J. COMP. PATH. 1980. VOL. 90.

619

UROLITHIASIS IN DOGS FROM VILLAGES IN

BULGARIA

BY

I. I. ST O I C H E V

Institute of Oncology, Medical Academy, 1156 Sofia, Bulgaria

INTRODUCTION

Urolithiasis in dogs has been studied exclusively on canine in-patient hospital

populations. The reported prevalence ranges between 0.4 and 2.8 per cent
(White, Treacher and Porter, 1961; Finco, Rosin and Johnson, 1970; Weaver,
1970; Brown, Parks and Green, 1977). Since no data on urolithiasis in dogs
without clinical signs are available we report here some observations on such a
population of farmyard dogs. The majority of these animals originated from
villages in which endemic nephropathy and a high incidence of urinary tract
tumours in man have been reported (Chernozemsky, Stoyanov, Petkova-
Bocharova, Nicolov, Draganov, Stoichev, Tanchev, Naidenov and Kalcheva
1977). Both diseases are fatal and are encountered in certain rural areas of
Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Rumania (The Endemic Nephropathy of South-
Eastern Europe. A Memorandum, 1965; Puchlev, 1974). Their unknown
aetiology has led to the examination for nephropathy and tumours of animal
species from the endemic regions but conflicting results were recorded (Ivanov,
Prodanov and Bojhkov, 1960a, b; PopoviC, 1965; Paspalev, Peshev, Stefanov
and Dimcheva, 1965; Marches and Rotaru, 1974; Stoichev, Stoyanov,
Petkova-Bocharova, Chernozemsky and Nicolov, 1978; Stoichev, 1980).
Calculosis among animals from the same regions has not been examined yet,
despite its alleged relationship to certain diseases of the urinary system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The investigation involves 2 groups of animals: Group A comprised 243 dogs

living in 10 villages with endemic nephropathy of Vratza district, and Group B
comprised 125 dogs from 2 non-endemic villages of the same district and 4 villages
situated in other districts of the country.
Information related to breed, age, place of birth and previous diseases of the dogs
was obtained from owners of the animals. The dogs were electrocuted and bled out
immediately. The organs of the urinary system were carefully inspected at necropsy.
All calculi discovered during necropsy were collected and their chemical components
were analysed in the Department of Urology, Medical Academy, Sofia by a standard
calculi analysis kit.*
RESULTS

Uroliths of different size, form and colour were detected in 35 of 368 dogs
(9.5 per cent). The frequency of uroliths in both groups did not differ statisti-
* Derivatograph M.O.M.-Hungary.
0021-9975/80/040619+05 $02.00/O @ 1980 Academic Press Inc. (London) Limited
620 I. I. STOICHEV

tally; 10 per cent in group A and 8-l per cent in group B, and so the results are
considered together.
On the ground of anamnestic information only 2 dogs had clinical signs,
and in each case only a single episode.
The frequency of urolithiasis among dogs living in different villages varied
from 0 to 38 per cent. In a village in the vicinity of a cement plant 5 of 13 dogs
investigated were affected.
Age and sex distribution of all the investigated dogs and dogs with uroliths
are presented in Table 1. Male dogs were affected more frequently (11.6 per
cent) than bitches (7.3 per cent).

TABLE 1
AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION OF DOGS INVESTIGATED AND DOGS WITH ROLITHS

Age in month
O-6 7-12 13-24 25-48 49-84 85- 1 2 0 More than l-otat
120

All dogs
Female 16 33 :2 42 i: 9 2 179
Male 10 45 39 10 6 189
Total 368

Dogs with uroliths

Male
Female -1 32 45 25 41 32 -i :;
Total 35

The mean age of all affected dogs was 4.8 years. Among the females 61.5 per
cent were less than 2-years-old, whereas 40.9 per cent of the males were
between 3- and 7-years-old. Of the male dogs investigated, 37.5 per cent that
were older than 8 years were affected.
The anatomical location of the calculi was predominantly in the kidneys-
82.9 per cent (Table 2). Both kidneys were affected in 9 cases (31 per cent), the
right kidney in 14 cases (48.3 per cent) and the left in 6 cases (20.7 per cent).

