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Normal prostate gland (1).

The transducer has been placed in a parapreputial position in a 1-year-old entire male Dobermann. Initially the bladder, containing a moderate quantity of urine, is seen; the neck of the bladder lies towards the right of the screen. As the ultrasound beam sweeps sagittally, the smoothly rounded prostate gland can be seen lying just caudal to the bladder neck.

Normal prostate gland (2).

After locating the neck of the bladder in this 3-year-old entire male Golden Retriever, the ultrasound beam is swept in a sagittal plane to find the prostate gland lying caudal to the bladder. The prostate gland has a smooth outline and homogeneous parenchyma.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (1).

At the start of this clip, the caudal part of the bladder, containing anechoic urine, is seen to the left of the screen. As the ultrasound beam sweeps through the prostate gland in a sagittal plane, two symmetrical lobes are seen with the urethra running between them. The prostatic parenchyma is slightly heterogeneous, but this 6-year-old Springer Spaniel showed no clinical signs related to prostatic disease. Benign prostatic hyperplasia was the presumed diagnosis.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (2).

Transverse view of the same dog as in Benign prostatic hyperplasia (1). The clip starts with a transverse plane through the bladder neck. The ultrasound beam then sweeps caudally through the prostate gland, which is smoothly rounded in this plane.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (3).

This clip shows the prostate gland of an asymptomatic 5-year-old entire male Labrador. A sagittal sweep of the ultrasound beam through the prostate gland shows a relatively homogeneous, echogenic appearance with a few small hypoechoic foci. The margins of the gland are smooth. A degree of benign prostatic hyperplasia was presumed, but no cytology/histology performed.

Prostatic carcinoma (1).

A 9-year-old neutered male collie-cross dog presented with spinal pain. This short clip shows that the prostate gland is heterogeneous with multiple hyperechoic foci, and is irregular in shape with a 2 cm nodular area. Carcinoma was diagnosed on a prostatic wash.

Prostatic carcinoma (2).

This short clip, of the same dog as in Prostatic carcinoma (1), initially shows part of the bladder lying superficially to the aorta. The beam moves a little to the left, showing the left medial iliac lymph node, which is enlarged and cystic. Spread of the carcinoma to the regional lymph nodes was presumed.

Prostatic cysts (1).

A transverse sweep of the caudal abdomen in this 5-year-old entire male Cocker Spaniel initially shows two thin-walled, fluid-filled structures flanking the urethra. As the ultrasound beam sweeps cranially, the prostate gland appears. The prostate gland remains symmetrically bilobed but is subjectively enlarged, hyperechoic and mildly heterogeneous. The clip finishes at the bladder neck. A prostatic wash yielded mixed inflammatory cells, dysplastic epithelium and haemorrhage; culture was negative. A diagnosis of benign prostatic hypertrophy with prostatic cysts was made and the dog was subsequently castrated.

Prostatic cysts (2).

A 5-year-old Bichon Frise presented with haematuria; the prostate gland was large but non-painful on palpation. The initial sagittal image shows a large echogenic prostate gland on the left, lying in close proximity to the bladder neck. As the beam sweeps through the prostate gland, several small discrete anechoic cystic areas are seen. A larger cyst is present on the lateral margin of the prostate gland. Shaking of the image is due to the dog’s panting. A prostatic wash was negative on culture and yielded dysplastic cells.

Prostatic abscess.

The prostate gland is imaged in a sagittal plane; although subjectively large, it has smooth, well defined margins. However, there is only a thin rim of normal prostatic tissue around the periphery with the remainder of the prostate gland containing fluid with swirling echoes. The final diagnosis was a prostatic abscess.