This clinical case describes struvite urolithiasis in a pet chipmunk. Physical examination revealed the presence of two ovoid palpable masses in the caudal part of the abdomen, which were later confirmed by radiography as urinary bladder stone. The animal underwent ventral midline laparotomy and uroliths were successfully removed. Uroliths analysis revealed the presence of struvite and bacteriology showed the presence of Proteus mirabilis. Little is known about aetiology and incidence of urolithiasis in chipmunks. Client education about husbandry, dietary needs, and animal behaviour is necessary, especially when dealing with less commonly kept exotic companion mammals. This is the first report of struvite urolithiasis in a pet chipmunk.

Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Palackeho tr 1946 1 612 42 Brno Czech Republic

Jekl and Hauptman Veterinary Clinic Mojmirovo namesti 3105 6a 612 00 Brno Czech Republic

Kleintierpraxis Vetstation AG Mitteldorfstrasse 76 St 5033 Buchs Switzerland

See more in PubMed

Aroch I., King R., Biton B.2017. Hematology and serum chemistry of free trapped five-stripes palm squirrel (Funambulus pennati). Isr. J. Vet. Med. 72: 28–39.

Brown T. R.1901. On the relation between the variety of microorganisms and the composition of stone in in calculous pyelonefritis. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 36: 1395–1397.

Del Angel-Caraza J., Chávez-Moreno O., García-Navarro S., Pérez-García C.2008. Mixed urolith (struvite and calcium oxalate) in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo). J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 20: 682–683. PubMed

Griffith D. P.1978. Struvite stones. Kidney Int. 13: 372–382. PubMed

Griffith D. P., Musher D. M., Itin C.1976. Urease. The primary cause of infection-induced urinary stones. Invest. Urol. 13: 346–350. PubMed

Hawkins M.G., Ruby A.L., Drazenovich T.L., Westropp J.L.2009. Composition and characteristics of urinary calculi from guinea pigs. J.A.V.M.A. 234: 214–220. PubMed

Hedelin H.2002. Uropathogens and urinary tract concretion formation and catheter encrustations. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 19: 484–487. PubMed

Hoff G. L., McEldowny L. E., Bigler W. J., Kuhns L. J., Tomas J. A.1976. Blood and urinary values in the gray squirrel. J. Wildl. Dis. 12: 349–352. PubMed

Hostutler R. A., Chew D. J., DiBartola S. P.2005. Recent concepts in feline lower urinary tract disease. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 35: 147–170, vii. PubMed

Kubiak M.2021. Ground squirrels, pp. 1–12. In: Handbook of Exotic Pet Medicine (Kubiak, M. ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken.

Kucera J., Koristkova T., Gottwaldova B., Jekl V.2017. Calcium sulfate dihydrate urolithiasis in a pet rabbit. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 5:534–537. PubMed

Lulich J. P.2015. Cats and stones: the gift that keeps giving. pp. 515–518. In: Proceedings of the North America Veterinary Community Conference; 17–21 January, Orlando.

Martel-Arquette A., Mans C.2016. Urolithiasis in chinchillas: 15 cases (2007 to 2011). J. Small Anim. Pract. 57: 260–264. PubMed

Minnesota Urolith Center.2019. Cystin rising: Ferreting out the cause. http://www.vetmed.umn.edu/sites/vetmed.umn.edu/files/ferret_cystin_rising.pdf [accessed on November 9, 2019].

Nwaokorie E. E., Osborne C. A., Lulich J. P., Albasan H.2013. Epidemiological evaluation of cystine urolithiasis in domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo): 70 cases (1992–2009). J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 242: 1099–1103. PubMed

Olson M. E., Nickel J. C., Costerton J. W.1989. Infection-induced struvite urolithiasis in rats. Am. J. Pathol. 135: 581–583. PubMed PMC

Osborne C. A., Albasan H., Lulich J. P., Nwaokorie E., Koehler L. A., Ulrich L. K.2009. Quantitative analysis of 4468 uroliths retrieved from farm animals, exotic species, and wildlife submitted to the Minnesota Urolith Center: 1981 to 2007. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 39: 65–78. PubMed

Osborne C. A., Lulich J. P., Albasan H., Swanson L. L.2010. Canine struvite urolithiasis: causes, detection, management and prevention. pp. 891–914. In: Small Animal Nutrition (Hand, M. S., Thatcher, C. D., Remillard, R. L., Roudebush, P. and Novotny, B. J. eds.), Mark Morris Institute, Topeka.

Pacheco R. E.2020. Cystine Urolithiasis in Ferrets. Vet. Clin. North Am. Exot. Anim. Pract. 23: 309–319. PubMed

Palmore W. P., Bartos K. D.1987. Food intake and struvite crystalluria in ferrets. Vet. Res. Commun. 11: 519–526. PubMed

Pang J., Borjeson T. M., Parry N. M. A., Fox J. G.2015. Struvite Urolithiasis in Long-Evans Rats. Comp. Med. 65: 486–491. PubMed PMC

Pitts R. F.1973. Production and excretion of ammonia in relation to acid-base regulation. pp.455. In: Renal Physiology (Orloff, J. and Berliner, R. W., eds.), American Physiological Society, Washington, D.C.

Reavill D. R., Lennox A. M.2020. Disease Overview of the Urinary Tract in Exotic Companion Mammals and Tips on Clinical Management. Vet. Clin. North Am. Exot. Anim. Pract. 23: 169–193. PubMed PMC

Reyes L., Reinhard M., O’donell L. J., Stevens J., Brown M. B.2006. Rat strains differ in susceptibility to Ureaplasma parvum-induced urinary tract infection and struvite stone formation. Infect. Immun. 74: 6656–6664. PubMed PMC

Richardson V. C. G.2003. Diseases of Small Domestic Rodents Handbook, 4th ed., Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.

Takeuchi H., Ueda M., Satoh M., Yoshida O.1991. Effects of dietary calcium, magnesium and phosphorus on the formation of struvite stones in the urinary tract of rats. Urol. Res. 19: 305–308. PubMed