Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with one missing kidney and abnormal other kidney causing illness
By Moon, Hyewon·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2026·School of Veterinary Science, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Presumptive Congenital Unilateral Renal Agenesis With Contralateral Dysplasia/Hypoplasia in a Golden Retriever.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old Golden Retriever was brought in for frequent urination, excessive thirst, loss of appetite, and urinary incontinence. Tests showed serious kidney issues, including a complete absence of one kidney and severe problems with the other. The dog initially improved with supportive care, but unfortunately, its condition worsened over the next few weeks, leading to the difficult decision of euthanasia 18 days later. This case highlights the importance of imaging in diagnosing rare kidney problems in dogs.
People also search for: Golden Retriever kidney disease symptoms · dog urinary incontinence treatment · polyuria in dogs causes
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Congenital renal agenesis with contralateral dysplasia/hypoplasia represents an exceptionally rare morphological presentation in dogs, with only one previous case documented worldwide. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 4-year-old Golden Retriever (Canis lupus familiaris) presented with polyuria, polydipsia, inappetence and urinary incontinence. Laboratory findings revealed severe azotaemia, hyperphosphataemia and non-regenerative anaemia. RESULTS: Multimodal diagnostic imaging demonstrated complete presumptive left renal agenesis with a small dysplastic remnant and severe presumptive right renal dysplasia/hypoplasia with loss of normal renal architecture. The dog showed initial improvement with supportive care but experienced progressive deterioration, with euthanasia elected 18 days after presentation. CONCLUSIONS: This case documents an extremely rare morphological pattern of presumptive congenital renal abnormalities in a dog with an atypically late clinical presentation. The findings emphasise the diagnostic value of imaging in differentiating congenital renal disease from acute kidney disease and expand the current understanding of its potential clinical course in adult dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42033281/