RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN URETHROVESICAL ANGLES AND URINARY-INCONTINENCE DUE TO URETHRAL SPHINCTER MECHANISM INCOMPETENCE IN BITCHES

In women, the posterior urethrovesical angle is thought to be an impor tant factor in the aetiology of stress urinary incontinence. This form of incontinence has many similarities to urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (SMI) in the bitch. The role of the ventral and dorsal u rethrovesical angles in the aetiology of SMI in the incontinent bitch has yet to be established. Positive-contrast retrograde vagino-urethro grams from 30 incontinent bitches with a diagnosis of SMI and 30 conti nent bitches were retrieved and the angles between the urethra and dor sal and ventral bladder walls were measured. No relationship was shown to exist between the dorsal urethrovesical angle (the equivalent of t he posterior urethrovesical angle in women) and urinary incontinence d ue to SMI in bitches. Differences in ventral urethrovesical angles wer e considered to be associated with differences in bladder neck positio n between the two groups of bitches.