Many times during our busy days we are presented with pets who are having various issues with urinary tract disease. These will often present in a variety of ways. Frequent attempts to urinate, bloody urine, accidents in the house, increase in water consumption and in some severe cases inability to pass urine are all common complaints. Obstruction of urine outflow is an especially common and dangerous problem in male cats. Often, our first step will be to conduct a thorough history and physical exam followed by the analysis of a urine sample. In some cases we will also need to obtain radiographs or X-rays to determine if there are "stones" or uroliths as they are technically referred to, in the bladder or other areas of the urinary tract.
One such case presented recently. "Sassy", a five year old spayed female shih tzu came to us with a history similar to those signs described above. Radiographs revealed the presence of numerous large stones present within the bladder. After discussion with Sassies owner, it was decided to proceed to surgery for removal and subsequent analysis of the uroliths. On Tuesday, January 29th, Sassy was prepared for surgery by placement of an intravenous catheter which allows us to deliver fluids to support her blood pressure and administer medication both for anesthesia and treatment of problems should they occur intraoperatively. The procedure performed is called a cystotomy. It involves opening the bladder and removing the stones. This is not always necessary if the chemical nature of the stones can be deduced. Some stones are amenable to dissolution with dietary modification. Others however require surgical removal. Sassy had such a large number of stones, it was decided to perform surgery for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. Everything went well and Sassy's recovery was uneventful. Now we wait for the results of the stone analysis to determine the best way to treat Sassy. Often, we will use dietary therapy in conjunction with antibiotics and other ancillary medications. The nature of the urolith determines the best treatment. Unfortunately the development of stones is not always well understood and treatment is not always an exact science. For more information on uroliths, check out the link below to the University of Minnesotas urolith center.

posted by Dr. Billeter @ 10:27 AM |  0 comments

I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas and that the new year has begun on a happy and positive note.

I'd like to take a few moments (and more in the future) to introduce you to some of our staff members whom you may already know and be familiar with, but perhaps don't realize how truly important and unique they are.

I would be remiss if I didn't introduce you formally to my wife, Janet Billeter. She has been there since before the inception of Hanover Animal Hospital, and in fact was there when I was in veterinary school and had to deal with all of the trials and tribulations of life with a medical student. Janets primary responsibility is the economic well being of HAH. Despite my lack of financial acumen, Janet has kept things moving smoothly forward and has managed such tasks as payroll, taxes, payroll taxes, equipment financing, general bill paying and management of accounts payable. In addition, anything else that needs to be done to keep the office running smoothly and looking good falls within Janets job description. In fact, it was Janets training as an interior designer that was especially helpful in the design phases of HAH when we moved from our prior location in 2001. It is an understatement to say that without her guidance, assistance and tireless service(sometimes up until 2 or 3 am!) that we would not be where we are today.

When not working behind the scenes at HAH, Janet stays very busy with Gardening, keeping our four kids in line, volunteering time at the cooperative extension master gardening office, and serving as treasurer of our home owners association. She completed a course in master gardening in 2005 which has been an asset to the office and home in many ways.

Please be sure to say hello when you see her at work and acknowledge her contributions to our office. I could not have done it without her!

posted by Dr. Billeter @ 1:31 PM |  0 comments