Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gastrointestinal biopsy results and outcomes after gallbladder
By Gondolfe, M & Hans, E C·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2024·BluePearl Veterinary Partners, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Histologic findings of gastrointestinal biopsies and clinical outcome in dogs undergoing cholecystectomy for gallbladder mucoceles: 71 cases (2014-2021).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Cocker Spaniel was brought in for vomiting and abdominal pain due to a gallbladder mucocele, a condition where the gallbladder becomes filled with mucus. During surgery to remove the gallbladder, the vet also took biopsies from the intestines, which showed inflammation in most dogs, particularly a type called lymphoplasmacytic enteritis. Out of 71 dogs in the study, about 87% survived the surgery, with similar survival rates for both emergency and elective procedures. The study found that dogs with higher white blood cell counts were less likely to survive, but overall, most dogs did well after the surgery.
People also search for: dog gallbladder mucocele treatment · Cocker Spaniel vomiting · dog intestinal inflammation symptoms
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the presence and categorise the severity of enteritis in dogs with gallbladder mucoceles, and evaluate for any associations with enteritis. This study also aimed to report clinical outcome following cholecystectomy and evaluate for associations with survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed (2014 to 2021) for dogs undergoing cholecystectomy and duodenal biopsy procedures for gallbladder mucocele. Signalment, bloodwork, abdominal ultrasound findings, surgical details, histology results and outcomes were reported. Surgeries were considered elective or emergent based on each dog's clinical presentation. Enteritis was categorised based on cell type and severity. Inflammation and clinical outcome were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-one dogs met the study criteria. Enteritis was present in 85.9% (61/71) of cases with the majority being lymphoplasmacytic (53.5%). Twelve dogs (16.9%) underwent gastrointestinal biopsies from multiple sites, which revealed the same enteritis type at each location. A total of 87.3% (n = 62) dogs survived, including 90.4% elective and 86% emergent cases. No significant differences in enteritis severity or patient survival were found between elective and emergent cases. Septic peritonitis was diagnosed in two dogs (2.82%). Mortality was significantly associated with leukocytosis, with nonsurviving dogs having a mean WBC count of 27.6 G/L (95% confidence interval: 10.6 to 21.5). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Enteritis is present in a majority of dogs with gallbladder mucocele, especially mild to moderate with lymphoplasmacytic cell type. Obtaining a duodenal biopsy had minimal impact on patient outcome. Compared to previous studies, improved survival in emergent cases was noted. Further studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine if enteropathy-related signs persist after cholecystectomy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39223993/