SONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF KIDNEYS IN DOGS WITH ACUTE AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

The objective of the present study is to sonographically assess size and architecture of kidneys in dogs with acute and chronic kidney disease. The study was conducted in a total of 24 clinical cases of dogs which had either acute or chronic kidney disease and 20 normal healthy dogs which were taken as the control group. In the present study, the dogs with chronic kidney disease of 25-35kg body weight group had a significant decrease in width and a highly significant decrease in volume of left kidney when compared to normal dogs. Irregular contour, indistinct corticomedullary junction, increased cortical echogenecity, increased medullary echogenecity, abnormal internal architecture and medullary rim sign were recorded in dogs with chronic kidney disease. The dogs with acute kidney disease of 25 – 35kg body weight group had a highly significant increase in depth of both the kidneys and a highly significant increase in volume of right kidney when compared with normal dogs. Increased cortical echogenecity was the major finding followed by increased medullary echogenecity and medullary rim sign in dogs with acute kidney injury. In the present study among the body weight range 5-15kg, there was no significant difference in any renal dimensions between control, acute kidney disease and chronic kidney disease group. It is concluded that ultrasound is a reliable aid in differentiating acute and chronic kidney disease when combined with other diagnostic modalities.