Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Liver tests to check shunt closure after dog surgery
By Devriendt, Nausikaa et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2020·Small Animal Department·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Liver function tests in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts and their potential to determine persistent shunting after surgical attenuation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with a congenital portosystemic shunt (PSS), which causes blood to bypass the liver, was evaluated using liver function tests to check how well the liver was working. These tests, including ammonia levels and bile acids, help diagnose PSS and assess if surgery to correct the shunt was successful. After surgery, it's important to determine if any shunting remains, but currently, there isn't a single quick and easy test that can reliably measure this. Pet owners should discuss liver function tests with their veterinarian to monitor their dog's liver health after surgery.
People also search for: dog liver function tests · congenital portosystemic shunt treatment · dog liver surgery recovery
Abstract
Portosystemic shunts (PSS) are congenital or acquired vascular anomalies that cause blood to bypass the liver. Liver function tests, such as fasting ammonia, ammonia tolerance test, and (paired) serum bile acids, are reliable for the diagnosis of PSS in dogs. Surgical attenuation is a common treatment for congenital PSS. Following surgical attenuation, it is useful to evaluate shunt closure. In this critical review, the ability of liver function tests to determine the presence and degree of residual shunting following surgical attenuation of canine PSS is discussed. Despite the availability of several liver function tests, a single rapid, simple, cost-effective, sensitive and specific test to evaluate surgical attenuation of PSS is not available.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32741493/