title: Urinary retention in two male dromedaries due to silica uroliths.
abstract: Two cases of urinary retention in male dromedaries due to silica uroliths are presented. The animals were urethrostomized and one dromedary was euthanized 7 months later due to urethrostomy obstruction. The estimated daily intake of silica was 84.44 g. Silica, calcium, phosphorus and pH in urine were determined in healthy animals from the same farms, and the following values were obtained: 174.78 +/- 3.46 mg/l (silica), 41.48 +/- 4.82 mg/l (calcium), 20.4 +/- 3.6 mg/l (phosphorus) and pH 8.2, respectively. Possible causes of urolithiasis were the early castration of the animals and the fact that salt was not added to the diet. To our knowledge, this is the first description of silica urolithiasis in the dromedary camel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padrón
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bañares
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Palacios
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002162:Camelus; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide