Medirabbit

Normal urine and “sludge” in rabbits

Healthy rabbit urine

Rabbit urine always contains a certain amount of sediments. This is absolutely normal, the system of rabbits works this way to excrete the too much of calcium in their body.

The absence of sediments in the urine is indicative of renal failure.

Sludge

A thick paste that becomes a solid millimeter thick “cake” when drying.

Sludge can be treated via a non-invasive procedure. An effective way of washing the bladder without use of catheter, is the administration of a diuretic drug like furosemide by your vet. Be sure to have the rabbit well hydrated with SC fluids before administrating the drug. One time is usually enough, it can be repeated in the next 24 hours. Another way is washing the bladder after introduction of a catheter. The procedure is done on an anesthesized rabbit. Since the procedure is accompanied by pain, the rabbit needs to be given pain relief medication. A stone need to be removed surgically.

Uroliths

Calcium and the formation of stones does not relate to the calcium in the diet only. There is much more involved, that we do not understand yet. One cause of uroliths (stone) may be increased pH of the urine, for some reason or another (e.g. diet), another can relate to the presence of bacteria. The increased urine pH favors the development of bacteria and UTI. Bacteria in the bladder will, on the other hand, start to excrete waste (ammonium) and an enzyme, urease that will break down the urea; both will increases the pH of the urine. An increased pH accelerates the precipitation of struvite crystal (struvite = magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate). Struvite stones develop only in the presence of an alkaline pH.

Commonly found bacteria are E. coli, Proteus sp and Staphylococcus sp, rarely true anaerobic bacteria are found. The presence of bacteria can be easily checked by sending a sample of urine for bacterial culture (urine is normally sterile). One can also keep the removed urolith open it and use the central part for bacterial culture or have the stone examined for the crystals composition. Indeed, some bacteria are associated with a particular type (e.g. Staphylococcus is associated to struvite stones).

A 1.9 cm bladder stone:

Photo: C. Macey

Hematuria (urine with blood traces)

Thick urine, the presence of a bladder stone, a bladder or kidney infection, or infection of the reproductive organs are usually accompanied by the presence of blood spots in the urine.

Heavy blood loss, caused by a cystitis in a female rabbit

After taking X-rays of the bladder, a vet may easily conclude that the rabbit has a huge bladder stone. Many rabbits have been operated on, as a vet was convinced to find the stone, and once the bladder open, nothing... Rabbit savvy-vet will know to differentiate between a stone and the presence of sludge/sediments.

For more details, see: "Nephroliths and Uroliths (calculi) in rabbits"

e-mail: info@medirabbit.com

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11 MARCH 2007

updated: may 2008