Cutaneous tubeless ureterostomy as a procedure to study renal function in conscious dogs

We describe the results obtained with a modified technique for single-side cutaneous ureterostomy in awake mongrel dogs. The success of this surgical procedure was evaluated by intravenous pyelography and urinary cultures that ruled out infection. In addition, we investigated the effects of this procedure on the excretory capacity of the kidney with a diverted ureter. Average values for effective renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate were comparable to those obtained in the literature and in the constralateral untouched kidney of the same dogs. The results indicate that cutaneous ureterostomy can be used successfully to monitor renal function in awake dogs over periods of weeks or months.