Urolitíase obstrutiva em equino / Obstructive urolithiasis in horse

ABSTRACT

Background: Obstructive urinary tract disease in horses is a rare and low prevalence pathology in the species, but potentially severe. It is an emergency condition that presents variable clinical signs and depends on the anatomical locationof the obstruction. The bladder calculus are the most common followed by the urethra and less commonly seen are thekidney or ureteral. The main crystalloid component of uroliths in horses is calcium carbonate. The higher prevalence ofurolithiasis in male horses is justified by some anatomical differences between genders. The urethra of males is narrowerand longer than that of females. The tissue injury is the most important factor for the development of uroliths in horses.Desquamation of epithelial cells, presence of leukocyte and necrotic cell debris are relevant contributors to crystal growth.Urinary stasis favors nucleation by increasing the chance of contact between crystalloid material and urinary epithelium.Once crystal growth has begun, the urine alkalinity of the equines favors the crystallization and further deposition of othercomponents, especially calcium carbonate. Typical clinical signs of urolithiasis include tenesmus, dysuria, strangury andpolaquiuria. Hematuria is often present, mainly observed after exercise and at the end of urination. In addition signs ofcolic are quite frequent in the acute bladder and urethral urolithiasis due to bladder distension. Upper urinary tract surgerymay be technically challenging due to limited structural exposure, especially in adult horses The prognosis for horses withurolithiasis depends on the location of the urolith and the degree of renal injury that occurred.Case This report aims to describe a rare case of obstructive urolithiasis in a 8-year-old castrated male horse with 24 hevolution. The horse was expressing signs of abdominal pain and during the transretal examination through palpation...