struvite and Rodent-Diseases

This clinical case describes struvite urolithiasis in a pet chipmunk. Physical examination revealed the presence of two ovoid palpable masses in the caudal part of the abdomen, which were later confirmed by radiography as urinary bladder stone. The animal underwent ventral midline laparotomy and uroliths were successfully removed. Uroliths analysis revealed the presence of struvite and bacteriology showed the presence of Proteus mirabilis. Little is known about aetiology and incidence of urolithiasis in chipmunks. Client education about husbandry, dietary needs, and animal behaviour is necessary, especially when dealing with less commonly kept exotic companion mammals. This is the first report of struvite urolithiasis in a pet chipmunk.

Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Phosphates; Proteus mirabilis; Rodent Diseases; Sciuridae; Struvite; Urolithiasis

Topics: Animals; Cystitis; Magnesium Compounds; Male; Phosphates; Radiography; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rodent Diseases; Struvite; Urinary Calculi

In a 2 year carcinogenicity bioassay using B6C3F1 mice, one male mouse developed clinical signs near termination of the study, comprising skin sores around the prepuce, penile prolapse and urine scalding. The predominant finding at necropsy was a markedly distended urinary bladder filled with numerous crystallized particles. Microscopically, there was subacute cystitis with marked hyperplasia of the transitional epithelium. X-ray diffraction analysis of the crystals showed a diffraction pattern characteristic of struvite (ammonium magnesium phosphate). The implications of the spontaneous occurrence of bladder stones in rodents on long-term toxicology studies are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Crystallization; Cystitis; Female; Magnesium; Magnesium Compounds; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Phosphates; Rodent Diseases; Struvite; Urinary Calculi; X-Ray Diffraction

A high incidence (8/892) of urinary tract calculi was encountered during a study involving rats being fed diets supplemented with retinoids. When the incidence was compared to that observed in earlier studies without retinoid supplements and spanning several years (2/2998), the incidence in the current study was significantly higher. Possible causative factors such as age, sex, strain, diet and carcinogen or retinoid treatment have been analyzed without a clear explanation for the increased incidence. The data suggest that retinoid treatment increased the risk of stone formation, but that retinoids were less important than some other unidentified factor(s) that operated during the recent period.

Topics: Animals; Female; Food, Fortified; Magnesium; Magnesium Compounds; Male; Phosphates; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Rats, Inbred Lew; Rats, Inbred Strains; Retinoids; Rodent Diseases; Species Specificity; Struvite; Urinary Calculi

Topics: Animals; Female; Heart Function Tests; Hemostatics; Magnesium; Magnesium Compounds; Male; Phosphates; Radionuclide Imaging; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Rodent Diseases; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Struvite; Technetium; Urinary Bladder Calculi