Symptoms of Canine Urolithiasis

Bladder stones are formed in the urinary bladder.  They form due to excess minerals in the blood.  Smaller breed dogs develop urolithiasis more often than larger dogs.  Females are more prone to bladder stones than males.  They are commonly found in dogs, with some breeds being more prone to forming bladder stones than others.  In other instances, bladder stones may be related to the pet’s diet. 

Symptoms found in dogs suffering from urolithiasis can take many avenues.  One of the main signs of urolithiasis is inability or straining to urinate and can often give the appearance of constipation.  Bladder stones are rarely life-threatening, although they can cause pain and discomfort for a dog suffering from this disorder.  This condition can recur at any time. 

Other symptoms of bladder stones include:

• Blood in the urine
• Difficulty urinating
• Frequent attempts to urinate
• Inappropriate urination
• Incontinence
• Painful urination
• Passing small amounts of urine
• Vomiting  

Some dogs can have bladder stones and not show any trace of commonly seen symptoms.