Canine Silica Urolithiasis in Mexico (2005–2018)

Abstract

A higher frequency of canine silica urolithiasis is found in Mexico, unlike <1–8% in other countries. The causes and risk factors for this pathology are unknown. However, we consider the consumption of high amounts of silica from the solid diet or dissolved in water as the only hypothesis. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for silica urolithiasis in dogs from Mexico. A total of 1383 clinical cases of canine urolithiasis were included in this study; the uroliths were analyzed to determine their mineral composition by stereoscopic microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Of these cases, 12.94% were considered pure silica uroliths; however, considering the mixed and compound uroliths, the frequency increased to 17.42%. Male dogs aged >6 years and large breeds, especially Labradors and Golden retrievers, were at significant risk for this disease. 98.88 % of the clinical cases studied were found in the central axis of the country, considering this finding as a possible geographical risk factor to be analyzed in another study.

Cystic Urolithiasis in Dogs: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…Urate urolithiasis was most common in Dalmatians (Burggraaf et al, 2021). In a study in Mexico, male dogs over the age of six and big breeds, particularly Labradors and Golden retrievers, were at high risk of canine silica urolithiasis (Mendoza-López et., 2020).…”

Canine Silica Urolithiasis in Mexico, Associated with the Concentration of Dissolved Silica in Tap Water

“…The high frequency of SiU in dogs in Mexico, as well as in other animal and human populations in other parts of the world, might be associated with a geographic risk factor [ 13 , 19 ]. Given the 179 cases of SiU in Mexico, we were able to identify its geographical distribution [ 13 ]. We noted that 99% of cases were in ITMVB.…”

“…Although specific medications and diets have been associated with SiU in humans, we have not observed these risk factors in dogs forming SiU. We hypothesize that the drinking tap water from the aquifers in the TMVB in Mexico contains a high concentration of Si and is a geographic risk factor for the formation of uroliths in dogs [ 11 – 13 ].…”

“…In France, Hungary, and Ireland, it was not reported [6][7][8]. However, it was 6.7% in the United States [9], 8% in Switzerland [10], and 9.2-13.3% in Mexico [11][12][13]; the frequencies have been considerably higher.…”

“…In Mexico, SiU has been reported in populations of dogs that live in cities located within the geographical area called the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) [11][12][13], the largest Neogene volcanic arc in North America that encompasses 160, 000 km 2 with a length of almost 1, 000 km in central Mexico. It is characterized as being a large mass of volcanic rocks composed of a high SiO content [20].…”