Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery to treat gallstones in cats with vomiting and dehydration
By Eich, Christopher S & Ludwig, Lori L·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2002·Department of Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The surgical treatment of cholelithiasis in cats: a study of nine cases.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Nine cats were brought in for surgery due to severe vomiting, dehydration, and loss of appetite caused by gallstones blocking their bile ducts. The veterinarians performed different surgical procedures, including removing the gallbladder in five cats. After surgery, most of the cats felt better, with four of them showing no more vomiting or appetite issues. Overall, seven out of nine cats survived for a long time after the surgery, while two cats with additional liver problems did not make it. The surgery was generally successful and had few complications.
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Abstract
Nine cats that had surgical treatment for obstructive cholelithiasis were reviewed to evaluate clinical signs, diagnostic test results, and outcome after surgery. Common clinical signs included progressive vomiting (9/9), dehydration (9/9), anorexia (6/9), icterus (5/9), and lethargy (4/9). Five cats had a cholecystectomy performed, one cat had a cholecystotomy, and three cats had a biliary diversion procedure. Four of the cats that had a cholecystectomy had no recurrence of vomiting or anorexia. The majority of cats (7/9) had multiple choleliths, which were radiopaque and most commonly composed of calcium carbonate. Seven cats were diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis, and four of these cats did not need long-term medical therapy. Most cats (7/9) survived long term postsurgery (mean, 21 months; median, 24 months) without additional medical therapy, while the two cats with concurrent hepatic lipidosis died. Cholecystectomy appeared to have low morbidity with good clinical success.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12022416/