The aim of this study was to evaluate dogs with urolithiasis in which mineral composition of calculi was quantitatively analyzed. Quantitative mineral composition was performed in 156 canine uroliths. Simple uroliths represented 79.5% (n=124) of the cases, 18% were compound (n=28) and only 2.5% (n=4) of the calculi were mixed. Struvite was the most frequent mineral type of simple uroliths (47.6%; n=59) as well as in all mixed (100%; n=4) and in the core and stone uroliths (32.1% and 75%, respectively). Calcium oxalate was the second more frequent mineral composition of simple uroliths (37.9%; n=47). Unlike simple uroliths, recommendation for the treatment of compound uroliths is more complex, and diet protocols for calculi dissolution may be different when the calculus is composed by different minerals that are possible to be dissolved (e.g. urate and stuvite). Besides, dissolution may not be feasible if it occurs in presence of insoluble material involving urolith or if it represents more than 20% of the layer. Twenty two compound uroliths (78.7%) presented an external layer that was not possible to be dissolved (calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate); two calculi (7.1%) had superficial layers dissolvable (struvite or urate), but inner layers were not soluble, which allowed only partial dissolution of urolith. Knowledge of all urolith layers mineral composition is essential for the understanding of calculus formation and for the adequate treatment indication as well as for the procedures to prevent recurrence.
urinary calculus; mineral composition; quantitative analysis
