Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery to fix liver blood vessel problem in young Maltese dog
By Kim, Hanna et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2024·Department of Veterinary Surgery (Kim H, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Successful surgical attenuation of portosystemic shunt in a dog with imaging-diagnosed portal vein aplasia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-month-old female Maltese was brought to the vet because she was circling, seemed dull, and was drooling. Tests showed high ammonia levels and a small liver, leading to a diagnosis of a portosystemic shunt, which is an abnormal blood vessel that bypasses the liver. The vet performed surgery to partially close the shunt, and afterward, the dog showed no signs of liver problems. Over the next six months, her liver size increased, and follow-up imaging showed improved blood flow to the liver.
People also search for: Maltese dog circling drooling · portosystemic shunt surgery · dog liver problems treatment
Abstract
An 8-month-old female Maltese dog was referred for examination with a history of circling, dullness, and drooling. Serum biochemical analysis revealed hyperammonemia, with microhepatica observed on radiography. Computed tomography angiography revealed a portosystemic shunt originating from the right gastric vein and inserting into the prehepatic caudal vena cava. Portal blood flow to the liver was not observed. Based on computed tomography angiography, the dog was tentatively diagnosed with portosystemic shunt with portal vein aplasia. An exploratory laparotomy was done to obtain a definitive diagnosis. The dog had no subjective clinical signs of portal hypertension during a temporary occlusion test of the portosystemic shunt. A thin-film band was placed around the portosystemic shunt to achieve partial attenuation. There was no evidence of hepatic encephalopathy in the long term after surgery, and the dog's liver volume increased over time. Computed tomography angiography at 6 mo after surgery identified well-visualized intrahepatic portal branches. Key clinical message: We inferred that a direct occlusion test is a reliable diagnostic technique that overcomes the limitations of diagnostic imaging methods, including computed tomography angiography, and is a good technique for determining whether surgical attenuation is possible in dogs with suspected portal vein aplasia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38304473/