Risk factors for upper urinary tract uroliths and ureteral obstruction in cats under referral veterinary care in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Background: Cats presenting with upper urinary tract uroliths (UUTUs) and ureteral obstruction (“obstructive UUTU”) are typically younger than cats with idiopathic CKD that often have incidental nephroliths. Hypothesis: Cats with upper urinary tract urolith have 2 clinical phenotypes; a more aggressive phenotype at risk of obstructive UUTU at a young age and a more benign phenotype in older cats, with reduced risk of obstructive UUTU. Objectives: Identify risk factors for UUTU and for obstructive UUTU. Animals: Eleven thousand four hundred thirty-one cats were referred for care over 10 years; 521 (4.6%) with UUTU. Methods: Retrospective VetCompass observational cross-sectional study. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to identify risk factors for a diagnosis of UUTU vs no UUTU and additionally, obstructive UUTU vs nonobstructive UUTU. Results: Risk factors for UUTU included female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.6, confidence interval [CI] 1.3-1.9; P < 0.001). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Cats diagnosed with UUTU at a younger age have a more aggressive phenotype with higher risk of obstructive UUTU compared to cats over 12 years of age diagnosed with UUTU.