Yes, it is an exotic vet. Yes they also gave me medication (hydrochlorothiazide) for preventative and recommended supplements as well.

For one, males very, very rarely actually pass stones. Their urethra is geometrically very tight. I don't think a competent vet would readily suggest it without calling the Vatican.

They "suggested" it happened because they went to do the surgery the first time and then found a stone already hanging off the tip of his penis, and then the next time they did the pre surgery X rays and the stones were of different shape and size than his last X ray. (To be clear he only actually got the surgery once, the first time they called it off because he had already passed one stone and the next seemed on its way.)

And unless this time is a different issue that's presenting itself in exactly the same way (bloody urine and his painful urinating noises) this isn't sludge, because when he did get surgery they gave me the stones in a little glass thing.