Urolithiasis PL

Question 1

What is the most common location of urethral obstruction in small ruminants?

Answer 1

Urethral process - the sizzle

Question 2

Where is the most common location of urolithiasis in large ruminants?

Answer 2

Sigmoid flexure

Question 3

What are four signs that indicate acute urethral obstruction?

Answer 3

• Anuria
• Stranguria
• Colic
• Ileus and bloat (sympathetic overdrive)

Question 4

For urethral rupture give two clinical signs and state the location that this normally occurs at:

Answer 4

• Pitting oedema in the prepuce
• Normally not straining

Question 5

What are three signs of bladder rupture that are seen?

Answer 5

1. Bladder is small + animal is not straining
2. Fluid distention in the abdominal cavity
3. Ammonia odour to the breath – urea diffuses into the saliva, oral bacteria hydrolyse into ammonia

Question 6

What are five biochemical changes seen as a result of bladder rupture in ruminants?

Answer 6

1. Hyponatremia
2. Hypochloraemia
3. Azotaemia
4. Uraemia
5. Hyperkalaemia

Question 7

How is a diagnosis of bladder rupture made?

Answer 7

Based on a peritoneal fluid creatinine level that is 2x that of the serum creatinine

Question 8

What are two potential options for the prevention of urethral calculi?

Answer 8

• Keep the urine as dilute as possible
• Add salt to the diet (spray salt onto the hay – only ever do when there is a reliable water source nearby)

Question 9

What are two potential causes of phosphate calculi?

Answer 9

• Cereal grain based ration rich in P and low in Ca
• Low dietary Ca:P in ration

Question 10

Where are silicate calculi mainly seen?

Answer 10

• Range cattle - Western US + Canada
• High Si soils

Question 11

What are four potential causes of calcium carbonate crystals?

Answer 11

• High calcium rations
• Clover, Alfalfa pastures
• Male goats fed dairy goat ration
• Male sheep/goats fed alfalfa hay
• Oxalate: metabolite of glycine/ascorbate