Philippine E-Journals

Ultrasonographic Features of the Kidneys in Apparently Healthy Ostriches (Struthio camelus) Raised in Captivity

Precious E. Bang-asan | Jezie A. Acorda

Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science

 

Abstract:

Ten apparently healthy captive-bred ostriches (Struthio camelus), four adult females, three adult males and three juveniles, were examined to evaluate the ultrasonographic appearance and echo mean values of the kidneys using an ultrasound machine equipped with a 3.5 MHz convex array scanner. The scanner was placed in the mid-dorso-lateral area, between the rib cage and the pelvic area. Only the cranial lobe and the cranial part of the middle lobe of the kidneys were observed. The kidneys appeared as a non-homogeneous structure with hypoechoic and hyperechoic sections surrounded by a thick hyperechoic capsule. There was no distinct junction between the cortex and the medulla. The kidneys of the adult females and juveniles were more visible than those of the adult males. In female and juvenile ostriches, the left kidney was more visible than the right kidney. In juveniles, the left kidney appeared to be wider than the right kidney. In all groups, the cortex had greater echo mean values than the medulla. The transcutaneous lateral approach where the transducer was directed caudo-dorsally against the flank was shown to be an appropriate acoustic window for examining the cranial lobe and cranial part of the middle lobe of the kidneys of ostriches.