Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ is a cystic enlargement of the kidney due to dilation of the ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ structures, where urine is aggregated prior to making its journey to the bladder. This leads to a kidney that looks a bit like a water balloon!
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Any species can get this condition!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Basically, any form of ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ of the lower urinary tract (ureters, bladder, urethra) can cause this. Urine continues to be made in the kidney, even when the outflow is obstructed, which leads to increased pressure in the urinary system. Eventually, this pressure leads to dilation of the tubular parts of the kidney, causing them to form giant cyst-like structures.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
As the cysts continue to grow, they put pressure on the kidney tissue around them, causing ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฒ (cell loss). If both kidneys are affected, or there is some pre-existing disease in the unaffected kidney, the animal may start showing signs of ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ซ๐. If there is a complete obstruction that prevents all urine outflow, animals will quickly develop signs of ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐, the accumulation of toxins normally excreted in the urine.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Typically the veterinarian will first diagnose the obstruction that caused the hydronephrosis. Signs of urinary obstruction in animals include straining to urinate, small amounts of blood in the urine, or painful urination. From there, they might do an ultrasound of the kidneys, which will quickly reveal a very fluid-filled kidney!
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
First and foremost, the obstruction needs to be relieved in order for the animal to have a normal life again. However, the structural changes of hydronephrosis are typically irreversible. In some cases, the veterinarian may elect to remove the affected kidney surgically, after confirming that the remaining kidney has enough function to maintain life.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1) A kidney that looks rather like a water balloon.
2-6) Examples of hydronephrosis kidneys after being cut in half, showing all the cysts and compression of the surrounding tissue.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-6 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributor OโToole, Jakowski, Niyo, Metro, Mosier licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
