Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Single Case of a Cat Suspected of Having Congenital Biliary Dilatation Associated with Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Fujimoto, Shinsuke et al.
- Affiliation:
- From Ozu Animal Clinic · Japan
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old spayed female Scottish Fold cat was taken to a specialist because she had stopped eating and had very high liver enzyme levels. Tests showed that her bile ducts were enlarged and a culture of her bile indicated an infection, which suggested she might have cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts). During surgery, the doctors found a blockage in the area where the bile duct and pancreatic duct meet, which was causing pancreatic juices to flow back into the bile duct. They performed a procedure to open this area, which helped her bile and pancreatic juices flow normally again, and her liver enzyme levels returned to normal. This case is significant because it highlights a potential link between this condition and cholangitis in cats, and the treatment was successful.
Abstract
A 1 yr old spayed female Scottish fold cat was referred for further investigation because of loss of appetite and markedly elevated liver enzyme activities. Significant biliary dilatation and positive bile culture were documented, raising suspicion for cholangitis. A strictured/stenotic duodenal papilla was noted on laparotomy, with retrograde cholangiopancreatography documenting the main pancreatic duct joined with the common bile duct outside the duodenal wall. In addition, pancreatic enzyme activity in the bile was high, suggesting that pancreatic juice was flowing back into the biliary tract. These findings are similar to those of pancreaticobiliary maljunction observed in humans. Duodenal papillotomy improved the excretion of bile and pancreatic juice, resolving both the bile duct dilatation and elevated liver enzyme activities. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the association of pancreaticobiliary maljunction with the development of cholangitis associated with biliary dilatation in cats. In clinical practice, when cholangitis with severe biliary dilatation is observed in a young cat, the association with pancreaticobiliary maljunction should be considered.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40304447/