Polycystic kidney disease in a Labrador dog

Abstract

An eleven-month labrador dog was brought to Veterinary clinical complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal with a history of anorexia, frequent vomition and progressive weight loss. Hematology and serum biochemical analysis showed severe anaemia, leukopaenia, azotemia, hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia. The case was tentatively diagnosed as Polycystic kidney disease based on clinical signs, haematobiochemical parameters and ultrasonography. In spite of the palliative treatment, the animal died within a week and the same was referred to Department of Veterinary Pathology for necropsy. The carcass was severely emaciated and ulcers were noticed in the oral cavity. Kidneys showed numerous, whitish, irregular and varying-sized fluid-filled cysts studded over the entire renal parenchyma. Histopathological examination of the kidney revealed large amount of fibrous tissue in the interstitium with irregularly dilated cysts and some cysts with homogeneous, acidophilic material in the lumen. On Masson’s trichrome staining and Van Gieson’s staining, the fibrous stroma appeared blue and bright red in colour respectively. The liver showed portal fibrosis with bile duct hyperplasia. This communication deals with the pathology of congenital polycystic kidney disease in a dog.