Minimally-Invasive Urology and Stone Management
Veterinary urology has advanced significantly in recent years, with new techniques greatly improving outcomes and enhancing our patients’ quality of life.​
​We’re proud to offer these specialized procedures at our hospital, delivered by one of the few veterinary specialists in the Los Angeles area that is trained in these techniques.
Voiding Urohydropulsion
This is a minimally invasive procedure used to remove very small bladder stones from dogs without the need for surgery. During the procedure, the urinary bladder is gently filled with saline, and controlled pressure applied to flush the stones out of the urethra. This technique can be an effective solution for certain cases, reducing discomfort, and allowing dogs to return to normal urinary function more quickly.
Percutaneous Cystolithotomy (PCCL)
In cases where your pet has formed many stones or stones that are too large for other techniques, a PCCL may be indicated. This is a minimally invasive procedure utilizing a very small abdominal incision to access the urinary bladder. A cystoscope is then passed through small surgical instruments to remove stones directly from the urinary bladder or other parts of the urinary tract that traditional surgery cannot easily access. When compared to the common surgical procedure for stone removal (cystotomy), this technique has been shown to lead to quicker recovery with less discomfort, less trauma to the urinary bladder and more precise and complete stone removal. Most importantly, this procedure significantly lowers the likelihood of stones returning in the future.
Subcutaneous Ureteral Bypass (SUB) Management
When our pets develop obstructions or blockages of the ureter (connection between the kidney and urinary bladder), devastating consequences or even death can occur. In some cases, a device is placed within the body to bypass, or create a new system for drainage of the kidney. This device is called a SUB, and is commonly used to treat ureteral obstructions in cats and some dogs. Once this device is placed by a skilled surgeon and your pet has healed and recovered from the surgery, you will likely be referred to an internal medicine specialist for long term management of kidney disease and the SUB device. These systems require ongoing care and maintenance to ensure they last for the rest of your pet’s life and do not need to be replaced. Our specialists are trained in the management of these systems and will walk you through the protocol and ongoing care your pet will require once these systems are in place.
Cystoscopic Basket Retrieval
Some cases of bladder stones in dogs can be addressed using a small cystoscope, which is a small camera that allows for direct visualization of the entire lower urinary tract and the inside of the bladder. A small retrieval basket is passed through the scope and directly to the stones for removal through the natural urinary opening. This technique offers precise, low-trauma and effective stone removal in dogs.
Comprehensive Stone Prevention
When your pet is diagnosed with bladder stones, removing them is only the beginning! It is important to determine why the stones formed in the first place and develop a comprehensive plan for preventing them from returning. Stones can form for many different reasons including genetic predisposition, infection, diet, metabolic or endocrine disorders, and diseases affecting other organs such as the liver. Once the stones are removed from your pet’s body, they are submitted for an analysis that determines their composition. This information is invaluable in determining the reason they formed in the first place and is vital to developing a plan for preventing recurrent disease. Our internal medicine specialists will develop strategies for you to follow at home so that we can maximize treatments to reduce the chance of recurrence.
Laser Lithotripsy
When a pet is a candidate for minimally invasive stone removal without a surgical approach, laser lithotripsy is a method of laser fragmenting a large stone into smaller pieces that can then be removed with voiding urohydropulsion or a cystoscopic basket. This procedure is especially useful for stones that are obstructing the normal flow of urine within the urethra. Laser lithotripsy is a unique and highly specialized procedure that our hospital is proud to offer our patients.
Urethral Bulking for Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence, or the syndrome of leaking urine involuntarily, is a condition that can be common among middle-aged spayed female dogs. In many cases, medications can be used to control these symptoms, however, sometimes these medications stop working or lead to side effects that are intolerable. This procedure involves using a cystoscope to guide a very small needle used to inject collagen or other synthetic materials to “bulk” or give the urethra more mass and strength so that the leaking of urine will stop or significantly improve. The quality of life of our pets dramatically improves when urinary incontinence is successfully managed.
