Urolithiasis in Animals with Special Reference to the Composition visavis Physical Characteristics and Radiopacity of Uroliths

Abstract

The study was conducted on 43 male animals suffering from urolithiasis (20 dogs and 23 ruminants) to correlate urinalysis, ultrasonography and radiography for diagnosis of urolithiasis and to correlate the physical characteristics of uroliths with their chemical composition. Dogs were the most affected animals, followed by goats, buffalo calves, sheep and cattle.The major risk factors were high protein diet in dogs and grain based concentrate ration, containing wheat bran, in ruminants. At the time of presentation, dogs mostly had partial obstruction, while complete obstruction was most common in ruminants. Azotemia was consistent finding in the affected dogs and ruminants. Hyperproteinemia was recorded only in dogs. Hyperphosphatemia with a narrow Ca-P ratio, hyperkalemia, hyponatraemia and hypochloremia were common findings in affected dogs, while altered Ca-P ratio and hyperkalemia were common findings in ruminants. Norfloxacin in dogs and enrofloxacin, gentamicin and norfloxacin in ruminants were found effective against bacterial urinary tract infection. The calculi were present in urinary bladder and urethra in most of the dogs, whereas the site of obstruction was pre and post-scrotal urethra in ruminants. Microscopic haematuria, though a consistent finding in all the affected animals, was not diagnostic. Crystalluria had a diagnostic sensitivity of 55% and 30.43% in canine and ruminant urolithiasis, respectively. Cystoliths and urethroliths were visible on survey radiographs, in 58.82% and 66.66% of the affected dogs, respectively whereas, in ruminants, the modality failed to detect calculi/sabulous deposits in the bladder or urethra.B-mode ultrasonography was 100% sensitive for detection of nephroliths, cystoliths and urethroliths, both in dogs and ruminants. The most common types of calculi were calcium oxalate and struvite in dogs and struvite followed by carbonate apatite in ruminants. Prediction of mineral composition of the canine and ruminant uroliths was 68.75% and 66.66% accurate, respectively. The physical characteristics of calculi, retrieved from dogs and ruminants were highly variable and no inference regarding their chemical composition could be drawn on the basis of physical features alone. newline