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Heat LampsBladder stones (bladder stones) in rabbits are called urolithiasis. Normal rabbit urine can be slightly cloudy. It's a problem if your rabbit's urine contains grit or sand. This article discusses the development and treatment of bladder stones in rabbits.
How do bladder stones form in rabbits?
Rabbits have an unusual calcium metabolism. Calcium intake is tightly regulated in dogs and cats. Once enough calcium has been ingested, the rest is excreted in the stool. In rabbits, all of the calcium is always absorbed from the food, whether the body needs it or not. The excess calcium must then be excreted through the kidneys and bladder. Usually this causes few problems (the cloudy urine), but in certain circumstances this calcium will clot in your rabbit's bladder and bladder stones can form.
What Causes Bladder Stones in Rabbits?
Your rabbit's somewhat odd calcium balance is not in itself a reason for developing bladder stones. Often there must be more of these in play before your rabbit bothers. An exceptionally high level of calcium in the feed (or drinking water) can cause bladder stones. In addition, there may be things that prevent your rabbit from urinating normally (such as abscesses, bladder sand, and deformities) that can encourage bladder stones to form.
Insufficient urination or drinking too little water can also lead to bladder stones. This can be caused, for example, by your rabbit being in pain. He/she will then move less and urinate less. After all, rabbits don't want to sit in their own urine. Your rabbit prefers to hold back the pee a little longer. A cage that is too small can also lead to bladder stones. Your rabbit avoids sitting in its own urine by stopping urinating.
Rabbits that are overweight also have difficulties, not only when urinating, but also when moving about in the stable. As a result, they hold urine longer than rabbits that are not overweight.
In addition, sterilized and solitary rabbits rarely need to mark their territory. These animals are less susceptible to it
How Do I Identify Bladder Stones in a Rabbit?
Your rabbit will exhibit abnormal urination behavior. For example, peeing small amounts very often. Or pee in strange places. Your rabbit may also show pain when urinating. Red urine is not uncommon. Your rabbit may also sit outside of urinating with an arched back or have a tense tummy. These are signs of pain. This includes grinding your teeth.
Your rabbit's appetite may be reduced or gone entirely. Your rabbit may also be lethargic. In some cases, your rabbit will drink and/or pee more and may even become dehydrated.
How Are Bladder Stones In Rabbits Diagnosed?
Your vet can diagnose it. You can feel this on the bubble in your rabbit's stomach. In addition, it can help him/her enormously if you already bring some urine with you. It is best to have fresh urine for this. Fresh urine is urine that is not older than 4 hours and is preferably stored in the refrigerator. Your veterinarian will often take an x-ray of your rabbit, which will clearly show the bladder stones (and possibly sand). In some cases, the vet will also want some "sterile" urine from your rabbit. Many rabbits with bladder stones also develop bladder infections caused by bacteria. To properly examine this, your vet will need to poke a needle into your rabbit's bladder. This is not painful for your rabbit and provides a lot of information for your vet!
How Are Bladder Stones Treated in Rabbits?
Surgical removal of bladder stones is actually the only "real" solution to bladder stones. For this, your rabbit must be under anesthesia. Fortunately, the surgery itself is not that invasive and your rabbit will make a relatively quick recovery. If only bladder sand is present, your vet may consider flushing the bladder. He/she will do this while your rabbit is under sedation or anesthesia so there is no need to open your rabbit's abdomen.
After surgery or bladder lavage, you will still need to give your rabbit pain medication for a while. These should not only relieve the pain of the operation, but also reduce the inflammation that is still present in the bladder. If there are rocks or sand outside of the blister, the blister will not heal immediately. Therefore, the administration of these anti-inflammatory agents is very important.
If your rabbit also has a bacterial bladder infection, your vet will prescribe antibiotics for your rabbit. Many rabbits recover within a few days of treatment and medication.
Can I prevent bladder stones in my rabbit?
Various factors can influence the formation of bladder stones. Not only is it very important to prevent your rabbit from becoming overweight, but other issues that can cause your rabbit to be in pain and want to drink less should be addressed quickly. It is also important to pay close attention to the calcium content in the feed. With good quality rabbit food you can always be sure that it will never contain too much calcium. Gnawing stones should better be avoided!
If your rabbit suffers from frequent bladder stones or sand, you may want to consult with your veterinarian about opting for certain foods that are low in calcium. Always make sure your rabbit needs calcium, so you should never feed him any food that doesn't contain any calcium at all.
This text was translated by a translation machine