Ultrasonographic diagnosis of a hair foreign body in the urinary bladder of a dog

Abstract

A 13-year-old male neutered mixed-breed dog with a history of gallbladder mucocele and urolithiasis was evaluated by ultrasound. Two hyperechoic, linear foreign bodies with no distal acoustic shadowing were detected in the urinary bladder and urethra. Following the ultrasound examination, the patient underwent cystoscopy, and two single hairs were found and successfully retrieved. Considering that urinary bladder foreign bodies may be a source for urinary tract infection and can act as a nidus for urocystolith formation, removal is recommended. This is the first published report describing ultrasonographic diagnosis of a hair foreign body in the canine urinary bladder and urethra.