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The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Abstract

Radiographic evaluation of kidney size using the kidney-to-second lumbar vertebral body length (K/L2) ratio is a standard method for assessing kidney size in cats. However, current reference values underdetermine biological factors such as sex and gonadal status, which may influence kidney and lumbar length. Reproductive hormones are known to influence kidney and vertebral development, but their specific effects on radiographic kidney and vertebral measurements in cats are unclear. This retrospective study aimed to assess the effects of gonadal status on kidney length, L2 vertebral length, and the K/L2 ratio in clinically healthy cats. A total of 285 cats were included and categorized by sex and gonadal status. Kidney and L2 measurements were obtained from ventrodorsal abdominal radiographs, and K/L2 ratios were calculated. Associations with age and body weight (BW) were also evaluated. Results showed that the right kidney was significantly longer than the left in all groups. Intact male cats had significantly longer kidneys and higher K/L2 ratios compared to neutered males. Spayed females exhibited longer kidneys than intact females, although no significant difference in K/L2 ratios was observed. Neutered cats of both sexes demonstrated longer L2 vertebrae than intact cats. Both kidney and L2 lengths showed weak positive correlations with BW, but no correlation with age. The K/L2 ratio also correlated weakly with BW and was unaffected by age. These findings exhibited the influence of sex and gonadal status on kidney and vertebral length in cats and highlight the need to consider these factors when interpreting radiographic kidney measurements in clinical practice.

DOI

10.56808/2985-1130.4046

First Page

1

Last Page

6

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