Available clinical data provides a strong link between canine silica uroliths and dietary ingredients. Diets that contain substantial quantities of corn gluten feed, or soybean hulls are especially suspect. More than 95% of the silica stones reported in canines occur in male dogs.
In describing gross characteristics of this urolith type, silica stones are sometimes called "jackstones" because their most typical form or habit resembles the children's game of jacks.
Effective medical protocols to induce dissolution of canine silica uroliths have not yet been developed. Prevention of these stones involves taking steps to minimize risk factors:
- Perform appropriate diagnostic studies to identify location and size of uroliths, or post-surgical radiographs to determine efficacy of surgical removal; obtain a complete urinalysis and urine culture.
- Avoid use of diets containing substantial plant proteins, and especially avoid those containing soybean hulls or corn gluten feed.
- Enhance diuresis by adding moisture to the diet. Since calcium oxalate is sometimes detected in silica uroliths, we do not recommend addition of sodium chloride to the diet to stimulate thirst and diuresis. Excessive sodium has been shown to enhance calcium excretion in urine.
- Avoid efforts to deliberately acidify the urine.
- Monitor for, and if necessary treat urinary tract infections with appropriate antimicrobial agents.
If uroliths should recur despite control of risk factors, they may be removed non-surgically by voiding urohydropropulsion if detected early.1 Uroliths removed by voiding urohydropropulsion should be quantitatively analyzed. If attempts at non-surgical urolith removal are unsuccessful, surgery remains the most reliable way to remove active uroliths from the urinary tract. We emphasize, however, that surgery may be unnecessary for clinically inactive silica uroliths.
All prevention recommendations should be adjusted to meet individual patient's needs. We recommend follow-up urinalyses, serum chemistry profiles, and radiographs on a periodic basis.
Further references:
Lulich JP, Osborne CA, Unger LK, et al: Nonsurgical removal of urocystoliths by voiding urohydropropulsion. In Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Vol 203, pp. 660-663, 1993
Osborne CA, et al.: Canine and Feline Urolithiases: Relationship of Etiopathogenesis to Treatment and Prevention. In Canine and Feline Nephrology and Urology, Osborne and Finco 1995, pp 798-888.
Osborne CA, Clinton CW, Kim KM, Mansfield CF: Etiopathogenesis, Clinical Manifestations, and Management of Canine Silica Urolithiasis. In Veterinary Clinics of North America, Vol 16, #1, pp 185-207, January, 1986.
Osborne CA, Polzin DJ, Johnston GR, O'Brien TD: Canine Uroliths, in Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine 3rd edition, Ettinger, pp 2083-2107, 1989.
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