JVAS announces awards - Four best research articles (one each from basic, production, para-clinical and clinical subjects) and one best short communication will be adjudged for awards each year!!!

Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Volume: 56 Issue: 3

  • Open Access
  • Research Article

Occurrence of canine urolithiasis in Thrissur district, its medical and surgical management, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis of uroliths

Reji Varghese1*, Laiju M. Philip1, B.M. Nijin Jos1, Soumya Ramankutty1, Alan V. Stephen1, Ajin S. Kumar1, S. Anoop1, Syam K. Venugopal1 and John Martin K.D.2

1Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur- 680
651, 2Professor and Head, University Veterinary Hospital, Kokkalai, Thrissur- 680 021, Kerala Veterinary and Animal
Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad

Year: 2025, Page: 406-413, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2025.56.3.406-413

Received: Sept. 26, 2024 Accepted: Feb. 3, 2025 Published: Sept. 30, 2025

Abstract

Fifteen dogs presented over a period of twelve months to University Veterinary Hospitals at Mannuthy and Kokkalai, with symptoms of obstructive urolithiasis were included in the study. Every animal had a history of difficulty in urination, accompanied by clinical manifestations such as pollakuria, stranguria and haematuria. Depending on the location of obstruction, either a urethrotomy, cystotomy or a combination of both were opted as the surgical method, performed under general anaesthesia. Depending on the condition of the patient, postoperative pH modulators, antispasmodics, antibiotics and analgesic therapy were prescribed. All the animals recovered uneventfully. The calculi retrieved through surgery were subjected to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) to identify the chemical composition. Nine samples were identified as struvite and five were calcium oxalate monohydrate and one sample was a
mixture of struvite and ammonium urate. Identification of the specific composition of calculi/calculus using spectroscopy was helpful in preventing the recurrence of the condition by management practices and postoperative therapeutic diet. The study failed to establish any correlation between the calculi composition and the various risk factors considered in this study.

Keywords: Canine urolithiasis, urethrotomy, cystotomy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

References

Bartges, J. W. and Callens, A. J. 2015. Congenital diseases of the lower urinary tract. Vet. Clin. Small Anim. Pract45: 703-719.

Bartges, J. W., Osborne, C. A., Lulich, J. P., Kruger, J. M., Sanderson, S. L., Koehler, L. A. and Ulrich, L. K. 1999. Canine urate urolithiasis: etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. Vet. Clin.  North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 29: 161-191.

Bhattacharyya, S., Sharma, G., Mandal, A. K. and Singh, S. K. 2014. Analysis of the Chemical Composition of Urinary Calculi Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: A preliminary study. J. Postgrad. Med. Ed. Res. 43: 128-131.

Chalpermol, L., Lulich, J. P., Osborne, C. A., Pusoonthornthum, R., Allen, T. A., Koehler, L. A., Urlich, L. K., Carpenter, K. A. and Swanson, L. L. 2000. Patient and environmental factors associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis in dogs. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 217: 515-519.

Dvorska, J. and Saganuwan, S. A. 2015. A review on urolithiasis in dogs and cats. Bulgarian J. Vet. Med. 18: 1-18.

Hoxha, Z. and Rapti, D. 2017. Urolithiasis in dogs. Albanian J. Agri. Sci. 2017: 637-640.

Joji, V.S. 2013. Ground water information booklet of Thrissur district, Kerala state. Technical reports: series ‘D’, Central ground water board, Kerala region, Ministry of water resources, Government of India, Thiruvananthapuram. 21p.

Koehler, L. A., Osborne, C. A., Buettner, M. T., Lulich, J. P. and Behnke, R. 2009. Canine Uroliths: Frequently Asked Questions and Their Answers. Vet. Clin. of North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 39: 161-181.

Larson, M.M. 2009. The Kidneys and Ureters. In: O’Brien, R. and Barr, F. (eds.) BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Abdominal Imaging. (14th Ed.). British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, pp. 205-220.

Ling, G. V., Franti, C. E., Ruby, A. L. and Johnson, D. L. 1998. Urolithiasis in dogs. II: Breed prevalence, and interrelations of breed, sex, age, and mineral composition. Am. J. Vet. Res59: 630-642.

