Urinary Tract Flashcards
Females in what species have a separate external orifice for urinary and reproductive tracts?
Rodents
What renal changes are commonly seen with Aleutian disease in ferrets?
Membranous glomerulonephritis; lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate in interstitium
What renal changes are seen with systemic coronavirus in ferrets?
Granulomatous inflammation
What is the most common renal neoplasm in ferrets?
Malignant lymphoma
What group of ferrets has an increased risk of developing sterile struvite urolithiasis?
Neutered males
What are the most common reported causes of renal disease in rabbits?
Encephalitozoonosis, chronic renal failure, urolithiasis
What signs occur with E cuniculi-associated renal disease?
PU/PD, decreased appetite, weight loss, dehydration, lethargy; can be occult as well
What lesions can be seen in rabbits with end-stage kidney disease?
Gross scarring and marked interstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis histologically
What makes up the majority of uroliths and urinary sludge in rabbits?
Calcium carbonate
What is the typical appearance of bladder herniation in a male rabbit?
The presence of a fluid-filled mass in the scrotum with no palpable bladder in the abdomen
What are two strategies for managing urinary sludge in rabbits?
- Encouraging water consumption and exercise
- Dietary modification
What 3 diseases have been linked to insufficient water intake in guinea pigs?
Cystitis, urolithiasis, obstipation
What is the most common causative agent of cystitis in female guinea pigs?
Escherichia coli
Exposure to what nutrient in excess can lead to renal mineralization in guinea pigs?
Vitamin D (feeding commercial diet with errors in formulation OR feeding a rodent diet)
What characteristic of herbivore urine complicates dietary modification efforts to reduce urolith formation?
An alkaline pH
What is the most common problem seen in hamster kidneys?
Amyloidosis
What nematode can infect the epithelial mucosa of the renal pelvis and urinary bladder of rats (and pass eggs in the urine)?
Trichosomoides crassicauda (typically asymptomatic)
What is the most common renal disease in rats?
chronic progressive nephropathy or ‘old rat’ nephropathy
Unlike rabbits and guinea pigs, chinchillas excrete nearly 80% of this mineral via feces?
Excessive calcium
Where are most uroliths in chinchillas found?
The urinary bladder
What is the most common renal problem in hedgehogs?
Chronic nephritis
List 3 techniques for improving hydration in ECM patients with CKD.
- Provide water in bowl and bottle
- Moisten greens/hay, supplement with liquid foods
- SQ fluid administration
List three sites for intraosseous catheter placement in ECM patients.
Femur, tibia, proximal humerus
How is an excretory urogram (aka intravenous pyelogram) performed?
Injecting contrast media IV and obtaining 2-view radiographs or fluoroscopic images immediately/serially at 0, 2, 4, 20 and 40 minutes
What is a contraindication for administration of IV contrast?
Dehydration or oliguric renal failure
What is the most sensitive test to detect tears or disruptions of the renal capsule and ureters?
Excretory urogram
How is positive-contrast cystourethrography (or retrograde cystography) performed?
Contrast is administered from distal urethra retrograde into urinary bladder, obtaining radiographs during and after contrast is administered
What is the best test to visualize the lumen/mucosal surface of the urethra?
Retrograde cystourethrography
What anatomical feature limits imaging of the urinary tract via ultrasound?
Gas accumulation within the large GI tract
What feature do rabbit kidneys have that makes them distinguishable from other species on ultrasound?
A large amount of hyperechoic fat within the renal sinus
What commonly benign renal pathology is commonly found in older ferrets?
Renal cysts
What uroliths are difficult to detect on radiographs, but can be detected via ultrasonography?
Cysteine or urate (radiolucent uroliths)
What are potential causes of hydronephrosis?
Ureteral obstruction by ureteroliths, ureter ligation during OVH, or postoperative adhesions, secondary to congenital ureterovesicular stenosis or renal pelvic neoplasia
What benefits does contrast provide during a CT of the urinary tract?
Improved resolution of soft tissue structures and distinction of cortical, medullary, and pelvic portions of upper UT, can confirm ureter patency and ID ureteral disruption. Can also allow quantification of the GFR
What is now the most common urolith type in North American ferrets?
Cystine
In contrast with dogs and cats, this biochemistry value is often within normal limits even in ferrets with severe renal compromise
Creatinine
How is a uroabdomen diagnosed?
Abdominocentesis; compare ratio of fluid creatinine to serum creatinine. Ratio >/= 2:1 confirms uroabdomen
List 6 possible complications of surgery for urolithiasis in ferrets.
- Uroabdomen
- Peritonitis
- Cystic wall necrosis
- Urethral obstruction that can’t be unobstructed
- Urethral tearing
- Urethral necrosis
What are two common locations for obstructive urethroliths in ferrets?
- Pelvic flexure
- Proximal to os penis in penile urethra
What 5 factors would the ideal dissolution or prevention diet for ferret cystine urolithiasis contain?
- Increased alkalinity
- Low in methionine
- Low in cystine
- Increased water content
- Low in sodium
What dietary component is thought to contribute to an increase in cystine urolithiasis in ferrets in North America?
Legumes (peas and lentils most commonly)
What are signs of fluid overload to watch for with AKI (or really other reasons too)?
SQ edema
Increased RR/effort
Weight gain
What is the most accurate method for measuring urine output?
Indwelling urinary catheter w/closed collection system
How is oliguria defined?
Urine output <1 mL/kg/hr in well-hydrated, normotensive patient
How is anuria defined?
<0.08 mL/kg/h in well-hydrated, normotensive patient
What is the prognosis in a patient that has been oliguric for 12 hrs after medical intervention?
Grave - dialysis is only option (and not really an option in most cases, only 1 rabbit case report exists, besides lab models)
What drug can be administered to an anuric/oliguric patient to increase urine flow?
Furosemide (but unsure if it actually improves prognosis)
When is sodium bicarbonate IV therapy considered?
Severe metabolic acidosis w/pH <7.1
