Kidney size in three cat breeds

November 26, 2013

Debruyn K, Paepe D, Daminet S, et al. Comparison of renal ultrasonographic measurements between healthy cats of three cat breeds: Ragdoll, British Shorthair and Sphynx. J Feline Med Surg. 2013; 15: 478-82.
 
Kidney disease is a common health concern in cats and ultrasonography is a useful tool for investigation and diagnosis of kidney disease. As a diagnostic imaging modality, ultrasound can offer important anatomical information such as kidney size, shape, and internal architecture. A change in kidney size, shape, and contour can be an indication of kidney disease. One area where changes in kidney size can be helpful is in the differentiation of acute kidney injury from chronic kidney disease. Increased size is more commonly seen with acute injury, whereas reduced kidney size suggests chronic disease.
 
In this study, kidney length, cortical thickness, medullary thickness, and corticomedullary ratio was determined in healthy cats belonging to three cat breeds: Sphynx (n= 11), British Shorthair (n = 15), and Ragdoll (n = 15). Of all these measurements, renal length showed the highest variation among the breeds. Overall, individual and kidney side (right versus left) variation were more pronounced than the interbreed variation. Sphynx cats were inclined to have larger kidneys (4.09 ± 0.33 cm) than British Shorthair (3.77 ± 0.43 cm) and Ragdoll cats (3.87 ± 0.41 cm). However, British Shorthair cats were inclined to have a thinner renal cortex and medulla (0.67 ± 0.13 cm and 0.76 ± 0.18 cm respectively) than Sphynx (0.76 ± 0.14 cm and 0.90 ± 0.25 cm respectively) and Ragdoll cats (0.75 ± 0.13 cm and 0.91 ± 0.22 cm respectively). In the end, however, the tests did not reveal significant statistical differences between these particular cat breeds. [VT]

See also: Debruyn K, Haers H, Combes A, et al. Ultrasonography of the feline kidney: Technique, anatomy and changes associated with disease. J Feline Med Surg. 2012; 14: 794-803.