CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FELINE UROLITHIASIS IN PAKISTAN: URINALYSIS, SERUM ELECTROLYTES, RENAL FUNCTION AND RISK FACTOR PROFILE

Abstract

Background: Urolithiasis is a clinically significant cause of lower urinary tract disease. Clinicopathological data from Pakistan is absent from the published literature.

Objective: To characterize the risk factor profile, clinical sign, urinalysis finding, and serum biochemical changes, in cats presenting with urolithiasis at veterinary facilities in Lahore and Islamabad, Pakistan.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from August 2021 to January 2022 at the pet centre of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, and affiliated clinics in Islamabad. Twenty-four cats with confirmed urolithiasis were enrolled. Signalment, diet, housing, and clinical data were recorded. Urinalysis was performed by physical inspection, dipstick chemistry (Uric CF 10) and microscopic sediment examination. Serum biochemistry included blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, calcium and phosphorus. Catagorical variable were compared by Pearson chi-square. Significance was set at p< 0.05.

Results: Persian cats represented 45.83% of cases (p≤0.001). Males compromised 91.67% of the cohort (p<0.001). The 1 to 3 year age group accounted for 66.67% of cases (p<0.001). Most cats were non-neutered (75%). All 24 cats were dehydrated at presentation. Dysuria and stranguria were observed in 83.34% of cats. Alkaline urine was detected in 64% of cases (p=0.021). Crystalluria was present in 87.5% of cats (p≤0.001); struvite was the most common single crystal type (25%), and 37.5% of cats exhibited multiple concurrent crystal types. Serum creatinine (mean 3.3±0.39 mg/dL) exceeded the upper reference limit in 15 of 24 cats (62.5%). Serum phosphorus (mean 7.08±0.21 mg/dL) exceeded the upper reference limit in 14 of 24 cats (58.3%). BUN and calcium remained within normal limits as a group.

Conclusion: Feline urolithiasis in Pakistan predominantly affects young, non-neutered, male Persian cats maintained indoors on commercial diets. Struvite crystalluria is the most frequent single crystal type and occurs commonly as part of a mixed-crystal presentation. Concurrent elevation of serum creatinine and phosphorus in the majority of cats indicates renal compromise at the time of initial presentation. These findings provide the first systematic clinicopathological description of feline urolithiasis in Pakistan.