Intermittent Urethral Obstruction Secondary to Caudal Sliding of a Pelvic Bladder in 3 Dogs

Three Yorkshire terrier dogs (2 males and 1 female) were presented for investigation of chronic dysuria and stranguria. Physical examination was unremarkable except for a poorly filled bladder. Biological tests, urinalysis, ultrasound, and routine radiography detected no significant abnormality, except for intermittent displacement of the bladder in the pelvis. Manual voiding cysto-urethrography showed marked caudal displacement of the bladder without perineal hernia and revealed intermittent, dynamic urethral obstruction. Obstructive kinking of the membranous urethra was observed in male dogs, and the marked caudal displacement of the bladder in the female dog was suspected to induce similar urethral obstruction, although this was not clearly visualized because of the absence of contrast filling of the obstructed urethra. All dogs showed resolution of the clinical signs following cystopexy. Key clinical message: This report documents the diagnostic value of manual voiding cysto-urethrography for the investigation of dynamic voiding disorders, especially in dogs with a pelvic bladder.