ULTRASONOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN CATS WITH ACUTE BACTERIAL CHOLANGIOHEPATITIS

Abstract

The development of an inflammatory process in the liver tissue and bile ducts in cats is a frequent and severe pathology that requires early diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. It is shown that the diagnostic approach for feline cholangiohepatitis should be comprehensive and based on a thorough analysis of anamnestic data, the results of physical examination and additional methods of instrumental and laboratory diagnostics. It is important in the diagnosis of cholangiohepatitis in cats to conduct visual diagnostic methods, in particular ultrasonography. It is established that the method of ultrasonographic diagnostics is of high value in the verification of acute cholangiohepatitis in domestic cats. Hepatomegaly was detected in 23.5% of sick cats, the severity of this sign positively correlated with the severity of the course of cholangiohepatitis. Microhepathy in patients with feline cholangiohepatitis was observed with a frequency of 5.9%, hyperechogenicity of the liver – 17.6%, hypoechogenicity of the liver – 7.8%, dilatation of the bile ducts – 23.5%, thickening of the gallbladder wall – 9.8%, pathological echogenicity of the gallbladder wall – 3.9%, echogenic debris in the gallbladder cavity – 32.4%, change in the echogenicity of the pancreas - 31.4%, increase in the size of the pancreas – 15.7%, thickening of the duodenal wall – 11.8%, pathological layering of the duodenal wall – 7.8%, hyperechogenicity of parapancreatic fat – 5.9%, peritoneal effusion – 5.9%.