Ultrasound and excretory urography findings in the diagnostic of congenital renal ectopy of a dog

Abstract

Renal ectopy is a rare condition in small animals, characterized by abnormal positioning of one or both kidneys. It is classified as simple or crossed and, according to its localization, being diagnosed in an incidental way in pets because of its nonspecific and many times asymptomatic clinical presentation. Imaging exams such as ultrasound, radiography, and excretory urography may close the diagnosis. This paper reports a case of simple, unilateral, renal ectopy, in a three-year-old male Lhasa Apso dog, with no clinical or laboratory findings consistent with renal disease, in which the ectopic condition, together with shape, rotation, and vascular abnormalities, were incidental findings during abdominal ultrasound examination.