A collaboration between Purina and the University of California, Davis, will advance scientific understanding of urinary conditions in dogs and cats while providing exceptional care for patients experiencing urinary disease.

A Nestlé Purina PetCare grant of nearly $1 million over 5 years will support the School of Veterinary Medicine’s G.V. Ling Urinary Stone Analysis Laboratory (USAL). It will allow companion animal veterinarians to provide free urinary stone analysis results to their patients.  

The collaboration holds promise for future innovations in veterinary urology by investigating new diets and supplements to expand stone diagnosis and new devices for managing urinary diseases in companion animals.

“Urinary diseases are common and often recurrent problems in companion animals. The shared goal of the USAL and Purina’s global research teams is to advance the science of urinary tract health in companion animals by investigating the relationship between diet, environmental and patient factors, and urinary tract conditions, including urolithiasis,” said Sheri Smithey, senior vice president, Global PetCare R&D at Purina. “Data obtained through the USAL submission process will be essential to helping us better understand these relationships and expand clinical and research endeavors to improve urinary health in dogs and cats.”

Under the grant agreement, the USAL will provide free analyses and interpretations along with consultations to veterinary practitioners for up to 800 new stone submissions a year.  By utilizing data submitted and analyzed by the USAL, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of urolithiasis management and abnormal tissue mineralization.

“Because the risk factors for urinary stone disease are complex and multifactorial, our goal is to better understand urolith formation while helping veterinarians work with their clients to tailor and optimize preventive management strategies,” said USAL Director Dr. Jodi Westropp. She noted that the scope of veterinary urology research also extends to other common conditions such as feline idiopathic cystitis, as well as diagnostics and therapeutics for urinary tract infections in dogs.

UC Davis Veterinary Medicine has long led in urology research and treatment. In 2022, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) American Board of Veterinary Specialties provisionally recognized the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology (ACVNU) as veterinary medicine’s newest specialty discipline. Decades in the making, the charge for ACVNU’s establishment was led by Dr. Larry Cowgill, an alumni and professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, along with an organizing committee of leading experts in the field.

In addition, the school has long been a trailblazer in veterinary nutrition. With three board-certified nutritionists, UC Davis leads veterinary academia in nutrition research, clinical care, and training. Its 3-year residency program in nutrition is one of only six in the nation. 

“Thanks to this generous grant from Purina, we look forward to building stronger relationships with veterinary practitioners and providing them with evidence-based tools to better manage patients and meet their needs,” said Westropp.