title: Congenital portosystemic shunts in five mature dogs with neurological signs.
abstract: Congenital portosystemic shunts are a common cause of hepatic encephalopathy and are typically first identified when dogs are <2 years of age. This case series describes five dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts; the dogs were presented for severe encephalopathic signs during middle or old age. Three dogs had portoazygos shunts, and four dogs had multifocal and lateralizing neurological abnormalities, including severe gait abnormalities and vestibular signs. All five dogs responded to medical or surgical treatment, demonstrating that older animals can respond to treatment even after exhibiting severe neurological signs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca Christine
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Windsor
authors.forename: Natasha J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Olby
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011168:Portal System / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome