Ultrasonic features of the kidneys and urinary bladder in dogs with clinical signs of urinary disorders

Issue Date

1-2011

Abstract

Sixty-six (66) dogs, 36 males and 30 females, 2-40 kg, 6 mos to 12 yrs old, of various breeds with clinical signs of urinary disorders were examined ultrasonographically using an ultrasound machine equipped with a 3.5 MHz convex array scanner. The ultrasound features of the kidneys and urinary bladder were noted. Of the 66 dogs, nine (5 male, 4 female) dogs did not show any ultrasound abnormalities in the kidneys and/or urinary bladder, four (2 male, 2 female) dogs showed disorders in the kidneys alone, 34 (19 male, 15 female) dogs showed abnormalities in the urinary bladder alone while 19 (10 male, 9 female) dogs exhibited changes in both kidneys and urinary bladder. Abnormal ultrasound features detected in the kidneys include hyperechoic structures casting distinct acoustic shadows, anechoic areas in the pelvis, anechoic areas in the retroperitoneal space, anechoic round structures with distal enhancement, anechoic to hypoechoic areas scattered throughout the kidney, increased anechoic areas with irregular wall and enlarged kidney. In the urinary bladder, detectable ultrasound abnormalities include hyperechoic structures casting an acoustic shadow, thickened walls with or without increased corpuscular echogenicities, breaks in the thickened bladder wall, irregular-shape hyperechoic to hypoechoic areas in the lumen, hyperechoic or hypoechoic mass attached to the bladder wall and enlarged trigone with distended ureter. The results suggest that diagnostic ultrasound can assist the clinician in arriving at a more accurate diagnosis in dogs with clinical signs of urinary disorders.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Journal of Veterinary Medicine

ISSN

0031-7705

Volume

48

Issue

1

Page

8-16

Document Type

Article

Physical Description

illustrations

Language

English

Subject

Dog, Kidneys, Ultrasound, Urinary bladder, Urinary disorder

Digital Copy

yes

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