title: Epizootiologic evaluation and quantitative analysis of urinary calculi from 150 cats.
abstract: One hundred fifty specimens of urinary calculi from 150 cats were analyzed by at least 1 of 4 quantitative methods. Struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) was the predominant mineral substance encountered, with 104 (69%) of the calculi being composed entirely of struvite and 23 (15%) being composed partially of struvite. Most (93%) of the calculi were located in the urinary bladder. Growth of bacteria was observed in samples from calculi or urine from 30 (41%) of 74 cats. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were isolated from the urine or calculi from 17 cats (45% of bacteria isolated). Ten other bacterial species were isolated. Median and mean ages of the cats were 5.0 and 5.1 years, respectively. Domestic short-hair and domestic longhair breeds predominated. Fifty-seven percent of the calculi came from females, 43% from males. The distribution by gender did not differ significantly (P greater than 0.2) among the 3 groups (domestic shorthair, domestic longhair, and other). However, the distribution of struvite calculi differed significantly (chi 2 = 15.5, P less than 0.001) by age and gender; among cats less than or equal to 2 years of age, males predominated 2:1 over females, and among cats greater than 2 years of age, females predominated by nearly 3:1 over males. When compared with the general population, females greater than 2 years old were significantly (chi 2 = 15.4, P less than 0.001) overrepresented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Franti
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ruby
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001031:Apatites / Q000032:analysis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000662:veterinary; D001947:Breeding; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000032:analysis; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D000069877:Struvite; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000032:analysis; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000032:analysis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D002129:Calcium Oxalate; D014527:Uric Acid; D000069877:Struvite; D008274:Magnesium