I am happy to report that Max’s kidney enzymes are back in the normal range indicating that his kidneys are functioning well. The previous levels were most likely due to the insult from the bladder stone. Urinalysis indicated that the inflammation was greatly reduced and cystitis resolved at least for the time being. After talking with Max’s Doctors and reading about the suggested procedure in veterinary texts I am going to hold off on having the second stone removed at least for now. It is encysted in the bladder wall so the greatest risk is from it getting larger. The last urine sample contained a lot of calcium carbonate crystals which are the building blocks of Max’s particular stone. Max will start on Vitamin C (30 grams) which may make his urine more acidic. Equine urine is alkali and contains a lot of calcium. The pH and the high calcium content set up conditions for crystal and therefore stone formation. Lowering the pH should help reduce the growth of the existing stone or the formation of additional stones.
Stone formation in horses is not all that common, researchers believe that the mucus produced by the kidneys protects against crystal formation. One article which really helped my understanding of the condition, symptoms and treatments came from Compendium Equine: Continuing Education for Veterinarians® it also has a couple of great pictures of a bladder stone both inside and outside of the body.
At this point I feel good about taking a conservative approach, Max’s Doctor at the vet school felt that body condition, appetite and overall condition would be good indicators of increased cystitis or movement of the stone. I may choose to do a follow up urinalysis in a month to see if the Vitamin C changed to pH, but if all goes well we will follow up every 6 months with blood and urine analysis.
So Max is hanging out with his friends at the Equestrian Center for the summer which makes us both happy!
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