Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Veterinary Research Communications https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-018-9710-8 REVIEW ARTICLE Risk factors associated with feline urolithiasis Veridiane da Rosa Gomes 1  · Paula Costa Ariza 1  · Naida Cristina Borges 1  · Francisco Jorge Schulz Jr. 2  · Maria Clorinda Soares Fioravanti 1 Received: 3 September 2017 / Accepted: 9 January 2018 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract Urinary tract diseases are among the main reasons for consultation in veterinary clinics and hospitals. It afects animals of any age, breed and gender. Among the diseases that afect this system, urolithiasis is the second largest cause of clinical signs compatible with feline urinary tract disease. The term urolithiasis refers to the presence of uroliths in any region of the urinary tract, but it is more commonly seen in the bladder and urethra. Uroliths are classifed based on the type of mineral present in their composition, therefore, quantitative and qualitative analyzes are important for a better therapeutic approach. The animals may sufer from the disease and be asymptomatic, or show nonspecifc clinical signs, making the diagnosis dif‑ fcult. The disease should not be seen as a single problem, but as a consequence of various disorders. As dietary, metabolic, genetic and infectious causes, as well as factors that potentiate the chance of development of uroliths such as breed, age, sex, age range, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, geographic region and climate. Thus, the knowledge of the factors that infuence the formation of uroliths, as well as the understanding of the pathophysiology, are key elements for better alternatives of therapy and prevention. The recognition of these factors helps to identify susceptible populations, minimizing exposure and increasing the protection factors, which facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of patients with urolithiasis. The objective of this paper is to present the main risk factors involved in the formation of urinary lithiasis in felines. Keywords Calcium oxalate · Epidemiology · Small animals · Struvite · Uroliths Introduction Urolithiasis has been reported since antiquity, and calculus have been found in egyptian mummies dated 8000 BC. The frst treatments for the disease were described between 3200 and 1200 BC (Domingos and Serra 2004). There are reports of urinary lithiasis in humans, dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, birds, reptiles, cattle, cervids, cetaceans and goats. This change, however, is most commonly observed in humans, canines and felines (Robinson et al. 2008). The occurrence of the disease is estimated between 15–23% in felines (Lekcharoensuk et al. 2001a; Gerber et al. 2005; Rodriguez and Bachs 2012) and around 33% of canines (Rey and Pernas et al. 2012). In humans it afects about 5% of the population in Asia, 9% in Europe and 13% in North America (Ramello et al. 2000). The calculus are named according to their position in the urinary tract: nephroliths (kidneys), ureteroliths (ureters), urocistoliths (bladder) and uretroliths (urethra). In company animals 90% of the analyzed uroliths are from the lower uri‑ nary tract, mainly in the bladder (Grauer 2015). In cases of ureteroliths and uretroliths, it is believed that their formation occurs in the kidneys and bladder, respectively, and through the urinary fow, they reach ureters and urethra (Osborne et al. 2004; Grauer 2015). The urinary lithiasis manifests quickly or insidiously, and the afected patient may remain asymptomatic, which is observed mainly in cases of renal and ureteral calculus (Ross et al. 1999; Osborne et al. 2004; Palm and Westropp 2011; Grauer 2015). The clinical manifestation varies according to the size, quantity and location of the concretions. Thus, the * Veridiane da Rosa Gomes veridiane.rgomes@yahoo.com.br 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal Univesity of Goiás – UFG, Campus Samambaia, Avenida Esperança, s/n, Conj. Itatiaia, Goiânia, GO 74690‑900, Brazil 2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, University of Passo Fundo – UPF, Campus I, BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo, RS 99052‑900, Brazil