Urolithiasis in 68 horses.

This research analyzed medical records of 68 horses with urolithiasis, a condition marked by tamable deposits in the urinary tract. The researchers studied where these stones occurred and noted any related symptoms, including weight loss and urinary issues. They also looked at surgical outcomes, notably increased instances of recurring urolithiasis after a particular surgery performed on male horses.

Study Population and Urolithiasis Location

• The study examined the medical records of 68 horses diagnosed with urolithiasis.
• The researchers categorized the horses based on where the calculi, or stones, were located in the urinary system.
• The stones were found in the bladder of 47 horses, the urethra of 11 horses, the kidneys of 15 horses, and the ureter of two horses. Six horses had stones at several sites.

Clinical Signs and Symptoms

• The most common symptoms observed in these horses were hematuria (blood in urine), alterations in urination frequency and problems (such as pollakiuria, dysuria, urinary incontinence), and tenesmus (a constant feeling of needing to empty the bowels).
• Weight loss was another crucial symptom, particularly associated with horses that had renal (kidney) and ureteral stones. It is suggested that this weight loss could be linked to chronic renal failure and colic.
• Horses with cystic calculi (stones in the bladder) also showed weight loss, although to a lesser extent at 13%.

Surgical Outcomes

• In male horses, cystic calculi were frequently removed using a surgical method called perineal (ischial) urethrotomy, which is carried out under epidural anesthesia. This procedure accesses the urinary system through a perineal incision.
• Although this surgery had few complications, recurrence of urolithiasis was significant, with seven out of 15 horses experiencing it again after the operation.