Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Electroencephalographic Features of Presumed Hepatic Encephalopathy in a Pediatric Dog with a Portosystemic Shunt—A Case Report
- Journal:
- Life
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Raluca Adriana Ștefănescu et al.
- Affiliation:
- Neurology Service, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iași University of Life Sciences, 700489 Iași, Romania · CH
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old Bichon Frise puppy was diagnosed with a condition called hepatic encephalopathy, which is a brain problem caused by liver issues. This puppy had a portosystemic shunt, meaning that blood from the digestive system was bypassing the liver and causing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream. During testing, the puppy showed specific brain wave patterns that suggested it was experiencing a type of seizure without convulsions. Understanding these brain wave patterns helps veterinarians choose the right treatment to avoid worsening the puppy's symptoms and reduce the risk of serious complications. The outcome of the treatment is not specified in the abstract.
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in dogs is a metabolic disorder of the central nervous system that occurs secondarily to liver dysfunctions, whether due to acquired or congenital causes. A portosystemic shunt is the presence of abnormal communications between the hepatic vessels (portal and suprahepatic veins). As a result of this, the blood brought from the digestive tract through the portal vein bypasses the liver, and the unmetabolized components of the portal bloodstream enter directly into systemic circulation, causing clinical symptoms of metabolic encephalopathy (HE). A 3-month-old Bichon canine patient with a history of seizures secondarily to a portosystemic shunt (PS), confirmed through color Doppler ultrasound exam and computed tomography, was presented for evaluation. The typical electroencephalographic (EEG) traces recorded were characterized by the presence of bilateral symmetrical triphasic waves, resembling non-convulsive status epilepticus. The presence of this EEG pattern is useful in choosing the best therapeutic option in order to not accentuate the HE sings and, consequently, to decrease the mortality risk due to a prolonged status epilepticus.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://doi.org/10.3390/life15010107