23/10/2026
Meet Cool Carlos, a 23 year old Quarter Horse gelding who was referred to us by his regular veterinarian for a bladder stone removal 🐴💙🩺
Carlos was initially assessed by board-certified surgeon Paddy, internal medicine specialist Lisanne and our team of experienced nurses. This included a full workup including endoscopy of his bladder, and further investigation of his kidney function. Carlos was found to have a severe cystitis and some kidney dysfunction so he was initially treated for this in hospital with IV fluids and antibiotics.
He luckily responded very well and surgery was eventually able to be performed. An incision was made into his urethra just under his re**um and the stone was broken up with a hammer and chisel via the urethra as it was too large to be removed intact. Once all the pieces were retrieved, the bladder was lavaged to clear any stony debris. This minimally invasive approach allowed us to remove the large stone without entering his abdomen. This allowed for a shorter recovery time and lower risk of complications! Carlos was kept in hospital for a few days after surgery to lavage his bladder and make sure no stubborn pieces of stone were left behind. He was an absolute champion during his whole stay, and we are so glad to see him recovering well at home. As always, we are so grateful to Carlos' referring veterinarian and owner who allowed us to play a role in Carlos' treatment and recovery 🐴💙🩺
