Excretory urography can track down morphological changes in the urinary bladder associated with urachal anomalies in calves for early diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate radiographic detection by excretory urography of morphological changes in the urinary bladder associated with urachal anomalies in calves.

METHODS

Excretory urography was performed to detect morphological changes in the urinary bladder of 13 calves, of which 6 were nondysuric with swelling of umbilical region and 7 were dysuric without clinical umbilical swelling from November 2022 through April 2024.

RESULTS

The urinary bladder was delineated in all 13 calves after excretory urography. The aspect ratios (length:height), which objectively evaluate the shape of the urinary bladder, ranged from 1.08 to 2.43 (1.90 in average) and 1.34 to 11.89 (4.75 in average) in nondysuric and dysuric calves, respectively. The ratios of calves with nondysuric were significantly lower than those of dysuric (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Excretory urography could play an important role in evaluating abnormal morphological changes due to urachus anomalies in the urinary bladder of calves.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Among calves with dysuria, urachal anomaly should be included in the differential diagnosis. Excretory urography is proposed as an alternative option for early diagnosis among calves presenting with dysuria to improve livestock productivity.