TOPEKA, Kan. (June 22, 2015) – The Minnesota Urolith Center (MUC) is celebrating the analysis of the millionth urinary stone (urolith since it set out to reduce the worldwide incidence of urinary disease in companion animals and to enhance the veterinary and nutritional care of pets with urinary tract disorders. With support from Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., a long-term partner, the MUC is able to deliver an analysis service to veterinarians globally, enabling them to access results and other information easily.
The MUC, part of the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine, leads the world in the analysis and treatment of urinary stones, research to identify risk factors for urolithiasis and science-supported recommendations for urolith prevention.
“Analysing one million stones tells us that veterinarians really care about improving the health of their patients and support our efforts in helping them do so,” said MUC Co-Director Professor Jody Lulich. “In the past, stones were thrown away or even taken to school for 'show and tell,' but it is increasingly accepted that analysis provides valuable data to improve the health of companion animals and is vital to prevent recurrence.”
The epidemiologic data retrieved through stone analysis has helped veterinarians develop compassionate, minimally-invasive therapies to manage stones without surgery. Lulich cited as an example the nutritional dissolution of feline and canine struvite uroliths.
In 2014, the MUC analysed uroliths from 86,875 animals from 55 countries. Most of the stones, 68%, came from the US, but Lulich said global participation is increasing and veterinarians in Japan, the UK, Taiwan and Australia frequently submit stones for analysis. Veterinarians around the world are able to transport stones to the MUC and receive an analysis at no cost, thanks to support from Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
"We're seeing some interesting trends,” Lulich said. “For instance, while New Zealand and Australia are on the same continent, separated by only two thousand km of the Tasman Sea, the types of stones that are submitted differ. In 2014, the most common stones from dogs in Australia were struvite, while the most common stone in New Zealand dogs was calcium oxalate. Mining data from different geographic locations may help us better understand the risk factors and causes for different stone types."
Jody Lulich added: "Hill's has been with us every step of the way, and their support underpins the progress we have made. With their continued help and with the kind donations we receive from veterinary professionals and pet owners worldwide, we will continue to strive to improve the efficiency of our service and provide the veterinary profession with results and science-supported recommendations they can use to best manage their individual patients."
Dr Jolle Kirpensteijn, Chief Professional Relations Officer at Hill's Pet Nutrition, said, “We congratulate MUC on reaching this milestone. Our close partnership with the MUC shows the value of collaboration between industry and academia to veterinarians, pets and owners worldwide.”
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