Abstract
Three series of trials involving 10 domestic short-haired cats were carried out to determine the influence of dosage of contrast media or type of chemical restraint on feline excretory urography. The 1st series (group A) involved 5 cats sedated with 2.0 mg/kg intramuscular (i.m) injection of 2% xylazine and receiving 800 mg/kg of 76 % meglumine diatrizoate (urografin). The 2nd series (group B) involved another 5 cats sedated with 2.0 mg/kg (i.m) injection of 2% xylazine and receiving 1200 mg/kg of 76% urografin. The 3rd series (group C) involved the repeat urography of the group B cats but sedated with 15 mg/kg (i.m) injection of 5% ketamine hydrochloride. Ventrodorsal radiographs were obtained immediately, 5, 15 and 40 minutes after the injection of 76% urografin. Scores were assigned to nephrographic opacification as described in the literature. The heart rates, respiratory rates and rectal temperatures of the cats were also determined before sedation, after sedation, immediately after the injection of 76% urografin and at 15-minute intervals over a period of 60 minutes. In this study, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the nephrographic opacification scores between the group A and group B cats at times 0 and 40 minutes post-administration of urografin. Group A cats had good initial nephrographic opacification which faded later while the nephrographic opacification of group B cats progressively increased. Similarly, nephrographic opacification was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the xylazine-sedated cats (groups A and B) than the ketamine-sedated cats (group C). However, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in heart rates, respiratory rates and rectal temperatures between the 3 groups of cats. It was therefore concluded that increasing the dosage of urografin above 800 mg/kg in cats does not provide additional beneficial effects on the nephrograms produced. Xylazine sedation was observed to produce better nephrographic opacification, however, with delayed nephrographic fading compared to ketamine sedation.
Highlights
Excretory urography is defined as sequential radiographic imaging that includes the opacification of the kidneys, renal pelves and ureters following the administration of iodinated contrast medium[7,12]
In our previous study of the excretory urography of xylazine-sedated dogs[1], we suggested that increasing the dosage of contrast agent administered might improve the nephrogram of animals with prior sedation
Opacification tended to persist longer in the xylazine-sedated cats compared to ketamine-sedated cats
Summary
Excretory urography is defined as sequential radiographic imaging that includes the opacification of the kidneys, renal pelves and ureters following the administration of iodinated contrast medium[7,12]. This technique has been used in small animal clinical practice as a satisfactory anatomical tool and for making a crude qualitative evaluation of renal function in both azotemic and nonazotemic patients[5]. The relative rate of nephrographic opacification and fading provides subjective insight into renal blood flow, glomerular filtration and status of renal outflow tract[3,16].
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