Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas 35416, Arucas, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain.
*For correspondence: Tel.: 00 34 928451115; Fax: 00 34 928451142; E-mail: cgutierrez@dpat.ulpgc.es
To study the occurrence of the experimental struvite urolithiasis in goats in a semi-arid region of the Canary Islands, where urolithiasis is relatively common, 18 one-year old Canary female goats were divided into three equal groups: Group A received a concentrate ration of 3 parts corn to 1 part cottonseed meal; Group B received the same diet with wheat straw added ad libitum and Group C received a balanced diet for 10 weeks. Crystaluria was observed in all groups, but was more evident in Group A. Goats belonging to this group showed a progressive calcium/phosphorus disbalance. Epithelial cells and bilirubin crystals were also more evident in the Group A. It is concluded that high grain diet resulted in struvite urolithiasis in goats.
Urolithiasis, struvite, calculi, goat
