The owner's first indication of a bladder infection or of stone formation may be the appearance of blood in the urine . If they persistently strain to urinate but only pass small quantities of urine, they need immediate veterinary attention. The dog that seems to strain, passes a few drops and then passes a gush of urine has probably just passed a stone and needs to be seen. Dogs with a blocked urethra are a medical emergency because urine can back up into the system and lead to renal failure. The bladder can rupture and the bladder that has been stretched may lose muscle tone, making it difficult for this dog to empty his bladder completely even after the stones are removed from the urethra.
Water consumption is important in preventing and in treating uroliths.
This means that you need to change the water often. In a multi-dog household, your Bichon may choose not to drink after the other animals have been drinking from a community bowl. You need to be aware of this idiosyncrasy and to see that the water is changed several times a day. Compound stones can sometimes occur. The dog with both struvite and calcium oxalate stones should receive the diet for calcium oxalate treatment along with appropriate antibiotics for the infection that may be associated with struvite.