Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Artery abnormalities and compression in dogs and cats seen on CT scan
By Le Pommellet, Hélène M et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2018·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Arterial anomalies of the celiac trunk and median arcuate ligament compression in dogs and cats assessed by computed tomography angiography.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 254 dogs and 13 cats underwent CT scans to check for problems with the celiac artery, which supplies blood to the stomach and intestines. About 12% of the animals had abnormalities, including some with unusual branching or compression of the artery. Larger dogs were found to be more likely to have these issues and often showed gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea. While the scans revealed these anomalies, the long-term effects on the pets' health are still unclear.
People also search for: dog celiac artery problems · cat gastrointestinal signs · large breed dog health issues · dog CT scan results · celiac trunk anomalies in pets
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify abnormalities of the celiac artery (CA) and major branches in dogs and cats by computed tomography angiography (CTA). STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Two hundred fifty-four dogs and 13 cats. METHODS: Abdominal CTA images from 2009 to 2017 were reviewed. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between CA abnormalities and sex, age, size of dog, concurrent venous anomaly, or presence of gastrointestinal signs. RESULTS: Abnormalities in the CA were observed in 32 animals (11.9%) including 9 with abnormal branching (3.4%) and 23 with CA compression (8.6%). A celiacomesenteric trunk was observed in 8 (2.9%; 6 dogs, 2 cats). The splenic artery originated from the cranial mesenteric artery in 1 dog; the hepatic arterial branches originated from the left gastric artery in another. Four out of 32 animals (12.5%) with an arterial anomaly had another vascular abnormality. Large breed dogs were more likely to have an arterial anomaly (OR 4.3, 95% CI: 1.18-15.5, P = .02) and 12 times more likely to have CA compression (OR 12.0, 95% CI: 1.4-97.7, P = .02) compared to small breed dogs. Dogs with CA compression were more likely to present for gastrointestinal signs (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 1.2-10.3, P = .01). CONCLUSION: Anomalies of the celiac trunk are apparent on CTA and may impact surgical or image-guided intervention. Compression at the origin of the CA was apparent on imaging, similar to the median arcuate ligament syndrome in people, although the significance of this finding in dogs is unknown.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29094361/