Kidney Stones, treatment required?

Hi - I will ask you to please be kind when responding to me, I love my kitty and am doing the very best I can to care for him.  Here's my first question: About a year ago my 9 year old kitty started vomiting all of the time.  During the tests that were performed while we tried to figure out why this was happening, the vet discovered that he had kidney stones and a single stone in his bladder.  At the time I was told that this could not be the cause of the vomiting, and as that was a more immediate concern, the kidney stones got pushed to the back of my mind.  (we never did figure out why he was vomiting, eventually it just got better to the point that it only happens occasionally)  Now we are a year later, and kitty is having new medical problems.  He is having labored breathing.  I, of course, took him to the vet, who did new x-rays.  The cause of the labored breathing was determined to be Chylothorax, and I was told he would have just a few days left to live.  I was also told, as a side note, that he had kidney stones and one stone in his bladder.  Here we are almost three weeks later, and kitty is doing great!  So as I consider the possibility that he could actually survive this death sentence, I have come back to those kidney stones.  No one has ever said anything to me about them needing to be treated, or removed, or anything else.  Both times they were mentioned to me, I had more pressing matters on my mind, but now I am wondering about them.  Does anyone know if it is okay to NOT treat kidney stones in a cat?  Should I be asking that the vet review this condition, or is it okay to just let it stay in the background?

Again, I ask that you please be kind, and helpful.  And if you know anything about Chylothorax, please see my other post under that title.

Thank you!   

I hadn't heard of chylothorax so I went to Dr. Google, not necessarily the best source.  I found this http://www.petplace.com/article/cat...-cats/lungs-airways-chest/chylothorax-in-cats   From this article I got that there should be further diagnostics and then treatment.  Did your vet bring up anything about this?  If not that coupled with the cavalier attitude about the stones I would be considering another opinion.

Was urine pH checked?  That can tell you what type of stones you are dealing with.  Urine that is too alkaline usually means struvite stones which can sometimes be reduced in size or dissolved with a prescription diet.  Urine that is too acidic usually means oxalate stones which are removed surgically.  Struvite stones are also sometimes removed surgically.

Thank you Denice.  I have some concerns about my vet too, but as I live in a rural area my options are very limited.  She told me that she has only seen Chylothorax a few times before, and the kitties died within two days.  Based on that info I felt that I really didn't have time for further analysis.  Now, however, I am thinking other wise.  I keep trying to post a thread concerning the Chylothorax, but every time I get it written, my internet crashes and eats it.  I will keep trying.

The only urine related test that was done was a blood test for creatinine.  That includes a year ago.  Again, at the time kitty was vomiting almost uncontrollably and I was told that the kidney stones could not cause that, so it wasn't my first concern.  Anyway, his creatinine was high.  She said that that could indicate that he had kidney disease.  It sounds like I need to try and get her to do some more tests.  Of course, if he really is dying from the Chylothorax, I don't want to torture him by doing that (he is super shy and timid, and HATES the vet, the car, his shadow...).  But I am thinking that must have been grossly over-exaggerated as he is still here. 

Thanks again for the input. :-)

Here are a couple of thread on Chylothorax you might find VERY interesting:

  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/582/feline-chylothorax

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/251974/chylothorax-please-help-me-help-butters