# Worried about Archie



## Lily528 (Oct 3, 2012)

Archie, who just turned 8 years old, had surgery about 7 months ago to remove a bladder stone. His dog sitter noticed that when he peed, he did not have a stream of urine. After his surgery I put him on Royal Canin Urinary so, per my vet, and he seemed fine. However, about 3 months ago he started to just dribble urine instead of producing a stream. Thinking he had another stone I brought him back to the vet. He has had an x-ray and ultrasound and there are no bladder stones. He has been on an antibiotic and 2 other types of medications - one to strengthen his muscles and another that is a hormone. There has been no difference. My vet now wants me to take him to a specialist to do a scope and figure out what is happening. He is not incontinent - no peeing in the house. When he is outside, even first thing in the morning, he produces a few drops, like a leaky faucet, and then dribbles some more when done. He does this several times.
I am wondering if anyone else's dog had something similar or anyone has any ideas about this.
thanks!


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

I hope they can figure out what is happening with Archie. I don’t have any experience with this but wanted to send you and Archie positive thoughts for a solution to his problem.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lily528 said:


> Archie, who just turned 8 years old, had surgery about 7 months ago to remove a bladder stone. His dog sitter noticed that when he peed, he did not have a stream of urine. After his surgery I put him on Royal Canin Urinary so, per my vet, and he seemed fine. However, about 3 months ago he started to just dribble urine instead of producing a stream. Thinking he had another stone I brought him back to the vet. He has had an x-ray and ultrasound and there are no bladder stones. He has been on an antibiotic and 2 other types of medications - one to strengthen his muscles and another that is a hormone. There has been no difference. My vet now wants me to take him to a specialist to do a scope and figure out what is happening. He is not incontinent - no peeing in the house. When he is outside, even first thing in the morning, he produces a few drops, like a leaky faucet, and then dribbles some more when done. He does this several times.
> I am wondering if anyone else's dog had something similar or anyone has any ideas about this.
> thanks!


I have a friend whose male dog had the same surgery and is having exactly the same problem. Like your dog, they do not yet know why.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

I do not have personal experience with this problem, however I recently read the following article.

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sit.../02/12/urinary-tract-obstruction-in-dogs.aspx

One thing it mentions is submitting the stones for analysis to determine the mineral constitution so that dietary management can be instituted. I wonder if the vet did this. The article also mentions the importance of hydration and filtering water. Kibble diets are dangerously low in moisture. Do you hydrate the kibble? Does Archie always have access to clean filtered water?

I would definitely get to the specialist to determine root cause but thought this article had some good information. Once root cause is determined, I would work with a canine nutritionist to find a healthy diet to help manage the condition. Unfortunately, prescription diets are not a good long term solution for a dog, especially dry food diets for dogs with urinary issues.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Also wondering if this is the drug Archie is on to help strengthen the muscles in the urethral sphincter? One of the side effects is difficulty urinating.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/phenylpropanolamine


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## Tere (Oct 17, 2018)

My Bichon had urinary stone issues. He had to have the surgery and we went to a specialist. They explained that when most vets do the surgery that they don't flush out the debri from the urinary tract which causes problems later. Romeo's surgery was successful and he stayed on the urniary so food for a couple years. Once he went off the food, the stones returned in 3 months.
The specialist is the way to go. I know several dogs that had the bladder stone surgery and Romeo was the only one who did not need further procedures after surgery but he was the only one that went to a specialist. The specialist also proves that the tract is clear after he does the surgery but before he closes the incision. Maybe this is what happened.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/09/09/struvite-stones.aspx

Another good article...key takeaway -

"To reduce urine pH - which is the goal in most struvite situations - you must feed your pet a low-carb, grain-free, potato-free, and preferably fresh or at least canned food diet for the increased moisture content. When dogs and cats who are designed to eat meat are fed a grain-based diet or a starch-rich diet, the starch alkalizes urine pH, which can lead to the development of struvite crystals and stones."

A starch laden dry prescription food is NOT the answer. Please consider at least feeding canned food.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> I do not have personal experience with this problem, however I recently read the following article.
> 
> https://healthypets.mercola.com/sit.../02/12/urinary-tract-obstruction-in-dogs.aspx
> 
> ...


