The primary cause of urinary calculi is feeding concentrate diets which are excessive in phosphorus and magnesium and/or have an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus. Lack of water and water sources that are high in minerals are also contributing factors.
 

Who's at Risk?
While urinary calculi can occur in intact males, wethers are at greatest risk because castration of young males removes the hormonal influence (testosterone) necessary for the penis and urethra to reach full size.
 

Lambs castrated within the first month of life are most vulnerable. For this reason, some veterinarians advocate delaying castration until after puberty. If castration is performed after puberty, it should be done under anesthesia by a veterinarian.

It is generally recommended that lambs and kids be castrated between 1 and 7 days of age, especially if rubber bands are used. The better recommendation might be for producers to carefully consider whether it is necessary or desirable to castrate ram lambs and buck kids. Intact males grow faster and produce leaner carcasses, and there is no difference between the meat from a young intact male and a castrated lamb or kid.

In females, calculi are formed, but excreted due to anatomic differences in the male and female urinary tract.

 

What are the Symptoms?
Clinical signs vary. They usually start with restlessness and anxiety. Affected animals may experience abdominal pain, urine dribbling, distention and rupture of the urethra. They will usually experience a loss of appetite. They may have a humped-up appearance and edema under their belly. They may kick at their belly and strain to urinate. Dribbled urine may be bloody.
 

As pain and discomfort increases, affected animals will isolate themselves. In goats, there may be increased vocalization and tail twitching. If left untreated, affected animals will die when the bladder bursts and urine fills the peritoneal cavity and is absorbed into the bloodstream. Sometimes, it may be necessary to humanely destroy an affected animal to avoid further suffering.

 

How to You Treat It?
Treatment of urinary calculi depends upon the location of the obstruction and could be as simple as snipping off the urethral process to allow calculi at the end of the penis to dislodge. Tranquilizers and antispasmodics may help to naturally dislodge some calculi. In more advanced cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to save valuable animals or pets. Veterinary advice should be sought in this case.

 

How Do You Prevent It?

Like most disease conditions, it is better to prevent urinary calculi than to treat it. It can be prevented by feeding rations which contain a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of at least 2:1. The ratio of Ca:P should never be allowed to go below 1:1. High calcium diets are effective at reducing the absorption of phosphorus from the GI tract.