1. Urinary System

2. The major manifestations of U.T. disease are
- Abnormalities of the urine composition.
- Abnormalities of the daily urine flow.
- Pain and dysuria.
- Uremia (principal manifestation in renal failure).
- Rupture of the U.B., renal pelvis and urethra.
- Defect in nervous control of the urination.
- Urachal leakage of urine.

3. Food Animal Urology P.E. & evaluation of the urinary system
Urolithiasis
Bacterial diseases
Toxic plants
Parasitic diseases
Miscellaneous conditions
Congenital conditions
Neoplasia

4. Physical examination External structures Urethral area in males
Vaginal exam
Cystoscopy
Radiography
Micturition – normal behavior
Urine collection
Normal frequency / quantity
Palpation
Urine characteristics
Kidney function evaluation
Kidney biopsy

5. Normal frequency / quantity
Varies with water consumption, season, milk production, age and use
Species
ml/kg/day
# times/day
Sheep/goat
10-40
1-3/day
Cattle
17-45
5-6/day

6. Palpation Rectal palpation of ureters in cattle
Normally the size of straws
Palpation of urinary bladder
Rectally in cattle
Abdominal palpation in small ruminants/calves
Palpation of urethra
Rectally or in perineal area

7. Urine characteristics
Viscosity
Normally watery
Color
Straw to amber colored normal
Light yellow vs. dark
No hemoglobin, myoglobin, blood
Transparency
Clear, transparent
Turbid or cloudy abnormal
Odor
Ketones, strong ammonia abnormal
Urinalysis

8. Red Urine Hematuria Hemoglobinuria Myoglobinuria
Pyelonephritis, cystitis, urolithiasis, enzootic hematuria, embolic nephritis
Hemoglobinuria
Leptospirosis, bacillary hemoglobinuria, copper toxicity, post-parturient hemoglobinuria, cold water intoxication
Myoglobinuria
Cassia toxicity, capture myopathy
* Anaplasmosis = normal urine

9. Kidney function BUN – 10-30 mg/dl Creatinine - < 2 mg/dl
Creatinine may increase more quickly than BUN due to the ruminant’s ability to recycle urea through the rumen

10. Urolithiasis in Ruminants
Uroliths in cattle, sheep, and goats are common.
Although uroliths can be found anywhere within the urinary tract, urethroliths are responsible for most clinical problems.

11. Predisposing factors increased urine concentration urine stasis
increased urine pH
increased mineral excretion
decreased urinary colloids
desquamated epithelial cells
UT infections
increased urinary mucoproteins

12. Calculus composition phosphate calculi * silicate oxalate
magnesium ammonium phosphate = struvite
calcium phosphate = apatite
silicate
oxalate
calcium carbonate

13. Phosphate calculi

14. Etiology and Pathogenesis
Ruminant urolithiasis is considered primarily a nutritional disease. The prevalence of urolithiasis in the USA is highest in calves, lambs, and kids castrated at an early age and fed high-grain diets with roughly a 1:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio or a diet high in magnesium.
Ruminants fed high-grain diets with a low calcium to phosphorus ratio are at increased risk of developing struvite uroliths, while ruminants grazing on silica-rich soil are predisposed to form silica uroliths

15. Clinical Findings stranguria - (often mistaken for constipation)
anorexia, mild bloat, lethargy
treading, stretching, abdomen
vocalization (especially goats)
palpable bladder distention
abdominal palpation in small ruminants
rectal palpation in large ruminants
azotemia

16. Clinical Findings
Clinical signs may be associated with partial or complete urethral occlusion. Animals with partial obstruction dribble blood-tinged urine after prolonged, painful (stranguria) attempts at urination; before complete occlusion occurs, urine may dry on the preputial hairs and leave detectable mineral deposits.

17. Clinical Findings…
Obstruction induced by urethroliths causes urine retention and leads to bladder distention, abdominal pain, and eventual urethral perforation or bladder rupture, with death from uremia or septicemia
Subcutaneous swelling containing urine due to urolithiasis and urethral perforation. By permission from Blowey RW, Weaver AD

18. Diagnosis
Diagnosis based on the history, clinical signs, and physical examination is usually straightforward. Hypersensitivity in the region of the sigmoid flexure may be evident. Palpation may identify abnormal pulsations of the urethra and tissue swelling associated with the obstruction

19. Treatment and Control phenothiazine tranquilizers
IV fluids - 0.9% NaCl
slow drainage of uroperitoneum via trochar in cases of ruptured bladder
paramedian skin incisions to drain urine in cases of ruptured urethra
antibiotics
urinary acidifiers

20. Treatment and Control cont.
In many instances, surgical management of the obstruction is all that is necessary; however, severely uremic and depressed animals require rehydration and correction of acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities
Cystotomy followed by dietary management is believed to be a more effective long term solution to urolithiasis in sheep and goats.

21. Contagious Bovine Pyelonephritis

22. Bovine cystitis is an inflammation of the urinary bladder of cattle that may ascend the ureters to cause infection of the kidneys (pyelonephritis). A similar condition is seen in sheep.
The condition is sporadic and worldwide in distribution.
It is most often seen after parturition

23. Etiology and Pathogenesis:
The most common causative agents are the Corynebacterium renale group of bacteria, including C renale , C cystitidis , and C pilosum , as well as Escherichia coli .

24. Clinical Findings and Lesions:
The first sign observed may be the passage of blood-stained urine in an otherwise normal cow.
As the infection proceeds up the ureters, causing inflammation and subsequent involvement of the kidney, the animal exhibits discomfort manifest by frequent attempts to urinate, anorexia, a slight fever, loss of production, colic with restlessness, tail switching, polyuria, hematuria, or pyuria.
Chronic pyelonephritis (right) and acute pyelonephritis (left) Courtesy of Dr. Sameeh M. Abutarbush

25. Diagnosis:
This is based on clinical signs; hematuria; a history of recent parturition; palpation of the left kidney for enlargement, loss of lobulation, and pain; endoscopic vaginal inspection for detection of inflamed and enlarged ureters; microscopic examination of the urine for WBC and bacteria

26. Treatment
The treatment of choice for pyelonephritis due to the C renale group is penicillin (22,000 IU/kg, IM, bid) or trimethoprim-sulfadoxine (16 mg combined/kg, IM, bid) for ≥ 3 wk