Low, W. W., Uhl, J. M., Kass, P. H., Ruby, A. L. and Westropp, J. L. 2010.  Evaluation of trends in urolith composition and characteristics of dogs with urolithiasis.25, 499 cases. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 236: 193-200.

Lulich, J. P., Osborne, C. A. and Albasan, H. 2011. Canine and feline urolithiasis: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Nephrol. Urol. Small Anim. 69: 685-706.

Osborne, C. A., Lulich, J. P., Kruger, J. M., Ulrich, L. K. and Koehler, L. A. 2009. Analysis of 451,891 canine uroliths, feline uroliths, and feline urethral plugs from 1981 to 2007: perspectives from the Minnesota Urolith Center. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 39: 183-97.

Parvathamma, P. S., Das, J., Pattanaik, T. K., Nayak, S., Panda, M. K., Behera, P. C., Sethy, K., Mahanand, B. and Pattanaik, K. 2020. Study of major and minor components of uroliths in canine urolithiasis: Risk assessment in different breeds of dogs. J. Entomol. Zool. Stud. 8: 1879-1883.

Queau, Y. 2019. Nutritional management of urolithiasis. Vet. Clin. Small Anim. Pract. 49: 175-186.

Rudejeviene, J. and Karaliute, S., 2022. The Influence of Age and Sex on the Incidence of Urolithiasis in Dogs. Microbiota and animal: interaction, health, welfare and production, p.62.

Rajathi, S., Ramani, C., Nagarajan, L., Kumar, R., Suresh and Ameerjan, K. 2006. Urolithiasis in dogs: clinical, biochemical and haematological evaluation. Indian J Vet. Surg. 27:128.

Roe, K., Pratt, A., Lulich, J., Osborne, C. and Syme, H. M. 2012. Analysis of 14,008 uroliths from dogs in the UK over a 10‐year period. J. Small Anim. Pract53: 634-640.

Saini, N.S. and Singh, S.S. 2002. Ultrsonographic and radiographic diagnosis of renal calculi in dogs. Indian J. Vet. Surg. 23: 55.

Sanderson, S. L., Osborne, C. A. and Lulich, J. P. 2001. Evaluation of urinary carnitine and taurine excretion in cystinuric dogs with carnitine and taurine deficiency. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 15: 94–100.

Sarma, B.K. and Kalita, D. 2019. Changes of haematological and biochemical parameters of canine having urinary system disorders. Int. J. Chem. Stud7: 501-504.

Seaman, R. and Bartges, J.W. 2001. Canine struvite urolithiasis. Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian-North American Edition23: 407-422.

Sofia, P.G., Ionescu, I., Rodica, G. and Anişoara, P. 2010. The Use of Infrared Spectroscopy in the Investigation of Urolithiasis. Rev. Rom. Med. Lab. 18: 67-77.

Stevenson, A. E., Hynds, W.K. and Markwell, P.  J. 2003. Effect of dietary moisture and sodium content on urine composition and calcium oxalate relative supersaturation in healthy miniature schnauzers and labrador retrievers. Res. Vet. Sci. 74: 145-151.

Thajunnissa, A. S., Philip, L. M., Dileepkumar, K. M., Anoop, S., Venugopal, S. K., John M. K. D., Abdul, L. K. A. and Devanand, C.B. 2021. Surgical Management of Obstructive Urolithiasis and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopic Identification of Uroliths in Dogs: A Report of Six Cases. Res. Sq. 1: 1-11.

Verma, P., Mahindroo, J., Singh, S.S. and Singh, C.B. 2006. Sonographic findings in affections of urinary system in dogs. Indian J. Vet. Surg. 27: 104-107.

Vijaykumar, G., Nambi A.P., Vasu, K. and Dhanapalan, P. 1999. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of cystic calculi in a dog- a case report. Indian Vet. J. 76: 438-439.

Cite this article

Reji, V., Laiju, M. P., Nijin Jos, B. M., Soumya, R., Alan V. S., Ajin, S. K., Anoop, S., Syam, K.V., and John Martin, K.D. 2024. The occurrence of canine urolithiasis in Thrissur district, its medical and surgical management, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis of uroliths.
J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 56 (3):406-413

Views
4
Downloads
1
Citations