Renal dysplasia in a Maltese dog

ABSTRACT

Background: Renal dysplasia (RD) is a common cause of renal failure in young dogs. It is defined as a disorganization inrenal parenchymal development, with abnormal differentiation. In all domestic animal species, RD may be hereditary oracquired. The affected animals show clinical signs of early chronic kidney disease, usually between 3 months to 3 yearsof age. The alterations include persistent metanephric ducts surrounded by primitive mesenchyme, glomeruli and fetaltubules, and abnormal interstitial fibrous tissue. We aimed to report the case of a 1-year-old canine with renal dysplasia.Case A 1-year-old male Maltese dog experiencing polyuria, polydipsia, recurrent episodic vomiting, bloody diarrhea,weight loss, apathy, and anorexia was referred to a private clinic in the municipality of Itabuna-Bahia. Physical examination revealed hypochromic mucosa, dehydration estimated at 8%, rectal temperature of 37.5ºC, halitosis, and a bodyscore of 3 out of 9. Laboratory abnormalities included hematocrit of 18%, with hypochromic normocytic aregenerativeanemia, azotemia (urea - 530 mg/dL, creatinine - 10.5 mg/dL), hyperglobulinemia (4.7 g/dL), low urinary density (1005),proteinuria (300 mg/dL), and urinary pH - 7.0. Ultrasonography revealed bilateral small kidneys with loss of corticomedullary definition, cystic formations of different sizes on the renal surface, and hyperechoic areas in the parenchyma;these alterations were suggestive of bilateral chronic nephropathy. Considering the clinical, hematological, biochemical, andultrasonographic presentation associated with the age of the patient, renal dysplasia was suspected. The patient’s clinicalcondition progressed to loss of consciousness and convulsions, followed by death. Necropsy revealed pale, hypotrophickidneys with firm consistency, irregular capsular surface containing multiple cortical cysts of different sizes, and alteredcortico-medullar proportion. Kidney fragments were sent to...