Background: Echoes are frequently observed in cat bladder contents through ultrasonography and often mentioned as incidental findings. No comprehensive study has been conducted so far on the precise echoes nature in the bladder contents ultrasonography in cats. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to provide an accurate description of the cat bladder contents echoes and to specify the relationship between ultrasonographic findings and urinalyses. METHODS: 30 adult DSH cats were investigated. Bladder ultrasonography was performed. The numbers of echoes in the bladder were qualitatively divided into four classes. At least 5 ml of urine was collected with cystocentesis. Urinalysis was performed on the urine sediment. The statistical analyses were done. RESULTS: Echoes were observed in 19 cases. The echoes were suspended in 17 of the cases, in those cases they were observed and clumped in 2 cases. Of the 19 cases where echoes had been observed in the bladder contents, 9 included oil droplets, 2 included struvite crystals and 4 included hematuria as reported in urinalysis. For 6 of the cats with echoes in the bladder contents, oil droplets, RBCs, and crystals were not reported in urinalysis. The number of echoes observed in the bladder in presence of RBCs, oil droplets, crystals, and leucocytes was not statistically significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, most of the echoes observed in the ultrasonography of cats’ bladder contents can be associated with the presence of oil droplets in the urine, which is in accordance with previous studies.

BACKGROUND:Cystitis and pyelonephnitis in ruminants mostoften result from ascending urinary tract infection (UTI).OBJECTIVES: Investigating the prevalence of urine infection andits relationship with histopathological findings of bladder andkidney. METHODS: This study was carried out on 353 slaughteredbuffalos (143 female and 210 male) at Ahvaz abattoir, southwest ofIran. After slaughter, urinary samples were taken directly frombladder by sterile syringe. The bladder and kidney were inspectedand samples from them were taken for histophatological study. Allof the urine samples were incubated for isolation of bacteria onblood agar and MacConkey. Biochemical characterizations of theisolates were performed according to Bergey's manual of systemicbacteriology. Histopathological samples were taken fromrepresentative parts of each bladder and kidney and were stainedwith haematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS: Out of the 353 urinesamples, 19 (5.38%) were positive. The percentages of infectedcattle in female and male were 6.3% and 4.8%, respectively. Thesebacteria were isolated: E.coli (21%), Staphylococcus spp. (31.6%),Streptococcus spp. (15.8%), Proteus spp. (15.8%), Klebciella spp.(5.3%), Yercinia spp. (5.3%), and Actinimyces and Pasteurelle spp.(5.3%). In histopathological examination, 51(14.4%) and 5 (1.4%)of the buffalos had chronic cystitis and pyelonephritis, respectively.Bacteria were isolated only in 3 cases of chronic cystitis and 2 casesof pyelonephritis. Statistical analysis showed there was norelationship between isolation of bacteria from urine with cystitisand pyelonephritis. CONCLUSIONS:Some cases of chronic cystitisare not able to isolate of bacteria from urine and for causingpyelonephritis they need predisposing factors which caused urineretention.