Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diet and tartaric acid link to calcium tartrate stones in dogs
By Lulich, Jody et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association of Diet and Calcium Tartrate Tetrahydrate Uroliths in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 63 dogs with calcium tartrate tetrahydrate (CTT) uroliths, a type of bladder stone, was studied to find out what they had been eating. Most of these dogs were small male breeds, and many were found to have consumed diets or supplements containing choline bitartrate, a source of tartaric acid. This suggests that certain foods or supplements could contribute to the formation of these stones. If your dog has bladder stones, it might be worth discussing their diet and any supplements with your veterinarian to help prevent future issues.
People also search for: dog bladder stones diet · calcium tartrate uroliths in dogs · choline bitartrate dog supplements
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Calcium tartrate tetrahydrate (CTT) uroliths are recently identified in dogs. OBJECTIVES: To report on the types and prevalence of diets, supplements, and medications containing salts of tartaric acid consumed by dogs with CTT urolithiasis. ANIMALS: Sixty-three client-owned dogs identified with CTT uroliths from a single urolith analysis laboratory. METHODS: Retrospective case series evaluating dogs with CTT uroliths and their prevalence of consuming diets, supplements, and medications containing salts of tartaric acid before diagnosis of urolithiasis. RESULTS: Dogs with CTT uroliths were predominantly male (53/63, 84%) small purebreds (48/63, 76%). Thirty-three of 63 cases provided additional information by completing our survey. In 25 of 33 (76%) cases, a source of tartaric acid was identified in diets, supplements, or medications. In 24 of these 25 cases (96%), the source of tartaric acid was choline bitartrate. CONCLUSIONS: When investigating a cause for CTT uroliths in dogs, consider diets and supplements containing choline bitartrate as a potential source of urolith components.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40293168/