Analysis of lower urinary tract disease of dogs

Abstract

Lower urinary tract diseases (LUTD) include different conditions that affect the urinary bladder, urethra and prostate. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of different related diseases, to characterize the population affected, and to determine risk factors in dogs. The clinical cases were diagnosed with LUTD through physical examination, and clinical laboratory and imaging studies. Male dogs had a greater predisposition to present a LUTD. Dogs from 3 months to 18 years with a median of 8 years were affected, and the most affected breeds were Poodle, Labrador, German shepherd, Schnauzer, Cocker Spaniel and Chihuahua. The LUTD presented with the following frequencies: bacterial urinary tract infection 34.02%; micturition disorders 22.68%; urolithiasis 20.61%; prostatic disease 14.43%; traumatic problems 8.24%. Sixty-seven per cent of the cases were specific diseases, such as uncomplicated and complicated bacterial urinary tract infections, urinary retention of neurologic origin and silica urolithiasis.

Epidemiology of urolithiasis in dogs from Guadalajara City, Mexico

“…It is more common for uroliths to be retained in the male urinary tract, since they have a longer and narrower urethra that makes it difficult for the urolith to be naturally expelled, unlike females, who can, in some cases, expel small uroliths because of their shorter and looser urethra. 2 Urolithiasis can occur at any age, from puppies to geriatric animals. The studied population presented a median age of six years.…”

“…The most frequent age of occurrence was between five and eight years; however, dogs in the age range between 9 to 14 years are proner to present this type of urolithiasis, related to the fact that advanced age dogs can present a BUTI secondary to neurological alterations of urination; or endocrine diseases like diabetes mellitus or hyperadrenocorticism, as well as prostatic diseases. 2 Usually, the appearance of these uroliths in radiographic studies is radiopaque and they have diverse forms when they are multiple: they can present flat faces and acquire a pyramidal form. They are commonly found in alkaline urine, near a pH of 8.…”

“…It accounts for 18% to 20.61% of dogs with lower urinary tract diseases referred to veterinary hospitals in the USA and Mexico. 1,2 The mortality rate is between 0.5% and 3% in veterinary hospitals in the US and Germany. 1 The prevalence has only been determined in Norway and Sweden, at 0.05% and 0.24% respectively.…”

“…These include breed, sex, age, diet, anatomical and functional urinary alterations, metabolic disorders, genetic predisposition, and bacterial urinary tract infection (BUTI), 4 as well as factors inherent to the geographic area. 2,5 Patients with urinary stones generally present clinical signs such as pollakiuria, hematuria, and strangury; diagnosis is confirmed by radiography and ultrasonography. Uroliths should be eliminated from the urinary tract, if possible, with non-invasive procedures such as the dissolution of uroliths using therapeutic diets.…”

Canine Silica Urolithiasis in Mexico (2005–2018)

“…Our observations in the study of a population of dogs with urolithiasis in different geographical areas of Mexico enabled us to detect a higher frequency of silica urolithiasis (9.23–55%) [ 4 , 20 , 21 ] than that described in other international reports [ 6 , 17 ]. Therefore, the objective of this study was to perform an epidemiological analysis in the affected population with this pathology and to identify the risk factors involved.…”