VSPN Review by Brandy Sprunger, CVT, RVT (Click on stars for an explanation)

This book is out of print.

The purpose of this text was to take years of urolith research in both human and veterinary medicine, compare the two, and apply what was learned to develop this handbook to help practitioners detect and prevent uroliths in veterinary patients. Upon noticing that Royal Canin was listed as part publisher, I did start out skeptically thinking that this would be a pro-Royal Canin diet book, but quickly learned I was mistaken; not once were their diets even mentioned. I found this book to be rather statistical, making it difficult to get to the heart of the issues in each chapter. Where possible, photographs and charts are in color, making comparison and recognition of uroliths much easier; this addition to the text is where the text really shined.

The text is divided into four chapters, with the first giving a general overview of urinary stones in both humans and animals. It is heavy on the numbers, and relies mostly on studies done in Europe. The first chapter ends with symptoms, diagnostic testing and surgical treatments for urolithiasis. This could make use of this book difficult due to some of the differences in European vs. American dietary habits (in both humans and pets). There are many theories discussed on causes of uroliths in both humans and animals, including environmental, dietary, and genetic reasons. It also explains the theory of relative super saturation, or RSS, and how that is applied to diet formulations. This chapter also explains the different analytical methods used to determine stone composition, including spectrometry and electron microscopy.

The next chapter demonstrates the title more fully and contains much information, pictures and charts on each of the most common uroliths seen in animals. Each urolith type is broken down into an introduction, presentation and composition of the specific urolith and the associated epidemiology. Formation of each type of urolith is explained, along with strategies of diagnosis, treatment and prevention. This chapter brings to light several types of uroliths that are more unusual than the typical calcium oxalates and struvite types commonly seen in practice. While this chapter has many charts and statistics to sort through, it was still a good resource for information on specific types of uroliths.

Chapter Three is where I found the most exciting information as it is dedicated entirely to discussing feline urolithiasis with a large emphasis on Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, or FLUTD. This chapter does a fantastic job of explaining the potential causes and pathology of FLUTD and is one of the most practical, and interesting parts of the entire text. Aside from all the great photographs, it stands out as one of the most useful for a veterinary practice. It discusses feline urinary behaviors, both appropriate and inappropriate, the numerous symptoms of FLUTD, and the treatments (both behavioral and medical) for the disease.

The fourth and final chapter was a small discussion on uroliths commonly found in rabbits and guinea pigs. Diagnosis, treatment and prevention were the primary concerns, and would be useful to a practice that frequently sees small exotic mammals as well as research facilities housing this type of animal.

The last thirty pages of the text consisted of all the reference sources which the authors used in their studies, as well as a nice selection of Appendices which included a small listing of uroliths found in unusual breeds such as reptiles, camelids and marine animals, and several sections addressing the different mineral content of a multitude of foods. While these charts are quite interesting, they may not be of practical use for the veterinarian or veterinary technician, as most of the foods listed are not veterinary preparations but “human” foods such as berries, vegetables, and dairy products. Perhaps a human with a predilection for uroliths would get more from the Appendices.

Statistics and epidemiological information aside, the text does a good job of being an in-depth reference of uroliths. For use as a study guide for urologic conditions, it isn’t the best choice, but I do think this book could serve a purpose in a surgical practice that is heavy on urology, or in a general practice that deals with the symptoms and dietary concerns of its patients with chronic urolithiasis.

Publisher: Royal Canin and Manson Publishing, Ltd. Distributed by Wiley and Sons (2009).

 ISBN-13: 978-1-84076-128-3.