Zamira Hoxha*, Dhimiter Rapti
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana
*Coresponding author Email: zhoxha81@hotmail.com
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Abstract
Uroliths are formed in all the species of domestic animals, and is one of the important lower urinary tract diseases in dogs [2,7]. Formation of uroliths is not a disease but rather a complication of several disorders, which is pretty often a result of a combination of both pathological and physiological factors. Some disorders can be identified and corrected but some can be identified but not corrected, although for others, the underlying etiopathogenesis is not known [3,4]. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of stone formation depending on age, breed, sex of dogs, and the type of stones on their formation. This study was conducted over the period from July 2013 to January 2017 where data were collected on a total 160 cases of dogs with urinary problems and distinct clinical signs in the urinary tract, which were admitted into clinics and hospitals in Tirana district. Of all the cases which were identified with urinary problems and distinct signs of the urinary tract, 14 (9% ) of them tested positive for the presence of stones and 146 (91% )of them tested negative .All of the animals examined were broken down into several age groups ranging from 0-5 years old, from 5-9 years old, and those from 9 years old and above. The average age of dogs with uroliths were 5-9 years old or accounting for 55% of all the cases under observation testing positive.Determining the frequency of male dogs against female ones a higher prevalence resulted in male dogs at 9 cases otherwise 64% and in female dogs at 5 cases otherwise 36% respectively.Uroliths from crossbreed, Dalmatians, German shepherd, Yorkshire terrier was calculated in almost 40% of all canine uroliths, with the highest frequency in Dalmatians, which had a predominance of urateuroliths with a percentage of 25%.The most frequently identified materials were struvite which occupy the highest proportion of stones at about 37% of stones found. These were followed by calcium oxalate and uric acid stones standing at 27% respectively. Silicates were found in just one case at 9% of total combined. An important factor contributing to this case was a very concentrated food diet which had a prevalence of 9 case (64 % ), 5 was the cases which had been subject to home-based food or (36 % ).
