Renal and hepatic ultrasonography in the neonatal dog

Abstract

The ultrasonographic appearance and size of the liver and kidneys of a litter of five pups was examined from birth until six months of age, and compared with a group of five adults of the same breed. Increased renal cortical echogenicity was evident for the first two weeks of life. Up to 12 weeks of age renal size was relatively large in comparison with body size parameters. After 12 weeks measures of renal size were proportionate with body size and were not significantly different from adult dogs. The neonatal liver had a similar ultrasonographic appearance to the adult, although in the first eight weeks parenchymal echogenic stippling was less coarse and portal veins were less well delineated. Measures of hepatic length were inaccurate during the first four weeks after birth due to changes in body conformation. From eight weeks to six months of age these measures were proportionate with body size, although the ratios differed from adult dogs.