Ultrasonographic examination of canine gallbladder mucocele: An analysis

Abstract

Gallbladder contents are a common finding when imaging canine gallbladders, with up to twothirds of dogs having gallbladder debris. The clinical significance of gallbladder sediment varies widely, with small amounts of sediment often being an incidental finding. Conversely, gallbladder mucoceles have been associated with gallbladder rupture, emergency, and high rates of morbidity/mortality [1]. The ultrasonographic classification of gallbladder mucocele in dogs has evolved since it was first described more than 20 years ago with 6 types of gallbladder mucocele based on unique ultrasonographic patterns. In the retrospective cohort study carried out by Jaffey JA et al., it was found that dogs with higher gallbladder mucocele type were more likely to exhibit signs of biliary tract disease [2,3]. The primary objective of this thesis was to assess the efficacy of ultrasonographic examination in diagnosing canine gallbladder mucocele. The analysis conducted from 2018 to 2023 encompassed 66 dogs of diverse breeds, sexes, weights, and ages. The patients were diagnosed with gallbladder mucocele based on their anamnesis, clinical signs, blood biochemistry, and data from the ultrasonographic examination of their hepatobiliary system. During the ultrasonographic examination of the hepatobiliary system, the echogenic content of the gallbladder, wall thickness, and diameter of the common bile duct were evaluated. Subsequently, the gallbladder mucoceles were classified into six types, and the degrees of ultrasonographic changes in the gallbladder were quantified. The majority of the patients (53%) were male. The average age was 9.65 ± 2.94 years, and the average weight was 9.6 ± 9.25 kg. The most prevalent clinical sign was vomiting, which was diagnosed in 41% of the patients and painful or distended abdomen which was diagnosed in 27.27% of the patients. The analysis revealed that dilation of the common bile duct was diagnosed in 56% of the dogs. The most frequently observed types of gallbladder mucocele were type I (51.51%) and type II (36.36%). The distribution of the degree of gallbladder ultrasonographic changes followed a Gaussian pattern. Based on findings of this retrospective study it is concluded that a positive correlation was observed between patient age and the degree of gallbladder ultrasonographic changes, between age and blood serum ALP concentration, between blood serum ALP concentration and gallbladder mucocele type (p<0.05). There hasn’t been found any association between presence of clinical signs and gallbladder mucocele type (p>0.05).