The anatomical literature describes, in general, that the canine kidney is supplied by a single renal artery. Different studies demonstrate the existence of anatomical variations in the prehiliar segment. The dog is used as a model for its easy urological collection, handling and size, there are numerous studies of intrarenal arterial pattern, however, there have been few studies on the provision prehiliar segment of the renal artery. The study aimed to describe and standardize the renal artery in dogs. Thirty pairs of canine kidneys were dissected and evaluated according to number of arteries, branches and site of renal artery bifurcation. The abdominal aorta was repleted with natural rubber latex and subsequently dissected. Renal artery was observed and only two in 90% and 10% of cases, respectively. The number of branches of the renal artery was only two, three and four at 50%, 33.3% and 16.6% of cases, respectively. The origin of the right renal artery was observed cranial to the same head and flow to the left renal artery in 80%, 13.3% and 6.6% of cases, respectively. In double renal arteries a unique only-pattern and single-branched was observed in 33.3%, 66.6% of cases, respectively. The bifurcation of the renal artery was observed only in the proximal, middle and distal 8.33%, 29.16% and 62.50% of cases, respectively. The study showed that in the renal artery and its branches there is no common anatomical pattern described in the literature, there is however, a high anatomical variability.
