RENAL AND HEPATIC ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE NEONATAL DOG

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 lif e. 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 fro m adult dogs. The neonatal liver had a similar ultrasonographic appear ance to the adult, although in the first eight weeks parenchymal echog enic stippling was less coarse and portal veins were less well delinea ted. Measures of hepatic length were inaccurate during the first four weeks after birth due to changes in body conformation, From eight week s to six months of age these measures were proportionate with body siz e, although the ratios differed from adult dogs.