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Wellness, routine, or general care is for pets needing vaccines, preventive care, or ongoing monitoring who can safely wait at least 24 hours.
Urgent and ongoing care in Stittsville, Kanata & West Ottawa. Unwell today? Call 343-463-8787, option 1 during clinic hours or check wait times. Stable bookings: option 2. One-off urgent visits welcome.
Cystotomy and Bladder Stone Surgery for Dogs and Cats
Cystotomy is an operation that opens the bladder, commonly to remove stones.
Overview and the key decision
Cystotomy is an operation that opens the bladder, commonly to remove stones. It addresses material inside the bladder; it is different from procedures involving the urethra, ureters or kidneys.
This guide explains decisions to discuss with your veterinarian. The right plan depends on your pet’s current condition, examination and medical history.
Illustrative photograph; it does not show a confirmed diagnosis or this procedure. Dog lying on sofa.jpg by Whiskydo — CC BY-SA 4.0. Unmodified.
When this guide is useful
Bladder stones requiring removal
A surgical recommendation after urinary assessment
Questions about the planned urinary procedure
What this guide cannot determine
An online guide cannot establish your pet’s diagnosis, choose a test or procedure, or replace an examination. The information below does not provide a medication or home procedure protocol.
Related symptoms and care guides
What the assessment or procedure involves
The team assesses the pet, urine flow, imaging and relevant laboratory findings before anaesthesia. The surgeon removes indicated material and evaluates the bladder according to the case.
What the findings can tell us
Stone location and the pet's stability affect the plan. A urethral blockage may need urgent relief and stabilisation before a bladder operation can be approached safely.
Important limits of the findings
Removing stones does not necessarily remove the tendency to form them again. Cystotomy is not automatically the appropriate procedure for every urinary stone or obstruction.
Preparation and useful records
Bring images, urine and culture reports, medicines and any earlier stone analysis. Ask about alternatives, tissue or stone submission and the expected monitoring needs.
When to call urgently
Little or no urine, painful repeated attempts, vomiting or weakness requires immediate triage. A possible blockage should not wait for a routine surgery booking.
If SKVH cannot receive your pet promptly or the clinic is closed, contact an open emergency hospital. Do not wait for a routine message response when urgent signs are present.
How the care plan is chosen
The clinician discusses whether cystotomy, medical management or referral techniques fit the stone and patient. Ongoing support may require a different setting when monitoring exceeds clinic hours.
Risks and alternatives to discuss
Bleeding, infection, leakage, residual material and anaesthetic complications are possible. The veterinarian explains the individual risks and steps used to assess the outcome.
Follow-up and unanswered questions
Follow the urinary, incision and activity instructions. Report inability to urinate, increasing pain, vomiting, marked weakness or concerning incision changes promptly.
Care at SKVH and next steps
SKVH combines appointment-based urgent assessment during clinic hours with wellness, diagnostics, surgery, dentistry and ongoing care for dogs and cats in Stittsville, Kanata and West Ottawa. One-off urgent visits and continuing care are both welcome.
Findings, medically appropriate options and an individual estimate are discussed before proceeding. Test and procedure availability, monitoring needs and referral are considered for the individual case; this guide does not promise every test or treatment is available in-house.
Urgent concerns: call 343-463-8787, option 1 · Live urgent-care wait times and visit information
Stable bookings and non-urgent questions: option 2 · Wellness and ongoing care · Relevant SKVH service information
Clinical background: Veterinary reference.
Additional references: Clinical source 1 · Clinical source 2
Frequently Asked Questions
Why might a veterinarian recommend cystotomy and bladder stone surgery?
Cystotomy is an operation that opens the bladder, commonly to remove stones. It addresses material inside the bladder; it is different from procedures involving the urethra, ureters or kidneys. The clinician discusses whether cystotomy, medical management or referral techniques fit the stone and patient. Ongoing support may require a different setting when monitoring exceeds clinic hours.
What are the limits of cystotomy and bladder stone surgery?
Removing stones does not necessarily remove the tendency to form them again. Cystotomy is not automatically the appropriate procedure for every urinary stone or obstruction.
How should I prepare for a discussion about cystotomy and bladder stone surgery?
Bring images, urine and culture reports, medicines and any earlier stone analysis. Ask about alternatives, tissue or stone submission and the expected monitoring needs.
When should I seek urgent help rather than wait?
Little or no urine, painful repeated attempts, vomiting or weakness requires immediate triage. A possible blockage should not wait for a routine surgery booking.
What follow-up questions should I ask?
Follow the urinary, incision and activity instructions. Report inability to urinate, increasing pain, vomiting, marked weakness or concerning incision changes promptly.