Ultrasonographic and Clinicopathological Studies on Feline polycystic kidney disease

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Departments of 1clinical pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University

2 Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University

Abstract

Feline polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most important causes of kidney failure in Persians and Persian related cats and the most prevalent inherited feline disease. The aim of the present work is to investigate the cases of feline polycystic kidney disease through ultrasonography, clinicopathological as well as cytological examination in Persians and Persian related cats. The present study was carried out on fourteen Persians and Persian related cats which were admitted to the Veterinary Clinics in Giza governorate (9 diseased and 5 apparently healthy cats) between November 2014 and December 2015. All cats were ranged from 6-15 years. All cats were subjected to ultrasonographic, clinicopathological examinations while cytological and histopathological examinations were done for diseased animals after necropsy. Ultrasonography showed bilateral renomegaly with multiple anechoic round to irregularly cysts inside the renal cortex and medulla. Anemia was the most common abnormality revealed by CBC and was characterized as nonregenerative normocytic, normochromic anemia. Serum biochemistry revealed severe azotemia with hyperphosphatemia, hypoproteinemia and hypocalcemia as a consequence of progressive loss of renal function. Renal impression smears of diseased cats showed tubular casts with infiltration of the renal smears with reactive lymphocytes. In conclusion, the clinical and clinicopathological abnormalities identified in diseased cats were attributed to the severe renal impairment. Since PKD is hereditary disease, the best way to prevent it is to identify PKD-affected cats using ultrasound and remove them from the breeding pool by spaying and neutering.

Main Subjects