A 12 year-old Springer Spaniel was examined for collapse at exercise and was found to have second degree heart block with a 4:1 p:QRS ratio: Echocardiography was performed to screen for structural heart disease. This left apical view shows mitral regurgitation: But if you look at the ECG trace it’s not happening in association with … Continue reading
This is very similar to the one from last week, but with videos: The main part of the portal vein is of unremarkable diameter (suggesting that most portal flow reaches this point). At the confluence with the gastroduodenal vein (GDV), however, flow is diverted through the GDV and then turns dorsally into the right gastric. … Continue reading
This poor chap had suffered ‘pyrexia of unknown origin’ for the best part of a year prior to this episode. Despite thorough investigation, a definite diagnosis remained elusive. Until he blew up a new lump on his left flank. That looks pretty consistent with an abscess doesn’t it? But no sign of anything foreign that … Continue reading
There are many aspects to this poor dog’s case. For about a year she suffered multi-limb lameness, then developed skin lesions with interface dermatitis, then severe anaemia, then liver disease. She was also ANA positive and fulfills many criteria for SLE. Ultrasonographically, the most striking feature as that it took me 10 minutes to find … Continue reading
Congenital extra-hepatic shunts in dogs most commonly involve diversion of blood from the portal system via either 1) the splenic vein and thence left gastric vein to the systemic circulation (cava, azygous or left phrenic veins) or 2) via the gastroduodenal vein and then right gastric vein to any of the same systemic veins. This … Continue reading
Another slightly unusual case: a 3 year-old Dalmatian with a 5-month history of vomiting and weight loss. On ultrasonography the stomach is dilated despite a 12-hour fast: The area of the cranial duodenal flexure is also abnormal: We couldn’t be sure at the time but there does appear to be a hyperechoic fragment of foreign … Continue reading
This is a Springer Spaniel presenting with vomiting and profuse diarrhoea of several days’ duration. This is the diarrhoea: …and this is the appearance of the diarrhoea-filled colon on ultrasonography: BUT, just to prove that you shouldn’t jump to conclusions, a hunt around the mid-abdomen reveals an irregular shadowing density in the jejunum: That has … Continue reading
I have heard it suggested in cardiological circles that alternating bidirectional hepatic vein flow is an indicator of right heart congestive failure. But it’s not that straightfoward. Normal dogs also have not one but two reversed phase in their hepatic vein flow: As was described originally by Szatmari et al. some years ago: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11327368 The … Continue reading
Paraprostatic cysts are thought to arise from remnants of the mullerian duct. This is a case in which this putative embrological origin seems particularly convincing. A two-horned cystic structure runs between bladder and colon: &nbs… Continue reading
This is a cat who was investigated early in life on account of episodic malaise and raised bile acids. At the time a provisional diagnosis of primary hypoplasia of the portal vein was made. This is the main portal vein: The main portal vein is obviously and abnormally narrow but flow within it is hepatopetal. … Continue reading
