Abdominal ultrasonographic findings of cats with feline infectious peritonitis: an update.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the abdominal ultrasonographic findings in cats with confirmed or presumed feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Methods: This was a retrospective study performed in an academic veterinary hospital. The diagnosis of FIP was reached on review of history, signalment, clinical presentation, complete blood count, biochemistry panel, peritoneal fluid analysis, cytology and/or histopathology results from abnormal organs, and/or molecular testing (immunohistochemical or FIP coronavirus [FCoV] RT-PCR).

Gastrointestinal signs and a need for nutritional management may persist long term in dogs and cats undergoing resection of the ileocolic junction: 35 cases (2008-2020).

Objective: To evaluate the effects of ileocecocolic junction (ICJ) resection on gastrointestinal signs, biochemical parameters, and nutritional variables in dogs and cats.

Animals: 20 dogs and 15 cats that underwent ICJ resection between January 2008 and June 2020.

Procedures: Medical records of dogs and cats that underwent ICJ resection were reviewed, and clinical signs, laboratory abnormalities, and nutritional information were obtained.

Ultrasonographic prevalence and proposed morphologic classification of bilobed gallbladder in cats.

Objectives: Morphologic anomalies of the feline gallbladder (GB) have been previously reported in the literature. These morphologic variants are frequently encountered on routine abdominal ultrasound examination. The aim of this study was to provide an ultrasonographic classification system of these variants and document the overall incidence in the feline population.

Abdominal ultrasound and clinicopathologic findings in 22 cats with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Background: Awareness of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in cats has increased since the development of an assay for feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI). Ultrasound findings in cats with EPI have only been reported rarely and described as nonspecific.

Hypothesis/objectives: To describe the ultrasonographic findings, clinical signs, and concurrent diseases in cats with EPI.

Evaluation of coagulation parameters in dogs with gallbladder mucoceles.

Background: Gallbladder mucocele (GBM) is a common biliary disorder in dogs. Limited information is available on the coagulation status of dogs with GBM.

Hypothesis/objectives: To determine patterns of coagulation alterations in dogs with GBM and correlate them with clinicopathologic abnormalities and ultrasonographic findings of disease severity.

Hemorrhage and complications associated with percutaneous ultrasound guided liver biopsy in dogs.

Background: Liver biopsy is often necessary to obtain a diagnosis in dogs with hepatobiliary disease. Hemorrhage after biopsy is a concern.

Objective: To describe the extent of hemorrhage and incidence of complications after percutaneous ultrasound guided liver biopsy (PUGLB) in dogs and to examine risk factors for hemorrhage or complications.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of cholecystoduodenostomy sites in six cats.

Case Series Summary: This case series describes the postoperative ultrasonographic findings in six cats that underwent a cholecystoduodenostomy as treatment for extrahepatic biliary obstruction. The surgery site was identified in all six cats, most often within the right cranial abdomen as a thick-walled gall bladder, with a broad-based connection to the descending duodenum. Postoperatively, the biliary tree often remained distended, similar to its preoperative appearance.

ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs.

This consensus statement on chronic hepatitis (CH) in dogs is based on the expert opinion of 7 specialists with extensive experience in diagnosing, treating, and conducting clinical research in hepatology in dogs. It was generated from expert opinion and information gathered from searching of PubMed for manuscripts on CH, the Veterinary Information Network for abstracts and conference proceeding from annual meetings of the American College of Veterinary Medicine and the European College of Veterinary Medicine, and selected manuscripts from the human literature on CH. The panel recognizes that the diagnosis and treatment of CH in the dog is a complex process that requires integration of clinical presentation with clinical pathology, diagnostic imaging, and hepatic biopsy.

Bleeding risk and complications associated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in cats.

Objectives: Liver biopsy is necessary for a diagnosis of liver disease; however, post-biopsy bleeding is a concern. The aim of this study was to describe the extent of bleeding and the occurrence of complications after percutaneous ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (PUGLB) in cats.

Methods: The medical records of 30 cats that had a PUGLB were retrospectively reviewed.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the canine urinary bladder following cystotomy for treatment of urolithiasis.

OBJECTIVE To describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the urinary bladder incision site in dogs that underwent cystotomy for treatment of urolithiasis. DESIGN Prospective, longitudinal study. ANIMALS 18 client-owned dogs.

Ultrasonographic and clinicopathologic features of segmental dilatations of the common bile duct in four cats.

Case Series Summary: This case series documents ultrasonographic and clinicopathologic features of four cats with marked segmental dilatations of the common bile duct (CBD). All cats had additional ultrasonographic changes to the hepatobiliary system, including hepatomegaly, tubular to saccular intra/extrahepatic biliary duct dilatation and biliary debris accumulation. Based on all available data the presence of extrahepatic biliary duct obstruction (EHBDO) was ruled out in 3/4 cases and was equivocal in one case.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the thickness of the wall layers in the intestinal tract of dogs.

Objective: To ultrasonographically measure the thickness of the individual wall layers of the duodenum, jejunum, and colon of dogs.

Animals: 85 dogs with no clinical signs or ultrasonographic evidence of gastrointestinal tract disease.

Procedures: Total wall thickness and thickness of the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and serosa were measured ultrasonographically in the duodenum, jejunum, and colon of each dog.

Clinicopathological and ultrasonographic features of cats with eosinophilic enteritis.

