Sonographic evaluation of urinary bladder wall thickness in normal dogs.

Urinary bladder wall thickness was evaluated by ultrasonography in 16 normal dogs. Sterile saline solution was administered via urinary catheters to control the degree of bladder distention. Bladder wall thickness was measured on static ultrasound images in 4 locations and at 3 degrees of bladder distention (minimal, mild, and moderate). Four randomized distention sequences with 3 distentions per sequence were performed on each dog and the data were analyzed using Williams' balanced Latin square. Mean bladder wall thickness was 2.3 mm in minimally distended bladders (0.5 ml/kg saline), 1.6 mm in mildly distended bladders (2 ml/kg saline) and 1.4 mm in moderately distended bladders (4 ml/kg saline). Mean bladder wall thickness increased significantly with increasing body weight and with decreasing bladder distention. The caudoventral measurement location produced a statistically significant smaller measurement, with a difference of 0.3 mm. Sex did not affect bladder wall thickness. Distention sequence and repetition of distentions did not affect bladder wall thickness.