Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ค๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐, or PKD, is an inherited disease of kidney development where multiple large ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ (fluid filled structures with a lining) form within the kidney.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
The typical โposter childโ for this disease are Persian cats, however this disease has also been described in certain breeds of dogs and sheep. There have also been described cases of an unknown โoriginโ in piglets, calves, goats, puppies, kittens and foals.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Generally, this disease is caused by genetic defects in the ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ (cells that line the kidney tubules where urine is made). In particular, it is the ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ (little projections of the cell into the tubule) that are affected, however it is not certain how their genetic abnormality leads to the development of cysts.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
In general, small cysts or only a couple of cysts arenโt a huge issue, as the kidney has an amazing reserve capacity. In fact, you only see signs of renal failure once 70%+ of the kidney has been affected by a disease! However, these cysts tend to expand over time, causing compression of the normal kidney tissue around them, and ultimately death of those cells. So animals with PKD are particularly predisposed to renal failure as they age, due to the effect of these cysts.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
PKD is generally diagnosed based on X-ray or ultrasound. You can also see signs of renal failure on bloodwork, if the animal has progressed to that stage.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Unfortunately the only real treatment is supportive care, as the kidneys themselves are fundamentally abnormal. Once these animals enter renal failure, their prognosis is often quite poor, leading to euthanasia.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Some beautiful Swiss cheese kidneys 
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-2 courtesy of University of Calgary Diagnostic Services Unit.
Photos 3-4 courtesy of Noahโs Arkive.
