Diagnosis and management of gallbladder mucocele formation in dogs

Abstract

The past 20 years have observed the emergence of an enigmatic and deadly disease in dogs referred to as gallbladder mucocele formation. The disease has been the subject of over 100 PubMed-indexed publications, yet only a single review of the topic has been published approximately 10 years ago. The aim of the current review was to provide a practical overview of the current literature of and, in some cases, the authors' experience in the diagnosis and management of gallbladder mucocele formation in dogs. Key takeaways were that gallbladder mucocele formation is caused by secretion of abnormal mucus by the gallbladder epithelium and has a predilection for older, small-sized purebred dogs. These dogs are often concurrently diagnosed with hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, hyperlipidemia, and proteinuria. Diagnosis is reliant on ultrasonographic features demonstrating the presence of non-gravity-dependent mucus that is adherent to the walls of the gallbladder and encroaching into the lumen. The definitive treatment for mucocele formation is cholecystectomy, which carries a significant short-term mortality but good long-term prognosis.

Keywords: abdominal ultrasound; cholecystectomy; gallbladder rupture; mucocele; surgical complications.