Chronic renal failure associated with nephrolithiasis, ureterolithiasis, and renal dysplasia in a 2-year-old quarter horse gelding.

The study reports a case of chronic kidney disease in a 2-year-old quarter horse gelding due to kidney stones, bladder stones and abnormal kidney development.

Case Presentation

• The 2-year-old quarter horse gelding was examined due to excessive urination and unquenchable thirst. The horse’s blood chemistry revealed azotemia, an elevated level of nitrogen-containing compounds, indicating a possible kidney function issue.

Diagnostic Findings

• An ultrasound of the horse’s kidneys showed small, abnormal, echogenic (generating echoes) kidneys with a loss of distinction between the cortex and medulla (corticomedullary demarcation). Hydronephrosis (swelling of a kidney due to a build-up of urine) and a kidney stone in the right kidney were also observed.

Final Diagnosis

• Final diagnosis was determined histopathologically, that is, by examining a sample of kidney tissue under a microscope. This was obtained through an ultrasound-guided biopsy, a procedure where a needle is guided by ultrasound to obtain a tissue sample. The end result confirmed end-stage kidney disease and abnormal kidney development (also known as dysplasia).

Additional Findings

• Two bladder stones were detected in the right ureter (the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) through a cystoscopy, a procedure that uses a thin, flexible tube to visualize the inside of the urinary bladder.
• A kidney stone was found in the right kidney post-mortem during the autopsy.

Discussion

• The study provides a detailed discussion on the clinical, ultrasonographic, and pathological features of stones in the urinary system (urolithiasis) and abnormal kidney development (renal dysplasia) in horses, contributing to the scientific understanding of these conditions.