Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Juvenile dog with intestinal bleeding from blood vessel malformation
By Zurita, M et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2023·Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Jejunal arteriovenous malformation and multiple acquired extrahepatic portosystemic shunts in a juvenile dog, presenting with melena.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A young dog was brought to the vet after having dark, tarry stools (melena) for a month and was found to be severely anemic. The vet diagnosed the dog with a rare blood vessel issue in the intestines and multiple abnormal blood vessels that were affecting liver function. The dog underwent surgery to remove the problematic blood vessels, which initially helped, but later developed seizures due to liver problems. Unfortunately, after 15 months of ongoing seizures, the owner made the difficult decision to euthanize the dog.
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Abstract
A juvenile dog referred with a 1-month history of persistent melena and severe anaemia, was diagnosed with a jejunal arteriovenous malformation, and multiple acquired extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. A midline coeliotomy was performed, the jejunal arteriovenous malformation was localised intraoperatively and was successfully removed via an enterectomy. Histopathology confirmed a true arteriovenous malformation. Despite the initial improvement, the patient developed seizure episodes secondary to hepatic encephalopathy 8 months after surgery. Fifteen months after surgery, the owner opted for euthanasia due to the ongoing seizure episodes. Post-mortem histologic examination of the liver showed features consistent with portal vein hypoplasia. A congenital arteriovenous malformation should be considered as a differential diagnosis in juvenile patients with a chronic history of haemorrhage from the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, acquired portosystemic shunts may occur in patients with portal vein hypoplasia and jejunal arteriovenous malformations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37185981/