title: Renal biopsy: methods and interpretation.
abstract: Renal biopsy most often is indicated in the management of dogs and cats with glomerular disease or acute renal failure. Renal biopsy can readily be performed in dogs and cats via either percutaneous or surgical methods. Care should be taken to ensure that proper technique is used. When proper technique is employed and patient factors are properly addressed, renal biopsy is a relatively safe procedure that minimally affects renal function. Patients should be monitored during the post biopsy period for severe hemorrhage, the most common complication. Accurate diagnosis of glomerular disease, and therefore, accurate treatment planning,requires that the biopsy specimens not only be evaluated by light microscopy using special stains but by electron and immunofluorescent microscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA. shelly_vaden@ncsu.edu
authors.forename: Shelly L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Vaden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*