Complications of retrograde contrast urethrography in dogs and cats.
Urinary bladder lesions varying histologically from a focal hemorrhagic cystitis to a diffuse transmural fibrinonecrotic cystitis were encountered in 11 of 14 dogs and cats euthanatized 1 day after retrograde urethrography. Focal-to-diffuse hemorrhagic urethritis was histologically encountered in 14 of 14 dogs and cats euthanatized 1 day after retrograde urethrography. Lesions in the urinary bladder and urethra were not reversible within 14 days and were evident histologically in 10 of 15 urinary bladders and 11 of 15 urethras of dogs and cats euthanatized 14 days after retrograde urethrography. During urethrography, iatrogenic mural leakage of contrast media into the bladder wall or bladder wall rupture was encountered radiographically in 6 of 15 dogs and 3 of 14 cats. However, macroscopic evidence of bladder rupture was encountered in only 1 male dog at necropsy. Immediately after retrograde urethrography, macroscopic hematuria occurred in 12 of 15 dogs and 9 of 14 cats. Microscopic hematuria was not encountered in dogs or cats euthanatized 14 days after urethrography. Pyuria was encountered less frequently and was present in only 2 cats euthanatized 14 days after urethrography. One day after urethrography, urinary tract infection characterized by urine cultures with greater than 10(5) microbes/ml was encountered in 4 of 29 dogs and cats. All animals with urinary tract infection were female dogs or cats. At day 14, only 1 female cat had a positive urine culture. Seemingly, the technique of retrograde urethrography was the cause of the encountered lesions.
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000662:veterinary; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000662:veterinary; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012421:Rupture; D014521:Urethra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000662:veterinary; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000662:veterinary; D014567:Urography / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000662:veterinary