Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Increase in cystine bladder stones in Norwegian dogs 2015-2020
By Naeverdal, Terese Vatne et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Scandinavica·2023·EMPET AS·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A retrospective study on epidemiology and management of canine cystine uroliths in one part of Norway from 2015 to 2020.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs, particularly Staffordshire bull terriers, Danish Swedish farmdogs, and Chihuahuas, were diagnosed with cystine uroliths (bladder stones made of cystine) over a five-year period in Norway. Most of these dogs were younger than those with other types of bladder stones, and nearly all had high levels of cystine in their urine. Neutering these dogs significantly lowered their cystine levels, which helps prevent the stones from coming back. This suggests that genetics may play a role in this condition, and neutering could be an effective preventive measure.
People also search for: dog bladder stones treatment · cystine uroliths in Staffordshire bull terriers · neutering Chihuahua to prevent stones
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Urinary tract problems are a common complaint in small animal medicine and urolithiasis is considered to be an important cause of urinary tract disease in dogs. In this study the main aim was to investigate whether the occurrence of cystine urolithiasis increased during a five-year period. A second aim was to evaluate possible risk-factors as breed, age and gender. This study also evaluated how urine specific gravity, pH and level of cystine in urine responded to preventive strategies. Medical records of dogs with urolithiasis presented at nine Norwegian animal clinics and one animal hospital between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The incidence of cystine uroliths increased significantly during the five study years (R = 0.72, P = 0.0199). Dogs with cystine uroliths were significantly younger (5.0 years (n = 84, 95% CI [4.4-5.6])) when they were diagnosed with cystine uroliths compared to dogs with other types of uroliths (8.1 years (n = 255, 95% CI[7.8-8.5]) P < < 0.0001). Cystine levels in urine were increased in 93% of the dogs with cystine urolithiasis. Cystinuria decreased significantly after neutering (P < 0.0001). Breeds most commonly affected with cystine urolithiasis in this study were Staffordshire bull terrier, Danish Swedish farmdog and Chihuahua. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study supports a suggested genetic basis for cystine urolithiasis as described in previous studies. Neutering is considered an important part of preventing reoccurrence since cystine values decreased significantly after neutering.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37964384/