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Radiographs (X-rays) of a Cat With Kidney Stones

Kidney stones in a cat... Take a look at the images below and you will see an unusual occurrence of kidney stones in a cat.  Radiology in Veterinary Medicine has been an indispensable tool in evaluating patients and the disorders that affect them.  In this six year old feline patient that was presented with sudden onset of discomfort of undetermined origin, the veterinarian radiographed the cat's abdomen and discovered that both kidneys had calcific material within the kidney pelvic areas.  The cause of the sudden pain in this cat was determined to be from passage of a small mineral fragment from a kidney into the bladder.

This patient is at risk to have a urinary tract blockage in a ureter leading from a kidney into the bladder or in the urethra which leads from the bladder to the external urinary structures.  The underlying cause of mineral deposits (kidney stones) within the kidneys are varied and relate to diet, genetic programming of the kidney tubular function, infection and water intake. Other than the episode of pain, this cat had been acting perfectly normally.  The veterinarian is monitoring the cat closely, has the patient on a special diet that may allow the stones to dissolve, and will schedule routine x-rays of the kidneys to assess the progress of the condition.  The cat is scheduled for an ultrasound examination of the kidney tissue to assess both of the kidneys for structure and size.

Bladder stones in cats are far more common than kidney stones.  Any foreign material within the urinary tract will initiate a response to the irritation caused by the foreign material.  Here is another good example of Radiography assisting the veterinarian in establishing an accurate diagnosis.  Click to enlarge the x-ray images.

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