Treating and Preventing Calcium Oxalate Stones in Dogs

If a dog develops calcium oxalate stones, there is a high chance of recurrence. Approximately 50% of dogs will experience recurrence within 2 years. Unfortunately, researchers have not been able to identify effective methods to consistently prevent the formation of calcium oxalate stones. However, there are ways to help reduce the risk of recurrence.

Treating Calcium Oxalate Stones in Dogs

Treatment often requires costly surgery, but vets may explore other options. Small stones can sometimes be removed with urohydropropulsion, which flushes them from the bladder. Other treatments include ultrasonic dissolution or laser lithotripsy, which breaks the stones into smaller fragments, allowing them to be flushed out.

Preventing Calcium Oxalate Stones in Dogs

Because calcium oxalate stone formation is complex and not fully understood, prevention can be a challenge. According to current research, a preventive diet is the most useful method of reducing the recurrence rate of stone formation in dogs.

Successful management of the disease requires education for pet owners. In addition to understanding how to treat, prevent, and manage the disease, pet owners should understand what risk factors can increase the chance of calcium oxalate stones in dogs.

Dietary Goals for Preventing Stone Formation

There are a few different goals when attempting to prevent stone formation and the discomfort caused by calcium oxalate stones. The key is to ensure a dog's diet is low in the particular compounds that contribute to stone formation. Although diet can't dissolve existing calcium oxalate stones, it can help minimize the chance of stone formation. With that in mind, a preventative diet is designed to help:

• Decrease calcium and oxalate concentration in the urine
• Promote neutral or alkaline urine (pH 6.8 to 7.0)
• Promote a high concentration of crystal formation inhibitors in the urine
• Decrease urine concentration
• Promote less acidic, more dilute urine while maintaining a low urine specific gravity (less than 1.020)

Tips for Preventing Stones

• Hydration is key to minimizing kidney stone formation. Make sure your dog has access to fresh water at all times. Dogs should be encouraged to drink to help promote hydration. You can also offer canned food to help increase water intake and decrease urine concentration.
• Giving your dog plenty of opportunities to urinate is important, as urine becomes concentrated when dogs hold their urine for long periods.
• Regular exercise is essential because being overweight is a risk factor for stone formation.
• Avoid giving your dog high-oxalate foods, such as nuts, chocolate, rhubarb, and spinach.
• Dogs that have had calcium oxalate stones will often be fed a therapeutic diet for life. There are a few commercial diets that are designed to help prevent calcium oxalate stone formation. Otherwise, an appropriate home-cooked diet can be formulated with the help of a veterinary nutritionist.
• The most effective crystal formation inhibitor for calcium oxalate stones is citrate because it attaches to calcium in the urine, preventing the formation of mineral crystals that can develop into stones. Potassium citrate is often used to help prevent calcium oxalate stones. In addition to attaching itself to calcium, it acts as an alkaline agent to prevent the urine from being too acidic.
• Supplements that break down oxalates or help reduce oxalate formation might help reduce stone formation. Many veterinarians will also suggest supplementing with vitamin B6, as a deficiency in vitamin B6 can contribute to increased oxalate production.
• Supplements that contain vitamin D or vitamin C should be avoided as they can increase the potential of stone formation.
• Table food and treats can interfere with a preventative diet and decrease its effectiveness.

The Importance of Monitoring

Monitoring is an important step in preventing the recurrence of calcium oxalate stones. All pet owners should work closely with their veterinarian to develop a regular monitoring plan. Urinalysis should be performed every 3 to 6 months to adjust urine pH and urine specific gravity. Medical imaging should also be performed to detect recurrent stones. If stones can be detected early, less invasive treatment methods may be an option to remove them while they are still small.

You should contact your veterinarian right away if you start to notice questionable symptoms, such as frequent urination, blood in the urine, or pain while urinating.

The materials and information provided on this website are not intended to replace the medical advice or services of your veterinarian or other pet healthcare professional. Consult your veterinarian for medical questions concerning diagnosis, treatment, therapy, or medical attention.