What should I do if my rabbit has a bladder stone?
Rabbits with sludge may need a bladder flush to get things moving again. In more serious cases, surgery may be needed. Stones can usually only be removed by surgery. If you think your rabbit may have arthritis ask your vet about pain control. This is important for your rabbit’s comfort and also so that it’s possible to wee properly.
How long does it take to remove a bladder stone?
In some cases, bladder stone removal requires open surgery and a few days in the hospital for additional monitoring. The human urinary tract, including the bladder in pink at the bottom.
What causes a rabbit to need a bladder flush?
Sludge gets into the urethra, (the tube that the urine passes through on its way out) and will sometimes block it. Sometimes the sludge will form into bladder stones and these can block the urethra too. Rabbits with sludge may need a bladder flush to get things moving again.
How are local anesthetics used in bladder stone removal?
Lithotripsy is a medical procedure that is sometimes used as a form of bladder stone removal. During this procedure, local anesthetic medications are often given to help reduce or eliminate pain or discomfort related to the lithotripsy surgery.
Is it normal for a rabbit to have a bladder stone?
A blood test demonstrating a high calcium level could be normal, or could represent a change in calcium level in a rabbit who has recently eaten a calcium-rich meal.
How to treat urinary sludge and stones in rabbits?
Although long term treatment should be aimed at reducing the calcium content of the diet and increasing the water intake.
How does a rabbit get its urine out of its bladder?
When the rabbit is ready to urinate, the muscles of the bladder contract and the sphincter at the exit hole relaxes and urine is expressed out of the bladder and through the urethra and to the outside of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis and is a long tapering tube.
How are urethral calculi removed from the bladder?
Urethral calculi are usually removed by flushing the stone back into the bladder and performing a cystotomy to remove it/them from the bladder. If calculi are detected within one or both ureters (ureterolithiasis), they can often cause hydronephrosis (an enlargement of the kidney due to the blockage of the ureter).
