The urinary system

Question 1

List the structures in the urinary system

Answer 1

Kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra

Question 2

Describe the location of these structures in cats and dogs

Answer 2

Kidneys - at the top (dorsal) and the front of (cranial) the abdomen in a standing animal. There are 2, one on either side of the abdomen.
Ureters - each kidney has a ureter that leads from the kidney back and downwards (ventral) where they attach to the bladder
Bladder - located at the back (caudal) part of the abdomen. Shaped like a balloon with the neck of the balloon directed caudally
Urethra - a tube attached to the neck of the bladder and exiting the body via the penis in males and the vagina in females

Question 3

List the main gross anatomical features of the kidneys

Answer 3

The renal artery and vein, the ureters, the hilus, the renal cortex and medulla.

Question 4

Describe the functions of those structures

Answer 4

Kidneys - Metabolic waste removal, blood pressure regulation & Fluid balance regulation, acid-base regulation & production of the hormone erythropoetin.
Ureters - transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder
Bladder - store urine until the animal is ready to release it
Urethra - tube through which urine is released. Used by the male during reproduction.

Question 5

Name the functional unit of the kidney

Answer 5

The nephron

Question 6

Discuss the methods used to collect urine in small animal patients

Answer 6

Free Catch - just as it sounds but takes skill and timing
Cystocentesis - urine collected directly from the bladder using a needle and syringe
Catheterization - tube called a catheter is passed up the urethra into the bladder and urine is collected through the tube

Question 7

List the anatomical features of the bladder

Answer 7

Urinary bladder where urine is stored, bladder neck that connects the bladder to the urethra, urethral sphincters that control the storage and release of urine, the trigone where the ureters connect to the bladder and the transitional epithelium that keeps a water tight seal even when the bladder fills.

Question 8

List the most common diseases/pathologies of the urinary tract

Answer 8

Urinary tract infection in dogs, chronic kidney disease, urinary tract stones & blockages and dehydration