Cats
Although ferrets are similar to dogs and cats when it comes to bladder stones, they are more sensitive to plant-based protein and elevated urinary pH.
www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-health/bladder-stones.aspx
Here are a few pictures of Loki and his stone. Keep in mind the stones pictured above were from dogs.
Recovery time for this surgery is about 10-14 days of cage rest, 10 days of antibiotics and pain meds. Cost of this surgery was $1800.00 including a 2 night stay with the vet and she threw in the MCT removal for nothing at the same time. What was he eating before coming to me you might ask, he was eating a cat food with peas in it.
Loki is doing well although I think he has gotten spoiled with spoon feedings!
That is the biggest bladder stone my vet or anyone in her office has ever seen in a ferret.
So I thought I would put together a little info for people about types of stones and what the causes are and common treatment for them. To be honest most of it is just a copy and paste from 2 sites with pictures, but I thought it would be nice for people to have it right here with the sources noted for them.
petMD
Published on petMD (http://www.petmd.com)
Urinary Tract 'Stones' in Ferrets
Urolithiasis in Ferrets
Urolithiasis is a condition where certain compounds called uroliths form in the urinary tract. Made of stones, crystals, or calculi, the uroliths are caused by metabolic and dietary factors that affect the acidity of the ferret's blood. Ferrets with this condition suffer from secondary bacterial infections and pain due to the rubbing of the uroliths against the urinary tract.
Symptoms and Types
Uroliths are rough in nature, causing the ferret's urethra, urinary bladder, or kidneys to become inflamed. Kidneys can also become inflamed due to secondary bacterial infections. Ferrets suffering from urolithiasis will lick or bite the urinary area. And while some are unable to urinate or at least urinate properly, others frequently urinate but only in small amounts, leaving the fur around the perineum damp. In severe cases, urolithiasis may lead to renal failure. Some other symptoms include:
Painful and difficult urination
Cloudy urine
Bloody urine
Foul-smelling urine
Loss of appetite
Weakness
Lethargy
Abdominal pain
Dehydration
The consistency of uroliths depends on the types of minerals or solutions in the formations. For example, urolithiasis struvite stones consist of magnesium ammonium phosphate and causes the ferret's urine to become highly alkaline, and urolithiasis cystine stones consist of calcium oxalate, causing the urine to become highly acidic. Meanwhile, ammonium acid urates and silicate stones cause the urine pH to become either neutral or acidic.
Causes
Urolithiasis is most common in middle-aged to older ferrets (3 to 7 years), especially males. Risk factors include the consumption of dog food, poor quality cat food, or diets with plant-based proteins. Abnormal retention of urine can also lead to urolithiasis.
Diagnosis
Other than observing the ferret's clinical symptoms, the veterinarian may recommend X-rays and urine examinations to confirm the diagnosis. Culture and sensitivity tests may be required if secondary bacterial infections are present.
Treatment
Once the type of urolith is diagnosed and located, your veterinarian will devise a treatment plan. If the uroliths can not be dissolved with antibiotics, surgery is required to remove the “stones.” Fluid therapy is also necessary to maintain the ferret well hydrated.
Living and Management
Once the stones are removed, your veterinarian will devise a dietary and living plan for your ferret.
Prevention
Providing a well-balanced, healthy diet for your ferret may help prevent uroliths from forming in your ferret. But because there are various causes for the condition, there is no surefire way to prevent it.
Copyright © PetMD all right reserved.
Source URL: www.petmd.com/ferret/conditions/urinary/c_ft_urolithiasis
Struvite Stones
Three main factors cause struvite stones: diet, urinary pH and bacterial infections of the bladder.
The two main components of the diet involved in struvite stone occurrence are the source of the protein and the level of magnesium. The source of the protein is important because this affects the pH of the urine. Animal-based protein such as chicken, turkey, pork, egg and fish have the amino acids methionine and cystine in them. These two amino acids contain sulfur. When these two sulfur-containing amino acids are metabolized, they produce sulfuric acid. When sulfuric acid is excreted into the urine, it lowers the pH of the urine. On the other hand plant-based protein like corn gluten, wheat gluten, soy protein isolates and soybean meal do not have those two sulfur-containing amino acids. Thus plant-based protein does not acidify the urine, and the pH of the urine raises higher than normal (above 6.4). Struvites are unlikely to form when the pH of the urine is acidic (below 6.4).
Calcium Oxalate Stones
Calcium oxalate stones are very different than struvite stones. The two main factors that lead to oxalate stones are diet and pH of the urine. These stones are formed from calcium and oxalate, so a ferret should avoid a diet with excessive calcium and oxalate. Other items to avoid include treats like milk, cheese and dairy products. Also, avoid supplements that contain excess calcium. Oxalate is formed from the metabolism of plant-based protein, which contains the amino acids glycine and serine. It can also be formed from the metabolism of vitamin C. Increases in urine oxalate levels promote calcium oxalate stones more so than increases in calcium. This is another great reason to avoid plant-based protein! Calcium oxalate stones are more likely to develop in acidic urine, but they can form in alkaline urine too. [Although meat-based protein makes the urine acidic, it doesn’t cause oxalate to form, so calcium oxalate stones shouldn’t form when a ferret is fed a meat-based diet. – Eds.]
Cystine Stones
Cystine stones are uncommon and uniquely different. These stones are a result of a genetic defect in the kidneys. The kidneys do not reabsorb the amino acid cystine. The kidneys may also have a problem reabsorbing three other amino acids: ornithine, lysine and arginine. Because cystine is the least soluble amino acid, the stone is composed almost entirely of cystine. Cystine solubility depends on urine pH, and cystine stones are more likely to form in acidic urine.
Recognizing A Bladder Stone
The signs of a bladder stone in ferrets can include straining to urinate, vocalizing in pain when urinating, urinating small amounts frequently, dribbling urine, wet fur around the prepuce or vulva, and discoloration of the urine. Occasionally the ferret will be totally unable to urinate and rapidly becomes lethargic and depressed.
Most of the time the bladder stone can be palpated by a veterinarian, but a radiograph (X-ray) should be done to confirm the presence of a stone or stones, to visualize the location of the stone or stones, and to look for other urinary problems such as a prostate problem in males.
Different Than Dogs & Cats
Although ferrets are similar to dogs and cats when it comes to bladder stones, they are more sensitive to plant-based protein and elevated urinary pH.
www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-health/bladder-stones.aspx
Here are a few pictures of Loki and his stone. Keep in mind the stones pictured above were from dogs.
Recovery time for this surgery is about 10-14 days of cage rest, 10 days of antibiotics and pain meds. Cost of this surgery was $1800.00 including a 2 night stay with the vet and she threw in the MCT removal for nothing at the same time. What was he eating before coming to me you might ask, he was eating a cat food with peas in it.
Loki is doing well although I think he has gotten spoiled with spoon feedings!