Ultrasound is a commonly used, non-invasive imaging tool for assessing and diagnosing urinary tract issues. In this webinar, Dr. Camilla Edwards showcases her systematic hands-on scanning techniques for the detection and diagnosis of urinary tract diseases and disorders in veterinary patients.

Small animal veterinary practices frequently encounter a wide spectrum of urinary tract diseases. Dr. Edwards shares four case studies, offering valuable insights and strategies necessary to identify, locate, and characterize various renal and bladder abnormalities using handheld ultrasound.

She instructs on recognizing the renal cortex, medulla, and pelvis, and discusses what to look for when assessing the urinary bladder contents and walls. This is followed by real-time ultrasound studies of 4 cases, which will aid in determining the appropriate course of action in each of these patients.

Case 1 is a dog who was imported from Greece a number of years ago and had a history of Leishmeniasis and bladder worm, which is rare in her region. POCUS, particularly dynamic imaging, identified some striking findings in both the kidneys and the bladder.

In Case 2, she examines a 10-year-old female domestic short haired cat with a history of weight loss and hyperthyroidism. Dr Edwards performs an ultrasound scan and discovers renal cortices with hyperechoic wedges and an irregular renal margin – highly suggestive of multiple infarcts.

Case 3 is a female German Shepherd dog with a history of haematuria and inappropriate urination. Using handheld ultrasound, a mass is discovered in the trigone area of the bladder extending into the urethra.

In case 4 of a male domestic short-haired cat with a history of urinary tract disease, Dr. Edwards was asked to perform an ultrasound with particular attention to the bladder. The ultrasound clearly demonstrates mineralization, which appears as mobile echoes with posterior shadowing, and an ultrasound guided cystocentesis was performed to confirm the diagnosis.

As a bonus, Dr. Edwards describes the value of cystocentesis in veterinary practice, and how ultrasound guidance can improve the accuracy of the procedure, thus improving the overall success. She demonstrates her technique using a bladder phantom and offers tips to hone your procedural skills.

It’s always helpful to review ultrasound of the normal kidneys and bladder, so as an adjunct to each of the 4 cases, Dr. Edwards will demonstrate her abdominal scanning techniques using videos taken with her own Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Pippi. This helps not only hone your ultrasound scanning skills but also provides a baseline for distinguishing normal from abnormal anatomy.

Dr. Edwards is joined by your host and emergency physician Dr. Oron Frenkel and sonographer Shelley Guenther who showcases live scanning with the new Clarius C7 Vet HD₃! Don’t miss this educational webinar – register today to take your kidney and bladder ultrasound scanning skills to the next level.