USE OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF RENAL DISEASES IN SMALL ANIMALS

Abstract

Dogs and cats are frequently affected by renal diseases. Common signs are anorexia, loss weight, lethargy, edema, ascites, polyuria, polydipsia, nausea and vomiting. Generally, ultrasonography is one of the first diagnostic tests performed to evaluate the kidneys, due the data obtained with regarding to its shape, size, margins, and internal architecture. Increased or diminished echogenicity of renal cortex, loss of definition between the cortex and medulla, irregular margins, abnormal size, and presence of margin signal and/or band signal, are the major indicative signs of renal disease observed with ultrasonography. Fine needle cytology and kidney’s biopsy guided by means of ultrasound could be required to determine the cause of renal disease and to orientate the practitioner to establish the most accurate therapeutic protocol in affected animals. State of the art ultrasound devices include Duplex Doppler imaging, allowing evaluation of the renal blood flow, which can be used to calculate the resistive index, helping in the ultrasound diagnosis and allowing the evaluation of the patient response to the established treatment.