title: Sonography of the distal urethra in lambs.
abstract: Sonography is a convenient, non-invasive diagnostic modality in small ruminants, often used in reproductive management, internal medicine, and surgery. Pregnancy diagnostics and imaging anatomy and pathology of organs, such as neoplasia, are major applications. Urolithiasis is one of the most common causes of death in male sheep and goats, for which sonography is the diagnostic modality of choice. Although ultrasound-imaging techniques for kidneys, ureters, and urinary bladder in small ruminants have been described previously, this study focuses on reporting the imaging technique of the extra-pelvic portion of the urethra, as nearly all the cases of obstructive urolithiasis result from urinary stones in this part. Thirty-three Lacaune-crossbred lambs were examined using a 12 MHz linear probe in laterally recumbent animals. Using this technique, the urethral lumen could be visualised through its entire course in all lambs.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology of Large and Small Animals with Ambulatory Services, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 106, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: AlLugami
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Small Animals, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 108, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Pückler
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology of Large and Small Animals with Ambulatory Services, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 106, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wehrend
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology of Large and Small Animals with Ambulatory Services, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 106, 35392, Giessen, Germany. Marlene.Sickinger@vetmed.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2231-1622
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sickinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014521:Urethra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Lambs; Small ruminants; Sonography; Urethra; Urolithiasis