PROSPECTIVE COMPARISON OF 4 SAMPLING METHODS (CYSTOCENTESIS, BLADDER MUCOSAL SWAB, BLADDER MUCOSAL BIOPSY, AND UROLITH CULTURE) TO IDENTIFYURINARY-TRACT INFECTIONS IN DOGS WITH UROLITHIASIS

A prospective study was conducted on 27 dogs with recurrent urinary tr act infections (UTIs) and urolithiasis. Four sampling methods (i.e., u rine obtained by cystocentesis, bladder mucosal swab, bladder mucosal biopsy, and urolith) were compared to identify UTI. identical culture results were obtained from urine collected by cystocentesis and from t he swab of bladder mucosa. In the presence of a positive urine culture , the same organism also was cultured from the bladder mucosal biopsy and urolith, However, in the presence of a negative urine culture, an organism was cultured from the bladder mucosal biopsy or the urolith i n 18.5% of the cases. Therefore, when the culture from urine obtained by cystocentesis is negative, if is recommended that aerobic cultures of a bladder mucosal biopsy and a urolith be performed in cases of uro lithiasis.