DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF UROLITHIASIS IN DOGS
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Date
2019-11-14
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES, POOKODE WAYANAD
Abstract
The present study on “Diagnosis and management of urolithiasis in dogs”
was carried out in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Ethics and
Jurisprudence, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode during the
period from January 2018 to June 2019. Twelve dogs presented to the Teaching
Veterinary Clinical Complex, Pookode and other Veterinary hospitals under
Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University with clinical signs suggestive
of urolithiasis were selected for this study. Signalment, anamnesis, clinicopathological evaluation of blood and urine and diagnostic imaging techniques
were employed to confirm the diagnosis. Cystocentesis for culture and sensitivity
of urine was carried out. The stones were surgically retrieved and analyzed using
Fourier Transform Infra-redspectrophotometer(FT-IR).
The highest incidence of urolithiasis was found in the age group of five to
ten years (50 percent). All the animals in the present study were males.
Homemade food with high non-vegetarian ingredients were fed to the dogs under
this study. The main clinical signs observed in these animals include dribbling of
urine, distended bladder, anuria, haematuria, dysuria and stranguria with varying
degrees of vomiting and depression. Uroliths were observed in the bladder in all
positive cases, and in cases where uroliths obstructed the urethra, most of stones
were observed in the region of ospenis.
There was a significant elevation in total leukocyte count, BUN and
creatinine and a decrease in haemoglobin count in the affected group when
compared to the control group on the day of presentation of the animals. Physical
examination of the urine sample of most of the dogs revealed haematuria,
isosthenuria, turbid urine, ammoniacal odour and variable urine pH. Analysis of
chemical constituents of urine showed presence of blood, leukocytes and protein.
Microscopic examination of the urine revealed increased number of epithelial
cells, casts, RBCs, WBCs and bacteria compared to the control group.Staphylococcus spp. was the predominant organism isolated and
Amoxycillin-clavulanic acid was the most sensitive antibiotic effective in all the
animals in vitro and in vivo. Surgical retrieval of calculi was performed in all the
cases. On qualitative analysis of the urinary calculi using Fourier transform
infrared spectrophotometer, the presence of calcium oxalate and calcium
phosphate could be detected during mineral analysis in all the cases.
Based on the results of culture and sensitivity, suitable antibiotics were
given to the dogs along with alkalinizers, acidifiers, antacids and hematinics. On
the third day, the antibiotic was changed in three animals based on the results of
culture and sensitivity. On the fourteenth post therapeutic day, all haemato
biochemical and urine values were within normal limits on the fourteenthday.
All the twelve cases were subjected to post-operative evaluation for the
presence of uroliths by radiography and ultrasonography revealed no trace of
uroliths in the bladder and urethra.
This study concludes that proper diagnosis, medical and surgical
intervention, therapeutic and dietary management is crucial for formulating an
effective dissolution protocol as well as preventing recurrence of uroliths.