Where it is
Retroperitoneal, dorsal, at the level of lumbar vertebrae 1-3.
- Layer
- Organs
- System
- Urinary system
- Region
- Abdomen
What it is and what it does
The left kidney lies retroperitoneally, against the dorsal wall of the abdomen, usually at the level of lumbar vertebrae 1-3, more caudal than the right one. On a ventrodorsal radiograph, a normal kidney measures 2.5-3.5 times the length of the second lumbar vertebra. It is the dorsal, medial and caudal landmark of the spleen; the ovary (in the female) lies caudal to it.
Some courses place the left kidney at L2-L4; the variation depends on breed, on how full the stomach is and on the animal's position (Ankara, 2019).
Worth remembering
It is the spleen's landmark above, inside and behind; in the female, the ovary lies behind it.
Names
- Latin term: ren sinister.
- In Romanian: Rinichiul stâng (Romanian page).
In the atlas lessons
The organs: where they sit, from neck to pelvis (5 min):
Dorsally: the kidneys sit retroperitoneally, under the lumbar vertebrae — the right one more cranially (T13-L2) than the left (L1-L3); the adrenals are cranial and medial to them.