Eosinophilic enteritis (EE) in cats is poorly characterized. The aim of the current study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and ultrasonographic findings in cats with histologic evidence of eosinophilic inflammation on gastrointestinal biopsy. Twenty-five cats with tissue eosinophilia on surgical (10) or endoscopic (15) biopsy of the gastrointestinal tract, having an abdominal ultrasound performed within 48 h of biopsy acquisition, were enrolled.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the pancreas and pancreatic duct in clinically normal dogs.

Objective: To obtain ultrasonographic reference values for the thickness of the pancreas and the diameter of the pancreatic duct in clinically normal dogs.

Animals: 242 adult dogs with no clinical signs of gastrointestinal tract disease.

Procedures: The maximum pancreatic thickness and the diameter of the pancreatic duct were recorded ultrasonographically at the level of the left lobe, body, and right lobe of the pancreas.

Comparison between clinical, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and pathology findings in dogs presented for suspected thyroid carcinoma.

This study compares clinical, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and pathology findings in 16 prospectively, and seven retrospectively recruited dogs presented for suspected thyroid carcinoma. Of these, 17 were confirmed thyroid carcinoma, while six were initially misdiagnosed. These included four carotid body tumors, one para-esophageal abscess, and one undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma.

Ultrasonographic characterization of feline ileocecocolic abnormalities.

The clinical signs of 29 cats with ultrasonographic abnormalities at the ileocecocolic junction were reviewed. Twenty-eight cats had gastrointestinal signs, with acute vomiting and diarrhea being most prevalent. Eighteen of 29 cats had enlarged cecal lymph nodes.

Sonographic assessment of gallbladder volume in normal cats.

We quantified gallbladder volume in 30 clinically healthy, fasted, cats, using an ellipsoid formula. All cats had a complete blood count and serum chemistry profile performed. Fasting times before sonography ranged from 12 to 16 h.

The sonographic appearance of intestinal mucosal fibrosis in cats.

The medical records of 11 cats with full-thickness intestinal biopsies and histopathologic confirmation of segmental mucosal fibrosis were reviewed. All cats received an abdominal ultrasonographic evaluation. The sonographic feature of a small intestinal mucosal hyperechoic band paralleling the submucosa was present in all cats.

Gastropexy with an automatic stapling instrument for the treatment of gastric dilatation and volvulus in 20 dogs.

Surgical stapling equipment was used to create a gastropexy in 20 dogs undergoing emergency surgery for gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV). The technique involved creation of a tunnel between the seromuscular layer and the submucosa of the pyloric antrum, and a matching tunnel beneath the right m. transversus abdominis.

Ultrasonographic appearance of canine gastric polyps.

Benign gastric polyps are uncommon in dogs and most are discovered incidentally. Polyps protruding into the pyloric antrum can cause gastric outflow obstruction. Clinical and ultrasonographic findings in seven dogs with histologically confirmed benign mucosal gastric polyps were reviewed.

Postoperative ultrasonographic appearance of uncomplicated enterotomy or enterectomy sites in dogs.

The ultrasonographic findings in 20 dogs with 25 healing enterotomy and enterectomy sites resulting from the removal of foreign material or correction of intussusceptions are presented. In this prospective study, dogs had preoperative abdominal ultrasound examinations followed by sequential sonographic examinations on the first, third, sixth, and 10th days postenterotomy or enterectomy with an additional sonographic examination after 20 days postoperatively. Documented sonographic features included length and maximal intestinal wall thickness of the enterotomy or enterectomy sites, echogenicity of omental/mesenteric fat, amount of free gas and abdominal effusion, and gastrointestinal motility.

Ultrasonographic features of extrahepatic biliary obstruction in 30 cats.

The goals of our study were to review the ultrasonographic features of spontaneous extrahepatic biliary obstruction in cats and to determine whether these features can assist in differentiating tumor, inflammation, and choleliths as the cause of obstruction. Thirty cats with a presurgical ultrasound examination an dconfirmed extrahepatic biliary obstruction were studied. A common bile duct diameter over 5 mm was present in 97% of the cats with extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Ultrasonographic intestinal hyperechoic mucosal striations in dogs are associated with lacteal dilation.

In this retrospective study, the medical records of 23 dogs with the sonographic feature of small intestinal hyperechoic mucosal striations and an endoscopic or surgical intestinal biopsy were reviewed. Histopathologic lacteal dilation was present in 96% of dogs with mucosal striations. Sonographic findings associated with mucosal striations included: mild jejunal wall thickening (96%), mild duodenal wall thickening (78%), mucosal speckles (70%), and abdominal effusion (87%).

Imaging findings in pancreatic neoplasia and nodular hyperplasia in 19 cats.

Pancreatic neoplasia in cats is rare and associated with a poor prognosis, but pancreatic nodular hyperplasia is a common incidental finding. The purpose of this study was to describe radiographic and ultrasonographic findings in cats with pancreatic neoplasia or nodular hyperplasia. Fourteen cats (age 3-18 years) were diagnosed with malignant pancreatic tumors: carcinoma/adenocarcinoma (n = 11), lymphoma (n = 1), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 1), and lymphangiosarcoma (n = 1).

Imaging diagnosis--urinary obstruction secondary to prostaticlymphoma in a young dog.

A 3-year old, intact male Doberman pinscher was examined at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts University for a 2-week history of stranguria, dyschezia, and weight loss. Ultrasonographically, there was bilateral hydronephrosis, right-sided hydroureter, hepatosplenomegaly, symmetric mild prostatomegaly, and a distended urinary bladder. Fine needle aspirates and biopsies of the prostate yielded a diagnosis of lymphoma.