Two cases of urinary retention in male dromedaries due to silica uroliths a
re presented. The animals were urethrostomized and one dromedary was euthan
ized 7 months later due to urethrostomy obstruction. The estimated daily in
take of silica was 84.44 g. Silica, calcium, phosphorus and pH in urine mer
e determined in healthy animals from the same farms, and the following valu
es were obtained: 174.78 +/- 3.46 mg/l (silica), 41.48 +/- 4.82 mg/l (calci
um), 20.4 +/- 3.6 mg/l (phosphorus) and pH 8.2, respectively. Possible caus
es of urolithiasis were the early castration of the animals and the fact th
at salt was not added to the diet. To our knowledge, this is the first desc
ription of silica urolithiasis in the dromedary camel.