Hyperuricosuria and Hyperuricemia or Urolithiasis, HUU

Affected dogs will show no clinical signs of disease in the early stages. As stones form, dogs will often urinate more frequently, urinate in inappropriate places, and possibly have blood in their urine. If a urinary obstruction forms, they are unable to urinate despite frequent straining. This is a medical emergency.

Most dogs are adults before they show any signs of urinary issues (4-6 years on average).

Urate stones are invisible on X-rays and must be diagnosed by a veterinarian via ultrasound or urine sediment analysis. If left undiagnosed, bladder stones can lead to urinary obstruction, which can be life-threatening.

If caught early, it is responsive to dietary management. Surgical intervention is often required when stones or an obstruction forms.

Talk to your vet about your dog’s HUU result so you can work together to plan ongoing care and monitoring.

Your vet may recommend a special diet to help reduce uric acid levels and prevent urinary stone formation.

Make sure your dog has access to plenty of fresh water and regular opportunities to urinate.

Watch for changes in urination, such as straining, accidents, or blood in the urine, and contact your vet if you notice any of these signs.

This mutation was first described in the Dalmatian.

Penetrance: This mutation is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner; that is, a dog requires two copies of the mutation to show signs of the disease.

Gene

SLC2A9 (Exon 5)

Inheritance type

recessive

Clinical category

Urinary

Citations

1. Bannasch et al 2008
2. Karmi et al 2010
3. Donner et al 2016

• American Bully
• American Pit Bull Terrier
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Australian Shepherd
• Biewer Terrier
• Black Russian Terrier
• Boerboel
• Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
• American Bulldog
• French Bulldog
• Catahoula Leopard Dog
• Coton de Tulear
• Czechoslovakian Vlcak
• Dalmatian
• Danish-Swedish Farmdog