Urolithiasis in finishing pigs
Introduction
Urolithiasis is well recognised in both companion and farm animals (Radostits et al., 1999). In castrated male ruminants, obstructive urolithiasis can cause considerable economic loss due to mortality and treatment costs (Radostits et al., 1999), but there are very few reports of the condition in pigs.
Yellow amorphous sediment is sometimes found in the urine and in the bladder of sows. The sediment seems to be of no clinical significance and can be prevented by increasing water intake. Crystalluria has been implicated as a risk factor for urinary tract infections in sows since it can cause cystitis and pyelonephritis (Carr et al., 1991; Wendt et al., 1996). Wendt et al. (1996) experimentally reproduced the disease by feeding diets high in phosphorus and restricting the water supply. In boars, obstructive urolithiasis was reported to have caused the death of a six year old Piétrain (Baumgartner and Loupal, 1983).
Uric acid and urate crystals are frequently found in the kidneys, ureters and bladder of neonatal piglets, probably due to increased purine catabolism following low nutrient intake after birth (Windsor, 1977; Kakino et al., 1998). Affected piglets have splayed legs and appear depressed; later they become paralysed, comatose, and finally die. Cases of obstructive urolithiasis in weaned pigs have been reported by Sim (1979) and Smyth et al. (1986). Sim (1979) considered that a dramatic increase in mortality rate of recently weaned pigs was probably due to major imbalances in the diet, although the composition of the calculi was not determined. Biochemical analysis of the uroliths of two pigs in the case described by Smyth et al. (1986) did not show a consistent pattern, but xanthine and oxalate were found in both. The problem was solved by increasing the salt level in the creep diet and by installing a second nipple drinker in each pen. In the same study, Smyth et al. (1986) showed that the uroliths of one 11-week-old pig that had died due to obstructive urolithiasis, consisted of oxalate and carbonate. In finishing pigs, a single Japanese study (Inoue et al., 1977) reported calcium carbonate uroliths as a cause of obstructive urolithiasis. The associated changes in the bladder wall included degeneration of the mucosa and smooth muscle.
We report here three different outbreaks of urolithiasis in finishing pigs, raised under commercial conditions in Belgian herds.
Section snippets
Case A
The first case occurred in a 400-sow herd with 800 finishing pigs. All sows were Seghers hybrids inseminated with Piétrain semen. The piglets were weaned at four weeks of age and moved to a nursery until they were 10-weeks-old (∼20 kg liveweight). During the nursery period, weaners received feed (meal) by means of a wet feeding system. Finishing pigs were raised on fully slatted concrete floors with 12 pigs per pen and received a commercial starter meal from 20 to ∼45 kg liveweight and a
Case B
The second case occurred in a farrow-to-finish pig herd of 50 crossbred sows (Belgian Landrace × English or Finnish Landrace). The sows were inseminated with Piétrain semen. Piglets were weaned at four weeks of age and housed in a nursery unit with 12 pigs per pen until they were 10–12 weeks of age (∼20 kg liveweight). They were fed dry meal, and there was one nipple drinker (1 L/min) per pen. Finishing pigs were housed with 12 pigs per pen on a fully-slatted concrete floor and were fed a
Case C
This was a farrow-to-finish herd of 200 sows and 1500 finishing pigs. The sows were commercial hybrids (Hypor and Danbred) inseminated with semen from Piétrain boars. Piglets were weaned at four weeks of age and moved to nursery facilities until ∼35 kg liveweight (14 weeks). Nursery and finishing pigs were fed meal ad libitum. There was one drinking nipple per pen in the nursery (11 pigs/pen) and in the finishing unit (11 pigs/pen). Pigs were seen to use the drinking nipples. The drinking water
Discussion
Signs of the presence of urolithiasis were not obvious and varied between the three herds. Chalky sediment was observed on the floor and in the urine in herds A and B, whereas an increase in mortality was reported in herd C. Typical clinical signs of obstructive urolithiasis such as decreased appetite, frequent and/or painful urination with anuria and progressive abdominal distention in the cases of bladder rupture (Drolet and Dee, 1999) were not observed by staff responsible for herds B and C.
References (21)
- et al.
Influence of electrolyte balance and acidifying calcium salts in growing-finishing pigs on urinary pH, slurry pH and ammonia volatilization from slurry
Livestock Production Science
(1998) - et al.
Structure and composition of equine uroliths
Journal of Equine Veterinary Medicine
(1995) - et al.
Harnblasenruptur infolge von Urolithiasis bei einem Zuchteber
Der praktische Tierarzt
(1983) - et al.
Cystitis and pyelonephritis in the sow
Pig Veterinary Journal
(1991) - et al.
Cystitis and ascending pyelonephritis in the sow
In Practice
(1995) - et al.
The urinary tract
- et al.
Diseases of the urinary system
- et al.
Pathology of the urinary bladder in urolithiasis in swine
Bulletin of the National Institute for Animal Health
(1977) - et al.
Purine metabolism of uric acid urolithiasis induced in newborn piglets
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science
(1998) - et al.
Identification of uroliths by infrared spectroscopy
Autralian Veterinary Journal
(1986)
Cited by (22)
Diseases of the Renal System
2019, Large Animal Internal MedicineThe urothelium: Anatomy, review of the literature, perspectives for veterinary medicine
2015, Annals of AnatomyCitation Excerpt :Occurrence of urolithiasis also accounts for a large part of LUTDs in domestic species. This pathology is described in companion animals (Houston and Moore, 2009; Rogers et al., 2011) and in all the reared species (Langenecker et al., 2009; Osborne et al., 2009; Sun et al., 2010; Nwaokorie et al., 2013), including pigs (Maes et al., 2004), horses (Duesterdieck-Zellmer, 2007) and cattle (Floeck, 2009). The pathogenesis of urolithiasis and treatment protocols in animals parallel those of humans (Robinson et al., 2008) so that an exchange of information exists between human and veterinary medicine, given the number of similarities between risk factors, pathogenesis of stone formation and treatment patterns for humans and animals.
Quantitative Analysis of 4468 Uroliths Retrieved from Farm Animals, Exotic Species, and Wildlife Submitted to the Minnesota Urolith Center: 1981 to 2007
2009, Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal PracticeUrolithiasis: Not Just a 2-Legged Animal Disease
2008, Journal of UrologyCitation Excerpt :The incidence of urolithiasis has not been established for the animal kingdom, although dogs,4 cats5,6 and horses7 are the most common mammals to receive treatment for stone disease. Other animals, including nonmammals and mammals, have also been reported to form renal and bladder calculi, including pigs,8 sheep,9 birds,10 turtles,11 cattle,12 goats,13 whales14 and deer.15 The table provides an overview of various animal species affected by urinary tract stone disease.
Urolithasis in pig units - A gritty problem
2004, Veterinary JournalUrolithiasis Problems in Finishing Pigs
2023, Veterinary Sciences