A 16-month-old intact female Maltese dog was referred for examination of depression and vomiting. Ultrasonography revealed dilated right renal pelvis containing echogenic fluid with free gas. A hyperechoic material suspected of urolith was identified in the right ureter. Computed tomography revealed emphysematous change of the right kidney associated with ureteral obstruction and extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (EHPSS). Ureteronephrectomy and surgical correction were performed for the EHPSS. Escherichia coli was isolated from pus from the right kidney. Quantitative analysis revealed that the urolith was an ammonium urate stone. After 5 months follow-up, no complication was observed. This is the first report of emphysematous pyonephrosis associated with EHPSS in a dog.

This study was carried out to derive and evaluate reference computed tomography (CT)-based indices for normal canine spine. CT and magnetic resonance images were acquired from 12 clinically normal Beagle dogs (normal group) and 50 dogs with 56 spinal disorders (patient group). Image acquisition regions were cervical spine (C2–T1), thoracic spine (T1–T13), and lumbar spine (L1–L7). Measured indices were: the ratios of width to height of the spinal cord including the dura matter (CR) and of the vertebral foramen (FR), and the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the spinal cord to that of the vertebral foramen (CFAR). Reliability analysis was performed to evaluate intermodality agreement. Student's t-tests and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to discriminate the normal and patient groups on CT. Intermodality agreements of the normal and patient groups were acceptable to excellent. The highest discriminating levels of CR at the vertebral body level and the intervertebral disc space level were 1.25 or more and 1.44 or more, respectively. FR and CFAR had the highest discriminating level at the cervical region. This report presents quantitative information on canine spinal morphometry; the obtained indices may be helpful for CT screening of dogs with spinal disorders.

No abstract

No abstract