• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.488-493
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• 2012

Two Maltese (2-year-old, intact female and 4-month-old, intact female) and a Pekingese (10-year-old, intact male) dogs were referred due to vomiting, anorexia, head-pressing and hypersalivation. Physical examinations, complete blood count, serum chemical analysis, radiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) were evaluated. Laboratory findings in these dogs included high hepatic enzyme, serum bile acid and ammonia concentration. Microhepatia was found on abdominal radiographs in two dogs. The existence of portosystemic shunt was presented in abdominal ultrasonography. The shunt vessel was identified in all dogs by CT imaging. Based on three-dimensional CT reconstruction, the origin and termination of each shunt vessel were defined certainly. In consequence, each dog was diagnosed single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt. After diagnosis, surgical treatment was performed in all dogs. This case report describes clinical finding, imaging characteristics, and three-dimensional CT imaging of single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt cases.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.316-318
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• 2014

A 3-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat was presented with a chief complaint of sudden onset of intermittent seizures occurring five times a day. Physical examination revealed the copper colored iris and loss of menace response at both eyes. Abnormalities of blood works and serum chemistry revealed mild erythrocytosis, severe microcytosis, and threefold increase in ALT activity. Additional liver function tests results were increased bile acid and $NH_3$ concentration. Radiographic study revealed multifocal nodules of the liver and an extrahepatic shunt was noted by ultraonography, which was confirmed by computed tomography as multiple extrahepatic shunts. The cat was scheduled for surgery applying an ameloid ring to occlude the shunt gradually. Diazepam and lactulose were instituted to the patient. However, clinical signs worsened despite medical management with shortened interval of seizures and the patient died due to cardiac arrest.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.325-328
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• 2006

A 10-year-old intact female Miniature Schnauzer dog was referred with the primary complaint of persistent anorexia, remittent fever, vomiting and abdominal pain. Hemogram suggested a chronic inflammatory disease. Serum biochemistry showed moderate hepatobiliary cellular damage with severe cholestasis. Abdominal radiography and ultrasonography revealed hepatomegaly, choleliths and sludges in gall bladder and small stones in urinary bladder. Based on diagnostic findings, the case was diagnosed as cholelithiasis complicated with biliary sludge and urolithiais. Using cholecystectomy and cystectomy, choleliths and uroliths were removed from gall bladder and urinary bladder, respectively. The clinical condition was dramatically improved after surgery.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.442-447
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• 2001

A 2-year-old 4.0-kg female Shih Tzu with history of hematemesis and melena was referred to Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Seoul national University for further evaluation and treatment. During physical examination, the dog revealed mild depression, dry mucous membrane and abdominal pain. Hematologic values were normal and serum chemical values showed increased serum bile acid (53.47 umol/l, preprandial), fasting serum ammonia concentration (184 g/dl), alanine transferase (98 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (871 U/L) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (21 U/L), and decreased blood urea nitrogen (4 mg/dl), total protein (4.1 g/dl) and albumin (1.2 g/dl). Microhepatica was shown in abdominal radiography. During the ultrasound examination, dilated tortuous vein communicating with caudal vena cava ws observed near the stomach. Intraoperative jejunal vein portography was performed during laparotomy to confirm the location and size of shunt vessel. According to history taking, physical examination, hematologic and serum chemical examination and radiographic study, it was diagnosed as single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt. The anomalous vessel (7 mm, o.d.) that enter the caudal vena cava from the left gastric vein, near the level of the diaphragm, was identified. A Ameroid constrictor (5 mm, i.d.) was applied to the shunting vessel near the caudal vena cava. Hematologic and serum chemical values recovered gradually and were revealed normal values 4 months after surgery. Four month after surgery serum bile acids concentrations were 0.56 $\mu$mol/l (preprandial) and 18.45 umol/l (postprandial). Abdominal radiograph showed normal gastric axis and it revealed normal size of the liver. Fine texture and increased echogenecity of liver and enlargement of portal vein were shown in ultrasonography. Single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt might be treated surgically using Ameroid constrictor.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.273-277
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• 2013

This study was performed to compare clinical and diagnostic imaging features between asymptomatic and symptomatic extrahepatic portosystemic shunts in dogs. The data of thirty patients diagnosed with extrahepatic PSS by multi-detector CT were reviewed, and the dogs were divided into asymptomatic (9/30) and symptomatic (21/30) groups. Signalments, hematologic results, liver size, morphologic classifications and main portal vein to abdominal aortic ratio (PV/AO) at the porta hepatis level from CT images were evaluated in two groups. Shih-tzu (5/9) was the most frequent breed in asymptomatic group, and various breeds were presented in symptomatic group. Mean age of asymptomatic group ($9.2{\pm}3.2$ years) was significantly higher than that of symptomatic group ($4.5{\pm}3.2$ years). The most morphologic form of shunt vessel was the splenophrenic shunt (16/30). PV/AO of asymptomatic group ($1.1{\pm}0.19$) was significantly higher than the values of symptomatic group ($0.55{\pm}0.19$). Clinical signs, hematologic results and diagnostic imaging findings of asymptomatic PSS are too nonspecific to suspect PSS. Therefore, considering of patient's age and CT examination with application of PV/AO ratio could be useful for the diagnosis of asymptomatic PSS.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2008

Two dogs were referred to Veterinary Medical Center, Chungbuk National University with the clinical signs of vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and jaundice. Both dogs were diagnosed as extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction(EHBO) with concurrent pancreatitis based on dilated common bile duct and hyperechoic or mixed-echoic pancreas in abdominal ultrasonographic examination and serum biochemical abnormalities, such as high serum bilirubin, cholesterol, and increased cholestatic enzyme activity. Percutaneous ultrasound-guided cholecytocentesis(PUCC) was performed to examine bile and decompress the gall bladder. After PUCC with medical therapy, both dogs were steadily improved clinical signs of jaundice and anorexia. Also, cholestatic enzyme activity and serum bilirubin concentration decreased. Any complications that have been described in previous studies, such as peritonitis resulting from bile leakage and hemorrhage, were not identified. It is assumed that percutaneous ultrasound guided cholecystocentesis may be an useful diagnostic and therapeutic tool in canine gallbladder disease and can be used easily and safely to gain bile for diagnosis of bacterial cholecytitis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 2007

Two dogs referred to Veterinary Medical Center, Chungbuk National University diagnosed as multiple extrahepatic portosystemic shunt were reported. The first dog was a 20-month-old, 8 kg, male Cocker spaniel with history of peritoneal effusion, diarrhea, anorexia and stunted growth. The second dog was a 3-year-old, 13.4 kg, male Jindo with a history of severe depression. Hematologic examination of first dog revealed mild microcytosis and nonregenerative anemia. All of 2 cases, serum chemical values showed increase of serum ammonia, ALP, r-GTP and glucose. In survey radiography, microhepatia was apparent. In the color Doppler ultrasonographic examination, the first dog revealed a dilated tortuous vein communicating with caudal vena cava was observed near the left kidney and the second dog revealed numerous shunting vessels ventral to L5 and L6. Transcolonic portal scintigraphy of the first dog confirmed the presence of portosystemic shunt. In intraoperative jejunoportography, the first dog showed single congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt and multiple acquired extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. The second dog showed multiple acquired extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. In these dogs, the presence of congenital and acquried portosystemic shunts and histopathologic findings were considered to represent a combination of multiple extrahepatic portosystemic shunts and noncirrhotic portal hypertension or portal vein hypoplasia.