BILATERAL HYDRONEPHROSIS IN A SUGAR GLIDER (PETAURUS BREVICEPS)

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Comparative Pathology
• Marsupial Physiology

Background:

• Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are small marsupials increasingly kept as exotic pets.
• Urinary tract diseases, while common in some domestic animals, are less documented in marsupials.
• This report details a unique case of severe urinary tract obstruction in a sugar glider.

Observation:

• An adult male sugar glider presented with acute caudal abdominal swelling and signs of distress.
• Initial diagnostic imaging revealed a fluid-filled abdominal structure suggestive of bladder distension.
• Clinical signs progressed to severe depression, hypoglycemia, electrolyte imbalances, and azotemia.

Findings:

• Ultrasonography demonstrated bilateral hydronephrosis and hydroureter, indicating urine outflow obstruction.
• Postmortem examination confirmed ureteral dilation, renal pelvis dilation, and petechial hemorrhages.
• Histopathology revealed submucosal edema, hemorrhage, and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration in the urinary bladder, ureters, and renal pelvises, suggesting inflammation-induced obstruction.

Implications:

• The findings suggest that inflammation and epithelial hyperplasia of the urinary tract can cause functional obstruction in sugar gliders.
• This case represents the first documented instance of hydronephrosis in a marsupial species.
• Understanding such conditions is crucial for diagnosing and managing urinary diseases in exotic pets like sugar gliders.