Effect of acetohydroxamic acid on prevention of canine struvite uroliths.

Long-term administration of acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) to dogs with experimentally induced urease-positive staphylococcal urinary tract infections, and bladder zinc disk foreign bodies inhibited urolith growth in 2 dogs and prevented urolith growth in 4 dogs. Inhibition and prevention of urolith growth were associated with reduction in urine urease activity, crystalluria, pyuria, hematuria, and proteinuria. Lesions in the urinary tract of AHA-treated dogs were less severe than those of infected control dogs. Administration of AHA for 6 months induced mild morphologic abnormalities in RBC, but did not cause hemolytic anemia.