If struvite is the diagnosis a veterinarian will treat the underlying cause.
Cystine bladder stones in dogs.
Cystine bladder stones appear to be the result of a genetic abnormality that prevents a dog from reabsorbing cystine from the kidneys.
Urolithiasis affects both dogs and cats and are primarily found in adult animals.
Bladder stones uroliths or cystic calculi are rock like formations of minerals that form in the urinary bladder and are more common than kidney stones in dogs.
When the stones are made up of cystine a normal compound found in the body they are called cystine stones.
A somewhat rare form of urolith in the dog is composed of cystine crystals.
Cystine uroliths also referred to as calculi are stones within the urinary tract composed of the amino acid cystine a breakdown product of proteins.
Dogs are more susceptible to bladder stones than kidney stones and in rare occurrences can develop bladder stones that are made up of cystine stones.
Most bladder stones in dogs are made from struvite calcium oxalate urate or cystine crystals.
Cystine urolithiasis is most common in male dogs with an average age of onset of three to five years.
Your veterinarian may be able to palpate the stones or may need to perform imaging studies such as a bladder ultrasound or a contrast radiographic study.
In many cases the specific type of crystal involved can be seen in a sample of urine viewed under the microscope.