TABLE 2
THE SITE OF UROLITHS, THE SEX OF AFFECTED DOGS, AND MINERAL COMPONENTS OF UROLITHS

Mineral components
Anatomical location sex of
of uroliths dogs number Phosphate Oxalate Urate Cystine

Kidney Female
Male 1 34 ; : : :
Bladder Female
Male -ii -y z -y z

Kidney and ureter Female

MaIe 7 II 1 -
Kidney and urethra Female -
Male 4 - 1
Total 35 14 10 6 5
 UROLITHIASIS IN BULGARIAN DOGS 621
In 2 male dogs, calculi were detected in both kidneys and ureter in one and
in the urethra in the other.
In 3 dogs with kidney calculi pyelonephritis was observed. Uroliths in the
bladder were detected only in 6 male dogs. The major chemical types of
uroliths are presented in Table 2. Phosphate calculi accounted for 40 per cent,
oxalate for 28.6 per cent, urate 17.1 per cent and cystine 14.3 per cent. They
were seen more frequently in the kidneys of female dogs and in the bladder of
the male dogs.
The breeds of the affected dogs are presented in Table 3. Notwithstanding
the relatively few pure-bred dogs in the survey it seems that calculi may be
somewhat more frequent in them-12.9 per cent against 8.8 per cent for the
mongrel dogs.
TABLE 3
BREED DISPOSITION OF DOGS INVESTIGATED AND DOGS WITH UROLITHS

All dogs Dogs with uroliths Percent

Mongrels 306 27 8.8

German Shepherd Dog 19.2
Pointer 2; ; 74
Poodle 9 1 11.1
Total 368 35 9-5

DISCUSSION

The frequency of urolithiasis in our material compared with other data

shows that calculi are common in the dog, but that clinical manifestations of
the disease are unusual. The disease seemed to run an asymptomatic course in
most cases with spontaneous recovery not excluded. The relatively low pre-
valence of urolithiasis in dogs established at necropsy (Finco et al., 1970)
supports this suggestion.
It is well known that factors such as nutrition, metabolism, sex, age, breed and
environment may lead to the occurrence of uroliths (White, 1966; Jolly and
Worden, 1966; Treacher, 1966; Brown et al., 1977). However, there are
insufficient cases from different villages to allow definite conclusions.
Our results support the statement of Finco et al. (1970) that uroliths of the
kidney are usually diagnosed after death. A similar high prevalence of the
right kidney was established in people from the Vratza district, for which there
appears to be no satisfactory explanation (Tanchev, Naidenov, Kurlova,
Yolchev and Mladenovsky, 1975).
The relatively low affection of the bladder in our material differs from cases
with clinical findings (Finco et al., 1970; Brown et al., 1977).
In previous studies it has also been found that oxalate, urate and cystine
calculi each occur mainly in male dogs (White et al., 1961; Weaver, 1970;
Clark, 1974; Brown et al., 1977). The percentage of phosphate calculi in our
material is low, whereas the percentage of oxalate calculi is higher than in most
other studies (Brodey, 1955; White et al., 1961; Finco et aZ., 1970; Brown et al.,
1977), only Clark (1974) having reported similar results.
622 I. I. STOICHEV

The reported data suggest that calculus formation in the urinary system of
the dog is common among rural dog populations.

SUMMARY

The frequency of urolithiasis in 2 groups of dogs without clinical signs,

living in rural areas of Bulgaria, was studied. Group A comprised 243 dogs
from Bulgarian villages with endemic nephropathy in man and group B
comprised 125 dogs from non-endemic villages and districts. The overall
prevalence was 9.5 per cent and the animals from the two groups showed a
similar prevalence. Male dogs were more commonly involved than bitches. The
mean age of all affected dogs was 4.8 years. Uroliths were located predominant-
ly in the kidneys (29 of 35 dogs), then in the bladder (6) and in single cases in
the ureter and urethra. The right kidney was more often involved (14 cases)
than the left (6 cases), and cases with calculi on both sides were encountered
in 9 cases. The chemical type of the calculi was: phosphate calculi-14,
oxalate-10, urate-6 and cystine-5 cases. None of the features found were
specific for dogs coming from areas where human nephropathy was endemic.

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[Received for publication, October 23rd, 19791