title: Urinary bladder agenesis in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos) cria.
abstract: A 10-day-old female alpaca (Vicugna pacos) cria with a history of urinary straining and dribbling was presented for evaluation. The animal had markedly elevated blood fibrinogen (800 mg/dl), mildly elevated phosphorus (9.3 mg/dl), and minimally elevated blood urea nitrogen (38 mg/dl) concentrations. The total protein (5.0 g/dl) concentration was mildly decreased. These findings were suggestive of mild renal disease. An abdominal ultrasound revealed bilateral hydronephrosis and hydroureter, and no urinary bladder was identified. Gross postmortem examination revealed urinary bladder agenesis and bilateral hydronephrosis and hydroureter, with both ureters opening into a sinus in the caudal vagina. Histologic examination of the kidneys showed necrosuppurative pyelonephritis with pelvic dilation, and both ureters had mild lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Tufts Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine-Pathology, 200 Westborough Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA. rmelidone@gmail.com
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Melidone
authors.forename: Nicola M A
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: Alisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gruntman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002161:Camelids, New World; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005260:Female; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014513:Ureter / Q000473:pathology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D014508:Urea