Displasia renal em filhote de tamanduá bandeira (Myrmecophaga trydactila) de vida livre - aspectos ultrassonográficos e tomográficos / Renal dysplasia in a free-living giant anteater cub (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) - ultrasonographic and tomographic aspects

ABSTRACT

Background: Renal dysplasia is a congenital disorder that occurs during differentiation of the renal parenchyma or as aconsequence of a functional and/or structural obstruction of the lower urinary tract. In wild animals, this pathology has beenreported in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) and African elephants(Loxodanta africana). However, there are no reports of the disease in the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). Thus,this paper describes a case of renal dysplasia in a free-living giant anteater cub, which was sent to the wild animal clinicof the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) in Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.Case The rescued animal had a good body condition score and clinical parameters within the normal range for the species.After a routine clinical evaluation, the anteater cub was subjected to radiography and ultrasound tests. Blood tests, serumtests for hepatic and renal profiles, urinalysis, urinary protein creatinine ratio, and chest X-rays did not reveal significantchanges. However, the abdominal ultrasound examination revealed a volumetric loss of about 1.17 cm in length in theleft kidney, and a renal length to aortic artery diameter ratio of approximately 2.8. This kidney showed irregular contours,loss of corticomedullary demarcation, with preserved echogenicity and cortical echotexture. The right kidney showedthe standard size of the species, with a length of approximately 3.08 cm. In view of the suspicion of renal dysplasia, acontrast-enhanced CT scan was performed in order to assess the dynamics of uptake and excretion of the contrast mediumin the affected kidney and in the ipsilateral collecting system. An examination of the tomographic images indicated thatthe volume of the left kidney was reduced, isodense in relation to the right kidney, with discrete and homogeneous uptakein all phases after administration of the contrast medium, no occurrence of nephrogram...