Acquired urethral obstruction in New World camelids: 34 cases (1995-2008)

Objective Document the clinical features, short-and long-term outcomes and prognostic factors in New World camelids with acquired urethral obstruction. Design Retrospective case study. Methods Case data from medical records of 34 New World camelids presenting with acquired urethral obstruction were collected and follow-up information on discharged patients was obtained. Associations with short-and long-term survival were evaluated using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, exact-logistic regressions and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results Of the 34 New World camelids 23 were intact males and 11 were castrated; 4 animals were euthanased upon presentation, 7 were treated medically and 23 surgically, including urethrotomy, bladder marsupialisation, tube cystostomy alone or combined with urethrotomy, urethrostomy or penile reefing. Necrosis of the distal penis was found in 4 animals and all were short-term non-survivors. Short-term survival for surgical cases was 65%, and 57% for medical cases. Incomplete urethral obstruction at admission and surgical treatment were associated with increased odds of short-term survival. Of 14 records available for long-term follow-up, 6 animals were alive and 8 were dead (median follow-up 4.5 years, median survival time 2.5 years). Recurrence of urethral obstruction was associated with long-term non-survival. Conclusions Surgically treated New World camelids with incomplete urethral obstruction have the best odds of short-term survival and those with recurrence of urethral obstruction have a poor prognosis for long-term survival.