Urinary Stones / Urolithiasis (bladder and kidney stones)

Veterinary care required

This condition belongs in veterinary diagnosis and treatment. Compounds are at most supportive.

Priority · vet & management

Veterinary clarification (rectal exam, ultrasound, bladder endoscopy) and treatment — with acute obstruction of urine flow, rapid action is needed. Stones usually have to be removed veterinarily; a feeding measure alone does not dissolve existing stones.

Possible causes

• · alkaline, mineral-/mucus-rich horse urine as a formation environment
• · high calcium intake (e.g. a lot of lucerne/alfalfa and other legumes)
• · low water intake/dehydration
• · a pre-existing urinary tract inflammation as a crystallisation nucleus

Supportive compounds · supplementary feed, not medication

Prevention

Promote ample water intake (sufficient drinkers, salt provision to stimulate drinking after veterinary consultation if needed) and avoid very calcium-rich rations — such as high lucerne/alfalfa proportions.

Equiterna's take

In urinary stones Equiterna places water intake and ration design in the foreground instead of supposedly stone-dissolving herbs: in the alkaline horse urine there is no proven supplement that reliably dissolves existing calcium carbonate stones — removal remains a veterinary task.