PetCaseFinder

Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Ultrasound-guided shunt treatment in a puppy with liver blood vessel

By Tiffinger, Kornelia et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2024·Veterinary Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed

PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →

Original publication title: Ultrasound- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous transhepatic shunt attenuation using a vascular plug in a complex canine intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 5-month-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi was brought to the vet because he had been very tired, not eating well, drinking a lot, and showing some neurological issues for three months. After various imaging tests, the vet found he had a complex liver shunt, which is a serious condition where blood bypasses the liver. The vet successfully treated him by placing a vascular plug to close off the shunt using a special guided technique. Four years later, the dog showed no signs of the previous issues, and the owner continued with a special diet and lactulose (a medication to help with liver function) to keep him healthy.

People also search for: puppy lethargy and inappetence · dog liver shunt treatment · Pembroke Welsh Corgi drinking a lot · dietary changes for dog liver disease

Abstract

A 5-month-old Pembroke Welsh corgi dog was presented with a 3-month history of lethargy, inappetence, polyuria/polydipsia, and neurological signs. A diagnosis of a complex multiple intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (IHPSS) configuration was obtained by computed tomography angiogram, abdominal ultrasonography, and perioperative fluoroscopic angiography. The IHPSS was successfully attenuated by shunt embolization with a vascular plug, using a direct percutaneous hepatic approach under ultrasonographic and fluoroscopic guidance. Long-term (4 y) follow-up revealed resolution of all clinical signs. The owner elected to continue dietary modification and lactulose treatment indefinitely and the outcome was considered good. Key clinical message: Direct percutaneous hepatic approach could be considered for IHPSS attenuation in select cases where traditional transvenous approach access is considered challenging.

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 on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39091474/