Patient and environmental factors associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that breed, age, sex, body condition, and environment are risk factors for development of calcium oxalate uroliths in dogs.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
1,074 dogs that formed calcium oxalate uroliths and 1,724 control dogs that did not have uroliths.


METHODS
A validated multiple-choice questionnaire was designed to collect information from veterinarians and owners within 1 year of the date of urolith detection concerning signalment and environment of the dogs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios to assess whether breed, age, sex, body condition, and environment were risk factors for calcium oxalate urolith formation.


RESULTS
Middle-aged (8- to 12-year-old) castrated male dogs had increased risk for formation of calcium oxalate uroliths. Urolith formation was also associated with increasing age. Dogs of certain breeds, including Miniature and Standard Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso, Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon Frise, Shih Tzu, and Miniature and Toy Poodle, had increased risk for developing calcium oxalate uroliths. Overweight dogs also had increased risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of patient and environmental risk factors for development of calcium oxalate uroliths may facilitate development of surveillance strategies that result in earlier detection of this disease. Modification of environmental factors and body weight may minimize calcium oxalate urolith formation and recurrence.
Lekcharoensuk
C
C
Minnesota Urolith Center, St Paul 55108, USA.
Lulich
J P
JP
Osborne
C A
CA
Pusoonthornthum
R
R
Allen
T A
TA
Koehler
L A
LA
Urlich
L K
LK
Carpenter
K A
KA
Swanson
L L
LL
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001947:Breeding; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
D002129:Calcium Oxalate