Major milestone for free analysis service

The Minnesota Urolith Center (MUC) is celebrating two milestones – the analysis of its 1.5 millionth urinary stone (urolith) and 40 years of delivering stone analysis to veterinary health care teams around the world.

Part of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota, the MUC aims to reduce the incidence of urinary disease and enhance the care of pets with urinary disorders. With support of its long-term partner Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the MUC provides the veterinary profession with free stone analysis and science-supported recommendations to help deliver optimal care to their patients.

Global rise seen

MUC director Jody Lulich said: “During the past few years, we have seen the incidence of struvite stones increasing, yet it is a stone that can be dissolved medically. We are also seeing a global rise in canine cystine stones; more than 4,000 dogs were diagnosed in 2020 – eight times higher than 20 years ago.

“Understanding risk factors and causes of stone types is key to their treatment and prevention. Our analysis highlights important trends that inform efforts to improve the health of companion animals and help prevent recurrence.”