I have to confess that this dog caught me out initially. A 12 m.o. Springer Spaniel; relatively well in herself but presenting with abdominal distention due to progressive ascites (of the modified transudate variety). No loud murmur. This is the liver: That’s not normal. The parenchyma is heterogeneous: specifically, the centres … Continue reading
Yesterday I saw an elderly dog with recent onset anorexia, apparent abdominal discomfort, bloody diarrhoea, and a single episode of vomiting. On examination this patient also turned out to have loud left- and right-sided systolic murmurs. And on echocardiography he exhibited findings consistent with left-sided congestive failure due to apparent mitral valve disease, secondary pulmonary … Continue reading
I have heard it suggested in cardiological circles that alternating bidirectional hepatic vein flow is an indicator of right heart congestive failure. But it’s not that straightfoward. Normal dogs also have not one but two reversed phase in their hepatic vein flow: As was described originally by Szatmari et al. some years ago: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11327368 The … Continue reading
