Jl. Gookin et al., UNILATERAL NEPHRECTOMY IN DOGS WITH RENAL-DISEASE - 30 CASES (1985-1994), Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 208(12), 1996, pp. 2020
Objective-To evaluate indications for and complications, efficacy, and
effect son renal function of unilateral nephrectomy in dogs with rena
l disease,and to evaluate the role that scintigraphy had in the decisi
on to excise a kidney. Design-Retrospective case series. Animals-30 do
gs with renal disease that underwent unilateral nephrectomy. A compari
son group of 12 dogs with renal calculi that underwent renal scintigra
phy but not nephrectomy was included. Results-Indications for nephrect
omy included renal or ureteral calculi (n = 10), renal mass (8), chron
ic pyelonephritis (5), perirenal mass (3), severe hydronephrosis and h
ydroureter (3), and renal hypoplasia with ureteral ectopia (1). None o
f the dogs were azotemic before surgery. Renal scintigraphy apparently
influenced the decision to perform nephrectomy, because in 14 of 16 d
ogs that underwent nephrectomy, the affected kidney contributed less t
han or equal to 33% of the total glomerular filtration rate, but in 6
of 8 comparison dogs that underwent nephrotomy, the affected kidney co
ntributed > 33% of total glomerular filtration rate. Complications of
nephrectomy included oliguria (5) and organ laceration 12). Mean I SD
final serum creatinine concentration for 16 dogs alive at least 6 mont
hs after nephrectomy was 2.2 +/- 1.8 mg/dl Three dogs had chronic rena
l failure of undetermined cause at the time or death, Nephrectomy did
not completely resolve the underlying disease in 13 dogs. Renal functi
on was evaluated in 6 dogs 2 to 3.5 years alter nephrectomy and was im
paired in 4. None of the dogs were anemic; azotemic, proteinuric, or h
ypertensive. Survival time varied depending on the underlying disease.
Clinical Implications-Multiple factors contributed to the decision to
perform nephrectomy, Unilateral nephrectomy resulted in few serious c
omplications and was not detrimental to the remaining kidney, bur did
not always resolve the underlying-disease.