Common venous renal trunk in two dogs: multidetector computed tomographic imaging findings

Abstract

In dogs, variation in the branching pattern of renal veins is rare with only few patterns reported. This report describes two unusual anomalies of the renal vein branching patterns in two dogs. In dog 1, a common renal trunk drained both kidneys, in a T-shape pattern, in the caudal vena cava after a long right perirenal course. In dog 2, a common venous trunk branched cranially from the pre-renal segment of an azygos-caudal vena cava venous trunk and divided into the renal veins in a Y-shape pattern. Proper knowledge of the possible anatomical variations in renal venous drainage may be helpful during imaging assessment and surgical planning of several canine diseases involving the abdominal vasculature and retroperitoneal space.