Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with gallbladder cancer causing vomiting blood and black stool
By Krämer, Anna Lena et al.·Published in Tierarztliche Praxis. Ausgabe K, Kleintiere/Heimtiere·2023·Department fü·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: [Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder as a rare cause for melena and hematemesis in dogs].
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old male Malinois was brought in because he had been vomiting blood and passing dark, tarry stools for a month, along with losing weight. Despite trying medications to protect his stomach, his condition worsened, and tests showed mild anemia. After an exploratory surgery, the vet found a bleeding tumor in the gallbladder, which was diagnosed as a neuroendocrine carcinoma (a type of cancer). After removing the gallbladder, the dog's symptoms improved, and he has been healthy for over a year since the surgery.
People also search for: dog vomiting blood · Malinois weight loss · gallbladder cancer in dogs · dog dark stools treatment · dog surgery recovery time
Abstract
A 9-year-old male Malinois was presented for further workup of acute melena, hematemesis and chronic weight loss for a duration of one month. Clinically, the patient presented with a mildly reduced general condition. Blood tests revealed mild non-regenerative anemia as well as a mild elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Ultrasonography showed signs of an early mucocele. Treatment with gastroprotectants failed to lead to clinical improvement and the dog developed progressive anemia. Gastroduodenoscopy was unremarkable. Due to persistent clinical signs, exploratory laparotomy was performed. An ulcerated bleeding mass was detected at the gallbladder neck. Histopathological examination led to the diagnosis of a neuroendocrine carcinoma. There was no evidence of a mucocele on histopathology. Melena and hematemesis subsided postoperatively and 13 months after cholecystectomy, the dog remains without clinical signs. Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the gallbladder should be considered as a rare cause of melena and hematemesis in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37567183/