Very Common
Less Common
OTHER DIAGNOSES CONSIDERED
Other conditions or ailments that might also need to be ruled out by a vet.
Diagnosis
Conditions or ailments that are the cause of a problem that you see - your observation.
Your vet may diagnose
Sabulous Cystitis, Urolithiasis
Summary
Bladder emptying depends on the proper functioning of the muscular bladder wall, which contracts down with urination. When a horse cannot empty their bladder for an extended period of time, the stretch on the bladder wall damages the bladder.
Sabulous cystitis is inflammation of the bladder characterized by the accumulation of a thick layer of calcium carbonate sludge at the bottom of the bladder. The presence of this sludge is an indicator of underlying bladder wall muscular dysfunction that is usually caused by nerve damage, which can happen from physical trauma or neurologic disease. The presence of the sludge itself also contributes to the problem by causing inflammation and preventing complete evacuation.
Temporarily, the sludge can be removed using bladder catheterization and flushing. There are a variety of variations on how this is done, but the idea is to remove as much of the sludge as possible until bladder function returns. Long-term successful treatment depends on identifying and treating the underlying condition.
Sabulous cystitis is inflammation of the bladder characterized by the accumulation of a thick layer of calcium carbonate sludge at the bottom of the bladder. The presence of this sludge is an indicator of underlying bladder wall muscular dysfunction that is usually caused by nerve damage, which can happen from physical trauma or neurologic disease. The presence of the sludge itself also contributes to the problem by causing inflammation and preventing complete evacuation.
Temporarily, the sludge can be removed using bladder catheterization and flushing. There are a variety of variations on how this is done, but the idea is to remove as much of the sludge as possible until bladder function returns. Long-term successful treatment depends on identifying and treating the underlying condition.
my vet's role
Diagnostics Used
These are tests that might be helpful to make this diagnosis or further characterize the condition.
Treatments May Include
These treatments might be used to help resolve or improve this condition.
PROGNOSIS AND RELEVANT FACTORS
The prognosis is in generally poor, but depends on successful treatment of the underlying disorder.my role
I might observe
You might make these observations when a horse has this condition.
Skills I Might Need
I might need these skills if my horse has this diagnosis.
Questions To Ask Your Vet:
- What is the underlying condition that caused my horse to develop this problem?
- After flushing the sludge out, how can this problem be managed long-term?
- Is there anything I can do to reduce the calcium carbonate intake in my horse's diet?
Prevention
Rapid diagnosis and treatment of neurologic bladder dysfunction may prevent the development of this secondary complication.
Related References:
Rendle DI, Durham AE, Hughes KJ, et. al. Long-term management of sabulous cystitis in five horses. Vet Rec 2008 June 14:162(24): 783-7.