Ruminant Health Resident North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Abstract:
Background: Obstructive urolithiasis (OU) is a common small ruminant emergency and can lead to hydronephrosis and intrinsic renal disease. As post-renal azotemia is common in goats with OU, diagnosis of intrinsic renal disease prior to surgical correction of OU is challenging. Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is a renal biomarker correlated with early detection of renal disease. SDMA has not been validated in goats. Hypothesis/
Objective: The objectives of this study are to establish references ranges for SDMA in healthy goats, and describe changes in SDMA in goats with OU. Animals: Healthy goats, both male and female, from a research herd (n=59). Goats with clinical OU (n=12).
Methods: Healthy goats had blood collected a single time point. Clinically affected goats had blood collected at presentation, 24hr, 48hr and 72hr post-surgery for SDMA and biochemistry analysis. Urine was collected for urinalysis at presentation. Descriptive statistics will be used to assess values in both the healthy and obstructed goat populations.
Results: For the healthy group, the mean SDMA value was 17.6 ug/dL, median SDMA value of 17 ug/dL and a range of 7 ug/dL to 43 ug/dL. Currently, 8 goats with obstructive urolithiasis have samples collected. Analysis will be conducted once the sample size has been achieved. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: SDMA has the potential to be used in clinical cases of caprine OU to provide prognostic information prior to surgery.
