Presentation Recap: Ciprofloxacin urolithiasis

The increasing extralabel use of ciprofloxacin in cats and dogs has brought to light an interesting dilemma that, until now, has been described in people but not in veterinary patients. A review of the data between January 2001 and December 2009 at the Minnesota Urolith Center identified the presence of ciprofloxacin in the uroliths of 58 dogs.1 The uroliths were composed of 100% ciprofloxacin in 10 dogs; mixed uroliths containing ciprofloxacin were identified in six dogs, a shell of ciprofloxacin was observed in 21 dogs, and ciprofloxacin surface crystals were identified in 21 dogs. While these uroliths may still be considered rare, it is important to be aware of this potential adverse effect of ciprofloxacin use in dogs.

This "Presentation Recap" summary from the 2011 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum, which took place in Denver, Colo., was contributed by Jennifer L. Garcia, DVM, DACVIM, a veterinary internal medicine consultant in Houston, Texas.

REFERENCE

1. Lulich JP, Osborne CA, Cokley A, et al. Ciprofloxacin urolithiasis: A newly recognized disease in dogs (session abst). J Vet Intern Med 2011;25(3):747.