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
In my experience Zinacef and Augmentin are far and away the most widely used intravenous antibiotics in small animal practice in the UK -despite both being unlicensed. Marbofloxacin (as Marbocyl SA) does have a license for intravenous use but is less commonly used -perhaps because fluoroquinolones are (understandably) not seen as first-line agents, concern about … 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
Recent cases necessitated a look at the available information on bile acids in cats with shunts. Specifically I wanted to know what are the chances of a cat with suggestive signs having a shunt when bile acids are equivocal. Do ‘normal’ bile acids levels rule out a shunt? As is often the case there is … 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
An 18 month old crossbreed was presented with a two month history of intermittent pyrexia and malaise. Recently he had become polyuric/polydipisc and hypercalcaemia was detected. His ultrasonography is striking: This is an area of retroperitoneal fat: There are numerous small, discrete hyperechoic nodules. And the same is true for his subcutaneous fat this is … Continue reading
This amazing video shows a wave of contraction passing along a dog’s accessory pancreatic duct towards the minor papilla on the descending duodenum: With still images this is a ‘bolus’ of pancreatic juice in transit and waiting to be released into the duodenum: Little has been written about pancreatic duct function in cats and dogs. … Continue reading
