Eleven-year-old Shih Tzu Lindy was having trouble going to the toilet, but when her symptoms failed to improve with medication, further investigations revealed five large bladder stones that needed surgical removal.
Lindy’s owners first noticed something wasn’t quite right when she began having accidents around the house. She was passing urine much more frequently than normal, sometimes with blood present, and was struggling to control her bladder.
Lindy was brought into Bicester Vets, where vet Elaine initially diagnosed a urinary tract infection and prescribed antibiotics. However, despite treatment, Lindy’s symptoms continued, raising concerns that something more serious might be going on.
The decision was made to investigate further with X-rays of her abdomen, which revealed the culprit: five large stones sitting inside Lindy’s bladder!
Bladder stones can cause significant discomfort, inflammation and recurrent infections. In Lindy’s case, they were responsible for her persistent urinary problems, and surgery offered the best chance of getting her back to her usual self.
Elaine, assisted by vet Hollie, performed a procedure called a cystotomy. This involved carefully opening Lindy’s bladder and removing all five stones. The bladder was then thoroughly checked and flushed to ensure no stones remained before being carefully sutured closed. A final X-ray confirmed that the surgery had been successful.
Following her operation, Lindy stayed overnight in our hospital, where our dedicated nursing team kept a close eye on her, providing pain relief, intravenous fluids and plenty of TLC.
By the following day, Lindy was well enough to return home to continue her recovery. Her owners were delighted to report that she was already pottering around the garden and, even better, had not had any further accidents in the house!
At her follow-up appointment just six days after surgery, Lindy was doing brilliantly. Her wound was healing beautifully, the blood in her urine had disappeared, and she was no longer struggling to pass urine or having accidents.
Lindy will continue to have regular check-ups to monitor for any recurrence of bladder stones, but for now, we’re thrilled that she’s feeling so much more comfortable.
Lindy’s story is a great reminder of why it’s so important to investigate further when a pet isn’t responding to treatment as expected. Sometimes there’s more going on beneath the surface!
