Bladder stones are fairly common in domestic pets and are linked with urinary tract infection in dogs and urinary tract infection in cats. Besides urinary infection in dogs, changes in the pH balance, over saturation of urine with crystals and water re-absorption by the kidney tubules are the other major causes behind the formation of bladder stones.

Diet, decreased water intake and frequency of urination and genetics are some of the factors that contribute to the formation of bladder stones.

Concentration and pH balance play an important role in the type of stone that is formed. Calcium oxalate and urate stones are formed when the urine is acidic to neutral. Struvite stones are generally formed in neutral to alkaline pH environments.

Cystine stones, calcium phosphate stones and silicate stones, on the other hand, although dependent upon pH of the urine are more breed specific and are caused due to a defect in renal tubules.

The extent of urea in the body is another factor that plays a significant role in the formation of calcium crystals that ultimately result in bladder stones.

Nearly the same antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infection in humans are the ones that are used to treat canine and feline urinary tract infection. Several natural remedies and herbs can also used to help boost the immune system and to resist such infections.

However, before any treatment starts, it is useful to get the condition duly diagnosed since the early signs of urinary tract infection in dogs and cats could be signs of some underlying endocrinal disorders like diabetes. It is also necessary to rule out the presence of bladder stones, identify the location of the infection and identify the location of the disease-causing- bacterium that responsible for it. This necessitates a urinalysis and a urine culture.

The root cause of the UTI can be diagnosed in most cases and only a small proportion is idiopathic or without any known cause. The causal factors can help in identifying the right antibiotic and in providing quick relief to the suffering animal.

Another aspect of urinary tract infection in dogs and cats is the recurring nature of such conditions in most cases. It has an inherent quality of recurring, despite the initial remission of the disease. Even though the antibiotics required to treat urinary tract infections are strong and concentrated, an overdose of these can lead to a resistance to the drug.