Royal Canin has announced that it is offering a free urinary stones analysis service to practices in the UK, giving a full analysis and dietary recommendation in ten days. 

The service will be available to veterinary practices that use more than £250/€300 of Royal Canin urinary diets per year.

The company has enlisted the support of an independent laboratory to carry out an infrared spectroscopy analysis of the stones, in order to make a quantitative and qualitative assessment of their composition. Royal Canin says that by appreciating the mineral-type in all layers, the best dietary recommendation can be made.

Lee Danks, Royal Canin’s Veterinary Scientific Support Manager, said: "Managing cat and dog urolithiasis can be challenging. This valuable service will improve practices’ diagnostic capacity, enabling a better understanding of a patient’s condition and a much more individualised approach to treatment and long-term prevention."

Royal Canin says there are many complex and interacting contributors to urinary stone formation¹. Dietary modifications can influence urine pH, the concentration of minerals within the urine and most critically, urine turn-over through the bladder². The many interactions between promotors and inhibitors of urolithiasis highlight just how critical a tailored nutritional approach can be to the long-term health of urinary patients.

References

1. Villaverde, C (2016) Deconstructing Urolithiasis: One stone at a time [2-part webinar series}, Royal Canin UK, May 24th & 31st 2016, accessible online:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8836271750277033986 &  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/909459218058925570
2. Biourge, V (2007) Urine dilution: a key factor in the prevention of struvite and calcium oxalate uroliths 17:1, pp 14-42

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