Which structure cannot be palpated rectally in a normal dog?

Which structure cannot be palpated rectally in a normal dog?

• A. Urinary bladder
• B. Pelvic brim
• C. Prostate
• D. Uterus

Answer: (B)

Rectal palpation in dogs is used to feel soft tissue structures that lie against the rectal wall. The urinary bladder can be felt when distended, and in males the prostate sits along the ventral aspect of the rectum and can be palpated as a firm, rounded structure. The uterus may be palpated in certain states (for example, pregnancy or uterine enlargement). The pelvic brim, however, is a rigid bony boundary of the pelvis. It is not a soft tissue structure you can reliably feel as a discrete entity through the rectal wall in a normal dog, so it cannot be palpated rectally.

Rectal palpation in dogs is used to feel soft tissue structures that lie against the rectal wall. The urinary bladder can be felt when distended, and in males the prostate sits along the ventral aspect of the rectum and can be palpated as a firm, rounded structure. The uterus may be palpated in certain states (for example, pregnancy or uterine enlargement). The pelvic brim, however, is a rigid bony boundary of the pelvis. It is not a soft tissue structure you can reliably feel as a discrete entity through the rectal wall in a normal dog, so it cannot be palpated rectally.