Pooch gets ‘new lease of life’ after vets remove massive stone from her bladder

By Douglas Whitbread via SWNS

A poorly pooch has been given a “new lease of life” after stunned vets removed a “massive” 220-gram rock from the dog’s bladder.

Labrador Marley, nine, was under the knife for an unrelated procedure when shocked surgeons found the hefty 10cm (4inch) stone nestled in her abdomen.

Senior hospital vet Fraser Reddick became aware of the pup’s issue when he felt something firm around her belly as he patted her on the operating table.

And an x-ray then confirmed Marley’s bladder contained the huge stone, known as a urolith, which was the biggest Fraser had seen in 20 years as an animal practitioner.

The rock-like formations can develop due to high mineral content in food, a dog’s genetic makeup, metabolic deficiencies or infections in the bladder.

But thankfully Marley has made a full recovery after the stone, along with other smaller rocks weighing 60-grams, were removed and her bladder was flushed out.

Her owner Carol Thorpe, who has reared Marley since she was seven months old with David Chappell, said the pair were “mesmerized” at the size of the stone.

“When we got there and saw the big stone it was unbelievable. We were both mesmerized," she said.

“They are actual stones like pebbles on a beach – and the size of them! Poor little Marley - they must’ve been weighing her down.

“There had been no signs apart from that she used to urinate little and often. We just thought that was to do with her getting older. Marley now has a new lease of life.”

Experienced vet Fraser added that he was now planning to turn the bladder stone recovered from Marley into a paperweight.

“It is not uncommon to have a build-up of stones, but this is probably the biggest one I have seen in about 20 years of being a vet," he said.

“It is massive. I am planning to make it into a paperweight!”

Aging Labrador Marley had gone in for an operation at Chantry Vets, in Wakefield, West Yorks., England, when surgeons noted the firmness in her abdomen.

And when scans revealed that she was carrying the massive stone measuring 10cm by 7cm by 5cm, along with a selection of smaller ones, they rushed to remove them.

The bladder stones which were surgically removed from a Labrador. (Chantry Vets/ VetPartners via SWNS)

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“There were quite a lot of smaller stones which were still a fair size," Fraser said.

“Marley recovered well and went home the same day. She is brighter and comfortable and has been back in for two checks which showed she is doing well.

“The surgery has obviously had an immediate effect as Marley has shown a significant improvement in her urination.

“I expect this to continue to improve as the bladder was chronically inflamed and stretched so will take time to return completely to normal.”

The rocks were later analyzed to determine their chemical composition, which revealed they were a type of stone called Struvite.

Marley will be put on a special diet to prevent them from reforming.

But without the chance discovery, the stones would have continued to cause cystitis, which could lead to complications such as bladder rupture, sepsis and kidney damage.

Marley is now back at home, just outside Wakefield, with Carol saying she seems “so much better” following the operation.

“She is a lot calmer. You can tell she is so different. She goes to urinate straight away, and she seems so much better in herself," she said.

“We have been with Chantry Vets for years and years, and it’s a good job because of what happened to Marley.

“They have been brilliant with her, and Marley likes them; she is not scared of going to the vets as some animals are.”