Urolithiasis In Ruminants/Camelids Flashcards
Nidus + precipitation of materials =
Urolith
Precipitation of minerals results from:
Concentrated urine
5 things that can act as a nidus for stone formation:
Debris, casts, mucoprotein, cells, bacteria
What are the biggest 4 predisposing factors for Urolithiasis in camelids/ruminants?
- Being male
- Inappropriate Ca:P
- Poor water management
- Weather
What 2 things can can cause an inappropriate Ca:P in camelids/ruminants?
- High phosphorus diet (to much grain + concentrated pellets)
- High calcium diet (alfalfa hay!)
How does poor water management contribute to urolithiasis?
Animals don’t want to drink nasty H2O
Need to make sure clean fresh water is available
Lack of H2O = making more concentrated urine to reserve water
How does weather contribute as a predisposing factor to urolithiasis?
Cold weather = frozen water
No water = body makes more concentrated urine to save water
More concentrated urine = precipitation of minerals + Urolith formation
What are 3 other important predisposing factors for urolithiasis in ruminants/camelids?
Age
Breed
Geography
How does being male predispose to urolithiasis formation in ruminants/camelids?
Males have longer, narrower urethra
How does age relate to Urolith formation?
Testosterone influence causes a wider urethra
(Young, in-tact males)
Young animals are also less likely to develop calcium carbonate stones because those crystals take a long time to form
What breed are more predisposed to forming stones?
Breeds of African descent
(Boer, Pygmy, Nigerian Dwarf)
How is geography tied to Urolith formation?
Silicate and oxalate stones are uncommon in Ohio and more common out west
Normal ruminant on a normal balanced diet will have ______ salivary phosphate excretion
and _____ urinary phosphate excretion
Increased salivary excretion
Decreased urinary excretion
A ruminant on a high phosphorus diet will have:
______ salivary phosphorus excretion
_______ urinary phosphorus excretion
Decreased
Increased
Normal ruminant urine pH is _____
Alkaline
(7.2-8)
Normal USG for ruminants is:
1.015, 1.035
Fase positive or trace protein on a dipstick in a ruminant could be due to:
The naturally alkaline pH of their urine
Normal Ruminant urine should not have glucose.
If you do see glucose in the urine, it could be due to:
Administration of alpha-2 agonist like xylazine
What are the 2 most common places for stones to lodge in a ruminant/camelid?
Urethral process
Distal sigmoid flexure
What is a third (slightly less common) place for stones to lodge in a ruminant?
Urethral diverticulum
(At ischial arch)
If a stone is lodged in the urethral process of a goat, what is the likely first step in treatment?
Amputate it
The urethral process is an _____ of the _____
Located at the _____ of the ______
Extension, urethra
Distal tip, penis
The distal sigmoid flexure is the site of the insertion for the ________ muscle
Retractor penis
The Sigmoid flexure in the urethra of a small ruminant allows stones to lodge because it is a
______ and has a ____ _____
Tight turn
Decreased diameter
(In comparison to rest of urethra)
What are the 2 most common stone types you’ll see small ruminants present with in Ohio?
Struvites and Calcium carbonate stones
Struvite crystals are chemically called:
Magnesium ammonium phosphate crystals
What conditions do struvites form under?
Alkaline urine
Low Ca: P
——> from diet low in calcium, high in phosphorus
Struvite crystals on on urine sediment look like:
Coffin lids
Macroscopiclly, Struvites look like:
Gritty, white-tan sand
What is important to remember about struvites and diagnostic imaging?
Struvites are not radio-opaque!
You ain’t gonna see them on rads
Calcium carbonate crystals form due to:
High calcium ingestion
(Legumes like alfalfa hay and clover hay are very high in calcium!)
-hard water contains lots of calcium too
Macroscopically, calcium carbonate crystals are:
Spherical and smooth and hard (not crushable)
What is an important thing to remember about calcium carbonate crystals and diagnostic imaging?
Calcium carbonate crystals are radiodense!
You will see them on rads!
Silicate stones form due to:
Ingesting plants grown in sandy soils that are rich in Silica
What geographic region are you more likely to diagnose a patient with silicate stones?
Western and southwestern US
silicate stones look like:
Jacks! Very spiky and bowsery looking
Oxalate stones form due to
Ingestion of plants with high oxalate content
What stone type is rare in ruminants?
Oxalate stones
Are oxalate stones radio-opaque?
Yes
What can be mistaken for struvites in small ruminants?
Amorphous magnesium calcium phosphate crystals
(They’re white, tan and gritty and are +/- radio-opaque)
Can be troublesome when trying to treat and prevent stone formation
