URINARY OBSTRUCTION IN A HERMAPHRODITIC LLAMA

A 24-hour-old cria was admitted for evaluation of stranguria evident s hortly after birth. On physical examination, the prepuce appeared to b e normally formed and small drops of fluid dripped from it as the cria strained to urinate. Testes could not be palpated. Ultrasonographic e xamination revealed that the bladder nias distended. The only abnormal ity detected on serum biochemical analysis was high creatinine concent ration. Tube cystostomy was performed, and the cria was treated with s aline (0.9% NaCl) solution administered intravenously and antibiotics. Four days after admission, the cria could not urinate normally when t he cystostomy tube was occluded. Five days after admission, normo-grad e cystography and retrograde urethrography were performed. Radiographi c findings indicated the cria was an intersex llama with urethral dupl ication. The llama was euthanatized at the owner's request. Necropsy r evealed bilateral ovotestes with a phenotypically female reproductive tract and urethral duplication. Urethral duplication should be conside red as a cause of stranguria in male neonatal crias, and hermaphroditi sm should be included as a cause of urethropathies in llamas.