Sensitivity and specificity of fasting ammonia and serum bile acids in the diagnosis of portosystemic shunts in dogs and cats.

Background: Portosystemic shunt (PSS) is the most common cause of hepatic encephalopathy in dogs and cats. Fasting ammonia and serum bile acids (SBA) are used to diagnose PSS, but their true sensitivity and specificity have not been fully evaluated, especially in cats.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of fasting ammonia and SBA concentrations in the diagnosis of PSS in dogs and cats and to compare diagnostic accuracy between species.

Portosystemic shunts in cats--evaluation of six cases and a review of the literature.

The objective of this study was to give a recent review of the literature of portosystemic shunt (PSS) in cats and to describe a case series of 6 cats diagnosed with PSS. Cats diagnosed with a PSS between 1997 and 2006 were reviewed with a focus on history, clinical signs, laboratory findings, imaging techniques, and outcome. Among 12,438 analysed cats, six cats were found with confirmed PSS (one portocaval, two intrahepatic, and three portoazygos shunts) leading to a prevalence of PSS in cats of 4.