Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound brain scan helped monitor dog with liver-related brain
By Duque, Javier et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2011·Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Spain·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Imaging diagnosis-transcranial color-coded duplex sonography in a dog with hepatic encephalopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male mixed-breed dog was diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy, a condition that affects the brain due to liver problems, specifically from a congenital portosystemic shunt. The dog showed severe neurological symptoms, and a special ultrasound test (transcranial Doppler ultrasonography) revealed increased pressure in the blood vessels of the brain. After medical treatment stabilized the dog and improved his symptoms, the blood flow measurements returned to normal. This suggests that the ultrasound can be a helpful tool for monitoring brain pressure in dogs with liver-related brain issues.
People also search for: dog hepatic encephalopathy symptoms · mixed-breed dog liver problems · treatment for dog with brain pressure issues
Abstract
We report the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in a dog with hepatic encephalopathy secondary to a congenital portosystemic shunt. A severe increase in the pulsatility index was measured in the right middle cerebral artery, left middle cerebral artery, and basilar artery. These values returned to normal following medical stabilization of the patient and resolution of the neurologic signs. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography appears to have value for monitoring the status of intracranial hypertension in patients with hepatic encephalopathy.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21322397/