Prognostic determinants of survival in dogs with cirrhosis: a clinicopathologic and sonographic approach

Cirrhosis in dogs is the end stage of chronic liver disease, characterised by fibrosis, regeneration and distortion of normal liver architecture leading to portal hypertension and ascites. The present study was carried out at the University Veterinary Hospital, Mannuthy and Kokkalai, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, to evaluate the clinicopathological ultrasonographic and ascitic fluid features of hepatic cirrhosis in dogs. Dogs with clinical signs of abdominal distension, icterus, anorexia, vomiting and melaena were examined using ultrasonography. Haematobiochemical, coagulation and urine analyses were done. Ascitic fluid was collected for biochemical analysis and bacterial culture. Ten healthy dogs were used as control. Eight dogs were diagnosed with hepatic cirrhosis. Abdominal distension, hyporexiaanorexia and melaena were the predominant clinical signs. Haematological analysis revealed marked anaemia and biochemical findings showed significant elevation of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase. Ascitic fluid was predominantly transudate with low protein content (