Study Start Date: 01/01/2007
Study End Date: 06/30/2008

Evaluation of a new diet for managing Dalmatians that have had urate bladder stones

The objectives of this study include determining the influence of a protein hydrolysate diet on laboratory parameters including urinary saturation with urate in Dalmatians, and comparing these results with an ultra-low protein diet used routinely for management of urate urinary stones in Dalmatians.

We are looking for Dalmatians that have had urate bladder stones. The study involves collecting 24-hour urine samples from Dalmatians while they are consuming 2 different diets. Dogs will not receive allopurinol, a drug used to manage urate stones, during the study. All costs are covered by the project.

Study Design:
Prospective, Cross-over, Randomized, Double-blinded.

Sample Size:
12 dogs

Inclusion criteria:

1. Male Dalmatian with a history of, but not active, urate urinary bladder stones that are otherwise healthy.
2. Owners willing to visit The University of Tennessee and allow their dog to be hospitalized for 24 hours three times over 12 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Dogs with other serious illness (such as heart disease or kidney or liver failure) and those requiring dietary modification will be excluded.
2. Dogs receiving medication for other diseases (e.g. antibiotics for skin disease or levothyroxine supplementation for hypothyroidism) may be included if the treatment is approved by the principal investigator.
3. Inability to feed the dog either diet or inability to return to The University of Tennessee.

Study Controls:
The study is a cross-over study where dogs serve as their own controls.

Study Endpoints:
Diets will be fed for 6 weeks at which time 24-hour urine samples and blood samples will be collected for estimation of urinary saturation.

Samples:
No samples will be submitted.

Costs/Reimbursements:
Cost of evaluations are covered by the project. Diets are provided at no cost to owner.

Full Disclosure information:

• The study is funded by a grant from Nestle Purina.
• The investigator has presented Pet-food-company-sponsored lecture on urolithiasis.
• The study will be published if results are negative.
• The study will be reported on VIN.
• The authors will acknowledge VIN if the study is published.
• Owners will need to sign an informed consent form.