Exotics renal anatomy and physiology Flashcards
Describe nitrogenous waste in aquatic organisms
excrete ammonia directly
Describe nitrogenous waste of terrestrial organisms
Mammals, terrestrial amphibians - urea
Birds, reptiles - Uric acid (uricotelism)
Describe the features of uric acid
Made in liver
Highly insoluble:
- water conservation
- storage in eggs
Tubular secretion via reptilian-type nephrons
Excretion is independent of:
- urine flow rate
- tubular water reabsorption
- hydration state
Describe the causes of gout in birds and reptiles
Hyperuricemia (excess uric acid) => precipitates out of blood into organs and joints => gout (visceral and articular)
Causes:
- renal disease
- high dietary protein - too many AAs => more uric acid
- dehydration - urates produced which cannot be flushed => renal gout
- nephrotoxic drugs - damages renal tubules
Describe the composition of urates in birds and reptiles
Precipitate:
- uric acid
- protein
- Na+ (carnivorous)
- K+ (herbivorous)
Enters cloaca and mixes with faecal material
Why are birds and reptiles able to excrete urates even when dehydrated?
Uric acid crystals precipitate => no osmotic pressure so does not draw water out with it
Why is urinalysis useless in birds and reptiles?
Due to mixing of urine, urate and faecal material
Describe the use of the renal portal valve in exotics
Normal:
Valve closed (ACh): limbs => renal portal veins => kidney => caudal vena cave
Stressed or dehydrated:
Valve open (adrenaline): limbs => caudal vena cava
How does the renal portal system in exotics protect against ischemic necrosis of the kidney?
Blood from tail/caudal body travels to the heart via the kidney
Portal system ensures blood flow to tubules (does not supply glomerulus)
Describe the clinical implications of the renal portal system in exotics
Drug pharmacokinetics:
- if drugs injected into caudal region, goes to kidneys first => damage or excretion
Caudal mesenteric vein:
- contributes to renal portal system
- disease of GIT => kidneys
- toxins from gut
Label the fish nephrons
Label the freshwater glomerular teleost nephron
Label the marine glomerular teleost nephron
Label the marine aglomerular teleost nephron
Label the reptilian nephron
Describe the key difference between fish/reptile and mammalian nephrons
fish/reptile nephrons have no LoH
Describe the avian nephrons
70-90% Reptile type nephrons:
- no LoH
- Cortex only
10-30% Mammalian type nephrons:
- LoH
- cortex -> medulla
Limited urine concentration
Describe the avian response to dehydration
Aginine vasotocin (avian ADH equivalent)
- stimulated by increased plasma osmolarity
- constricts afferent arteriole (renal portal system maintains perfusion)
-controls tubular water permeability
Urine can be retropulsed from the urodeum into the colon and caecum for sodium-linked water reabsorption