Topography
- Right kidney: ventral to the transverse processes of T13 to L1-L2; its cranial pole sits in the renal fossa of the caudate process of the liver.
- Left kidney: more caudal and somewhat more mobile, roughly L1 to L3; it moves caudally when the stomach is full.
- Both lie dorsally in the abdomen, outside the peritoneum, wrapped in perirenal fat.
Structure
- Cortex and medulla, with a common renal crest (the dog has no separate renal papillae).
- Renal pelvis and hilus, where the renal artery enters and the renal vein and ureter leave.
Clinical relevance
- Radiographic size: on a ventrodorsal view each kidney measures about 2.5 to 3.5 times the length of the body of L2.
- Chronic kidney disease: small, irregular kidneys in older dogs.
- Urolithiasis: stones can form in the renal pelvis and obstruct the ureter.
- Pyelonephritis: infection ascending from the bladder.
3D model
Contrast-enhanced parenchyma segmented from the CT; each side is its own scan (not mirror copies). The hilus was filled when the surfaces were closed. The ureters, modelled, run from the hilus to the bladder neck.