title: Clinical, ultrasonographic, and laboratory findings associated with gallbladder disease and rupture in dogs: 45 cases (1997-2007).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic characteristics associated with gallbladder disease and rupture in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  45 client-owned dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of dogs with histologically confirmed gallbladder disease that had ultrasonographic evaluation were reviewed. Signalment, history, clinical signs, laboratory values, bacteriologic culture of bile, gallbladder status at surgery or necropsy (intact vs ruptured), histopathologic findings, radiographic findings, ultrasonographic findings, and outcome were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common ultrasonographic findings were echogenic peritoneal fluid, thickened or laminated gallbladder wall, and echogenic reaction in the gallbladder fossa. Eighteen of 45 (40%) dogs had gallbladder rupture. Rupture was associated with histologic evidence of gallbladder necrosis, decreased serosal detail radiographically, and pericholecystic echogenic reaction, pericholecystic echogenic fluid, and generalized echogenic abdominal effusion ultrasonographically. Twenty-one of 45 (47%) dogs had mucocele, and 9 (43%) of those had gallbladder rupture. Eleven of 40 dogs had positive results of bacteriologic culture, and 5 of those had gallbladder rupture. Only 2 dogs had concurrent positive results of bacterial bile culture and gallbladder mucocele. Survival rate was 86% and not significantly related to presurgical bile leakage, positive results of bacterial culture, or mucocele.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonographic findings of pericholecystic reaction, localized or generalized echogenic peritoneal fluid, or decreased radiographic peritoneal detail should raise the index of suspicion for gallbladder rupture. Mucocele or bacterial gallbladder infection was the most common concurrent finding in dogs with gallbladder rupture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Crews
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.forename: Carl R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Jessen
authors.forename: Nathan D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Ilze
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matise
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009078:Mucocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014463:Ultrasonography