Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Castration lowers urinary cystine in male dogs with cystine stones
By Larsen, Jennifer A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Molecular Biosciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Urinary Cystine/Creatinine Concentrations Before and After Castration in Dogs With Suspected Androgen-Dependent Cystine Urolithiasis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of six intact male dogs with cystine stones in their urinary tract underwent castration to see if it would help reduce the amount of cystine in their urine. After the surgery, the dogs showed a significant decrease in urinary cystine levels over the following months, and one dog even had its stones resolve. The study suggests that castration can be an effective treatment for male dogs suffering from cystine urolithiasis, which is a condition where stones form due to high levels of cystine in the urine.
People also search for: dog cystine stones treatment · male dog castration benefits · why is my dog having urinary problems
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Androgen-dependent cystinuria has been described in intact male dogs. Castration has been recommended to reduce urinary cystine excretion. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Urinary cystine/creatinine concentration will significantly decrease in dogs with suspected androgen-dependent (Type III) cystinuria after castration and will be associated with a lack of sonographic evidence of urolithiasis. ANIMALS: Six intact male dogs with cystine uroliths. METHODS: Prospective, observational study. Urinary amino acid/creatinine concentrations and abdominal ultrasound were evaluated at baseline (T0), 30 days (T30), and 90 days (T90) after castration and urolith removal. No dietary change was recommended unless urolith recurrence was noted. DNA was evaluated for the cystinuria-associated marker for Type III cystinuria. RESULTS: The median decline in urinary cystine/creatinine (uCys/creat) concentration from T0 to T30 was 577 nmol/mg (IQR, 415-969; p = 0.03), from T0 to T90 was 798 nmol/mg (IQR, 580-989; p = 0.03) and from T30 to T90 was 34 nmol/mg (IQR, 19.5-443; p = 0.03). Two dogs had small (2.5-3 mm) uroliths at T30, which resolved in one of them at T90. Both dogs with ultrasonographic evidence of recurrence at T30 were positive for the cystinuria-associated genetic marker, although no signs of lower urinary tract disease were noted in either dog. Three of 6 enrolled dogs were homozygous positive for the genetic marker. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Castration should be considered for intact male dogs with cystine urolithiasis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40994412/