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Background: The pathogenesis of gallbladder (GB) mucoceles in dogs is unknown. It has been proposed that hyperlipidemia could impair GB motility and contribute to GB mucocele formation. Hypothesis/Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare GB motility in dogs with hyperlipidemia to control dogs using ultrasonography. We hypothesized that hyperlipidemic dogs will have decreased GB motility compared with controls. Animals: Twenty-six hyperlipidemic and 28 healthy, age-matched control dogs were prospectively enrolled. Methods: Cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were measured in all dogs. Hyperlipidemia was defined as hypercholesterolemia (>332 mg/dL) and/or hypertriglyceridemia (>143 mg/dL) using a biochemical analyzer. Ultrasound was performed before feeding, and 60 and 120 minutes after ingestion of a high fat diet. Gallbladder volumes (GBV) and ejection fractions (EF) were calculated. Results: Hyperlipidemic dogs had significantly larger GBVs (ml/kg) before feeding and 60 minutes after feeding of 1.2 (0.4-7.5; P = .008) and 0.6 (0.1-7.2; P = .04) compared with controls 0.6 (0.2-2.6) and 0.4 (0.1-1.9), respectively. Severely hyperlipidemic dogs had significantly larger GBV at baseline, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes of 1.7 (0.6-7.5; P = .03), 1.3 (0.4-7.2; P = .02), and 1.3 (0.2-8.2; P = .04), respectively compared with mildly hyperlipidemic dogs. EFs at 60 and 120 minutes between controls, hyperlipidemic, and severely hyperlipidemic were all 0.3 at 60 minutes and 0.5, 0.3, and 0.3 at 120 minutes, respectively which were not statistically different. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Hyperlipidemia leads to GB distention in dogs which could lead to retention of bile and gallbladder disease.

Background: Pancreatitis is a common cause of extrahepatic bile duct obstruction (EHBDO) in dogs. Information describing the clinical course of dogs with pancreatitis associated bile duct obstruction (PABDO) is limited. Objectives: To describe the clinical course of PABDO in dogs and determine if presumed markers of disease severity are predictors of survival. Animals: Forty-six client-owned dogs with PABDO. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records from dogs diagnosed with PABDO was performed. Data, including clinical signs and biochemical changes, were collected 6 times throughout the course of disease. Outcome was defined as either survival (discharge from the hospital) or death. Results: Thirty-three (79%) out of 42 dogs with PABDO survived. Thirty-one (94%) of the 33 dogs that survived received medical management alone. Time from onset of clinical signs to initial documented increase in serum bilirubin concentration, peak bilirubin elevation, and initial decline in serum bilirubin concentration were 7 (median), 8, and 15 days, respectively. The median number of days from onset of clinical signs to outcome date was 13. Clinical signs of fever, vomiting, and anorexia were decreased in frequency from the onset of clinical signs to the time of peak bilirubin. Median bile duct dilatation at the time of ultrasonographic diagnosis of PABDO and peak bilirubin were not different between survivors (7.6 mm, 11.7 mg/dL) and nonsurvivors (6 mm, 10.6 mg/dL, P = .12, P = .8). Conclusions: Dogs with PABDO often have a prolonged course of illness and improve clinically despite biochemical evidence of progression of EHBDO.

Background: Biliary sludge is associated with gallbladder (GB) dysmotility and mucus hypersecretion suggesting a link between biliary sludge, and the formation of GB mucoceles (GMT). If biliary sludge progresses to GBM, treatment to reduce the production and progression of sludge is warranted. Hypothesis/Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the course of biliary sludge in dogs. Animals: Seventy-seven healthy, client-owned dogs >= 4 years of age screened for biliary sludge; 45 affected dogs identified. Methods: Prospective, observational design. Serial ultrasound examinations were evaluated at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months to monitor degree of sludge based on proportion of GB filled with sludge (mild [0.01-24.4%] moderate [24.5-49.4%] moderate to severe [49.5-74.4%] severe, [74.5-100%), gravity dependency of sludge, and GB dimensions. Results: Alter 1 year of follow-up, the degree of sludge was mild (34 %), moderate (47% moderate to severe. (13%), severe (30 or absent (3%). There was no significant difference in median degree of sludge over 1 year (P = .36). There were no significant changes in the gravity dependency of sludge over 1 year. A subset of dogs, 24 %, with initial gravity-dependent sludge developed a combination of nondependent and dependent sludge. Dogs had resolved (2%), decreased (19%), static (40%), increased (29%), or recurrent (10 %) sludge at the conclusion of the study. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Biliary sludge was prevalent, affected dogs remained asymptomatic, and it rarely resolves in healthy dogs over a period of 1 year. Some dogs developed nongravity-dependent sludge within 1 year, which might indicate changes in consistency of sludge.

Background: Biopsy of the liver evaluates a small portion of tissue, with inferences made to the entire organ. The method and number of biopsies obtained are tempered by consideration of the risks and benefits. Recommendations often include biopsy of more than one liver lobe, although the consistency of histopathology among lobes in dogs is unknown. Hypothesis/Objectives: To describe the distribution of histopathologic abnormalities between liver lobes. We hypothesized that discordant results would be evenly distributed among all liver lobes. Animals: Seventy dogs undergoing necropsy. Methods: Prospective study. Liver samples were obtained from all lobes. A primary diagnosis was assigned to each liver sample based on the predominant histopathologic abnormality. Results: In this population of dogs, biopsy of at least 2 liver lobes identified the predominant histologic abnormality in 98.6% of the cases. Ten ( 14%) of the dogs had = 3 lobes in agreement and could not be assigned a predominant diagnosis. The same diagnosis was present in 6/ 6 lobes in 39 ( 56.5%) dogs, 5/ 6 lobes in 10 ( 14.5%) dogs, 4/ 6 lobes in 10 ( 14.5%) dogs, 3/ 6 lobes in 7 ( 10.1%) dogs, and 2/ 6 in 3 ( 4.3%) dogs. The number of discordant results did not differ between the liver lobes. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The likelihood of obtaining a sample that is reflective of the predominant histologic abnormality in the liver is increased when multiple liver lobes are biopsied.

Background: The liver sampling technique in dogs that consistently provides samples adequate for accurate histopathologic interpretation is not known. Hypothesis/ Objectives: To compare histopathologic results of liver samples obtained by punch, cup, and 14 gauge needle to large wedge samples collected at necropsy. Animals: Seventy dogs undergoing necropsy. Methods: Prospective study. Liver specimens were obtained from the left lateral liver lobe with an 8 mm punch, a 5 mm cup, and a 14 gauge needle. After sample acquisition, two larger tissue samples were collected near the center of the left lateral lobe to be used as a histologic standard for comparison. Histopathologic features and numbers of portal triads in each sample were recorded. Results: The mean number of portal triads obtained by each sampling method were 2.9 in needle samples, 3.4 in cup samples, 12 in punch samples, and 30.7 in the necropsy samples. The diagnoses in 66% of needle samples, 60% of cup samples, and 69% of punch samples were in agreement with the necropsy samples, and these proportions were not significantly different from each other. The corresponding kappa coefficients were 0.59 for needle biopsies, 0.52 for cup biopsies, and 0.62 for punch biopsies. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The histopathologic interpretation of a liver sample in the dog is unlikely to vary if the liver biopsy specimen contains at least 3- 12 portal triads. However, in comparison large necropsy samples, the accuracy of all tested methods was relatively low.