Pathology of the urinary system

7) Patent urachus

 

   ∙ 

persistence of the normal fetal communication between urinary bladder and umbilicus; 

   ∙ 

although not important by itself, a patent urachus increases the susceptibility to cystitis. 

 

 

8) Ectopic ureters

 

   ∙ 

disruption of normal embryogenesis results in termination of one or both ureters at a site other than 

the trigone of the urinary bladder, most often the urethra; 

   ∙ 

a rare condition, but the second most common cause of primary urinary incontinence in dogs (after 

urethral sphincter incompetence, which is often related to ovariohysterectomy); seen predominantly 

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9

 

in young females and commonly associated with other abnormalities of the urogenital tract; 

   ∙ 

heredity may play a role in the cause of ectopic ureters; 

   ∙ 

abnormal termination of a ureter may predispose to vesicoureteral reflux (see: Pyelonephritis).