Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound shows kidney and liver changes in dogs with leptospirosis
By Sonet, Juliette et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2018·Diagnostic Imaging Unit, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prospective evaluation of abdominal ultrasonographic findings in 35 dogs with leptospirosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 35 dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis showed various abdominal issues when examined with ultrasound. All the dogs had kidney problems, including changes in kidney size and structure, and many also had liver and gallbladder abnormalities. Common findings included thickened kidney walls, enlarged livers, and fluid buildup in the abdomen. The study suggests that veterinarians should perform ultrasounds on dogs suspected of having leptospirosis, even if they don't show obvious symptoms, as certain ultrasound findings, like gallbladder mucocele, could indicate this disease.
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Abstract
Despite the emergence of new serovars, a detailed and current abdominal ultrasonographic description of dogs with leptospirosis is lacking. The purpose of this prospective, observational, single cohort study was to illustrate abdominal ultrasonographic findings in 35 dogs with confirmed leptospirosis. At least one ultrasonographic abnormality was seen in all of the dogs. Ultrasound renal abnormalities were found in all the dogs and included increased renal cortical echogenicity (100%), increased medullary echogenicity (86%), reduced corticomedullary definition (80%), cortical thickening (74%), renomegaly (60%), pelvic dilation (31%), and medullary band (14%). Hepatic changes were identified in 83% of the dogs, with diffuse hypoechoic parenchyma (71%) and hepatomegaly (60%). Biliary gallbladder abnormalities were found in 60% of the dogs, with biliary sludge (46%), wall thickening (29%), mucocele (26%), and hyperechoic wall (20%). The other most frequently observed abdominal abnormalities were perirenal (60%) and peritoneal (46%) effusions, small intestinal wall thickening (49%), and lymphadenopathy (38%). Two dogs (6%) presented with a small intestinal intussusception. No association was found between serogroups and the presence of ultrasonographic findings. This study is the first to prospectively and exhaustively describe abdominal ultrasonographic findings in dogs with leptospirosis. Our results should prompt clinicians to systematically perform abdominal ultrasounds on dogs with suspected leptospirosis even in the absence of abnormal physical signs. The presence of a gallbladder mucocele could be a warning sign of leptospirosis in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29094440/