Equine urolithiasis.

This research article discusses the incidence of equine urolithiasis (stone formation in the urinary tract) in horses, its symptoms, and various surgical treatments, including laser lithotripsy and shock wave lithotripsy.

Equine Urolithiasis Prevalence

• The paper begins by stating that the prevalence of equine urolithiasis, a condition where stones form in the urinary tract of horses, is generally low. However, for those horses that do show clinical signs of urolithiasis, these urinary tract stones are most often found in the bladder.
• Interesting to note though is that it is not unusual for these stones to be detected in more than one location within the urinary tract. This suggests that once a horse develops this condition, it may be pervasive across their urinary system.

Clinical Signs

• The authors then discuss the clinical signs that are typically prevalent in cases of cystic calculi, which are bladder stones in horses. These chief signs include urine scalding of the hind limbs, blood in the urine (hematuria), straining to defecate (tenesmus), and painful urination (dysuria).
• These symptoms can be critical indicators of the presence of urolithiasis in horses, signaling the need for immediate veterinary attention.

Surgical Techniques

• The paper moves on to describe a plethora of known surgical techniques and approaches that are currently used to treat urolithiasis in horses.
• Ideally, the chosen treatment technique should aim at a complete removal of the stones from the urinary tract, greatly reducing the chances of recurrence.

Advanced Treatment Methods

• The article also mentions two advanced methods for fragmenting uroliths, laser lithotripsy and shock wave lithotripsy. Both these techniques have the advantage of being minimally invasive and causing less discomfort or side effects to the horse.
• However, due to factors such as limited availability and high costs associated with the necessary equipment, they have not gained widespread usage in treating equine urolithiasis.