They have done all that with my friend's dog, he is NOT on a kibble diet, and his surgery was at Angell Memorial in Boston, one of the top vet hospitals in the country. He is now being seen by a board-certified internist to try to figure it out. They ultrasounded him last week, and are using the muscle relaxants now. In a couple of weeks if those don't work (they are not so far) they have to do some dye contrast study to try to see what's going on.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/09/09/struvite-stones.aspx
> 
> Another good article...key takeaway -
> 
> ...


But this dribbling problem has NOTHING to do with new stones being formed...


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> They have done all that with my friend's dog, he is NOT on a kibble diet, and his surgery was at Angell Memorial in Boston, one of the top vet hospitals in the country. He is now being seen by a board-certified internist to try to figure it out. They ultrasounded him last week, and are using the muscle relaxants now. In a couple of weeks if those don't work (they are not so far) they have to do some dye contrast study to try to see what's going on.


It would be interesting to hear what the root cause is. Please keep us posted.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

krandall said:


> But this dribbling problem has NOTHING to do with new stones being formed...


I don't know anything about the dribbling problem, but since the dog has a history of stones, trying to find a diet that can avoid them sounds like a good idea. I wonder if there are some actual studies on this to support Karen Becker's articles.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mudpuppymama said:


> It would be interesting to hear what the root cause is. Please keep us posted.


I will. He is her retired stud dog, and her dear pet. She is VERY worried about him.


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## Lily528 (Oct 3, 2012)

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The medication Archie was on first was Proin to tighten the sphincter muscles. When that didn't work he was put on des, a hormone treatment, also not working...I don't think he has developed anymore bladder stones, and the one he had was sent away for analysis (no results yet). He is not incontinent in the traditional sense of peeing inside or when he is asleep. It is only outside, when he produces a dribble instead of a stream of urine, and which continues dripping even when he has "finished". I hope to set up the specialist appointment soon.


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## Lily528 (Oct 3, 2012)

Update on Archie
He was seen by the specialist. They were able to identify a bladder stone that was wedged inside his urethra. My regular vet was unable to see this when he did the ultrasound. The specialist used a cystoscope and broke up the stone with a laser. Because he had minimally invasive surgery (like arthroscopic) he is already feeling better. I will get the results of the stone analysis and nutrition and supplement advice next week.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Lily528 said:


> Update on Archie
> He was seen by the specialist. They were able to identify a bladder stone that was wedged inside his urethra. My regular vet was unable to see this when he did the ultrasound. The specialist used a cystoscope and broke up the stone with a laser. Because he had minimally invasive surgery (like arthroscopic) he is already feeling better. I will get the results of the stone analysis and nutrition and supplement advice next week.


So glad the specialist found the problem!!!! I hope this was Archie's last stone ever. Wishing you and Archie the best. I hope they have some sound dietary advice to avoid future issues.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lily528 said:


> Update on Archie
> He was seen by the specialist. They were able to identify a bladder stone that was wedged inside his urethra. My regular vet was unable to see this when he did the ultrasound. The specialist used a cystoscope and broke up the stone with a laser. Because he had minimally invasive surgery (like arthroscopic) he is already feeling better. I will get the results of the stone analysis and nutrition and supplement advice next week.


AWESOME!!!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Hurray, Hurray!!!!


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## Tere (Oct 17, 2018)

So happy to hear that Archie is feeling better!


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

I was so nervous when I started reading this thread ... So glad everything worked out! Thinking of you and Archie! (Can we see a photo?)


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Great news!


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## Lily528 (Oct 3, 2012)

Here's a photo of Archie resting after his procedure yesterday.


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## Tere (Oct 17, 2018)

Archie is a handsome young man and it looks like he is "resting comfortably". 
I hope that is the end of his problems. Please let us know what the follow up tells. I remember the stone surgery very well and was so afraid for my boy.


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## mudpuppymama (Mar 24, 2012)

Lily528 said:


> Here's a photo of Archie resting after his procedure yesterday.


Archie looks "relieved"! That must have been painful. So happy he is better.


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

What a sweet boy! (Thanks for posting the photo!)


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Sad that it was stuck and he had to have it removed, but so glad you were able to figure it out quickly! I bet he already feels so much better.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Awww...sweet boy. Looks like he's resting comfortably and feeling better now.


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