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Surgical Procedure🐕 Dogs🐈 Catsurinary

Cystotomy

🗣️ Pronounced:sis-TOT-uh-mee
In One Sentence (Plain English)

A surgical incision into the urinary bladder, most frequently performed to remove bladder stones (uroliths) or biopsy bladder tumors.

Editorial Status: Verified from peer-reviewed veterinary sources (v1.0)
Updated: 2026-01-15

💬 In Plain English

A cystotomy is a surgery where a veterinarian opens the urinary bladder. The most common reason is to physically scoop out bladder stones (uroliths) that are causing chronic bloody urine, painful straining, recurrent bladder infections, or life-threatening urinary blockages. During the procedure, the surgeon opens the belly, isolates the bladder, makes an incision into the bladder wall, scoops out every stone, flushes the bladder and urethra thoroughly with sterile fluid, and stitches the bladder closed with water-tight absorbable sutures. The removed stones are then sent to a specialized laboratory for stone analysis.

🔬 Clinical & Technical Depth

For Vets & Technicians

Formal Clinical Definition

Surgical incision through the ventral or dorsal wall of the urinary bladder. Primary indications include removal of cystic and urethral calculi, resection of bladder masses, repair of bladder rupture, or tissue biopsy.

Why Veterinarians Use It

Veterinarians perform cystotomies when bladder stones cannot be medically dissolved through special diets (such as calcium oxalate stones) or when stones pose an immediate obstruction risk.

Clinical Context Encountered

Performed routinely in dogs and cats suffering from recurrent hematuria, painful urination, or bladder stones identified on radiographs.

Clinical Reference Guide (Surgical Procedure)

Anesthesia Required?No (Awake or Sedation)
Typical Duration
🚨 Red Flag Warnings (When to Contact an Emergency Vet)
  • •Inability to urinate or progressive abdominal distension and depression after a cystotomy suggests bladder leakage (uroabdomen) or a remaining urethral stone—call your surgeon immediately.

❓ Questions to Ask Your Veterinarian

Take these actionable questions with you to your next clinic visit or appointment:

  • 1Were post-operative radiographs taken immediately after surgery to confirm 100% of stones were retrieved from both the bladder and urethra?
  • 2Will the retrieved stones be submitted to a specialized laboratory (like the Minnesota Urolith Center) to determine exact mineral composition?
  • 3How long is mild bloody urine expected following surgery (typically 3 to 7 days)?
  • 4What prescription therapeutic diet will be needed long-term to prevent stone recurrence?

Academic & Clinical References