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Gallbladder mucocele (GBM) is a common extra-hepatic biliary syndrome in dogs with death rates ranging from 7-45%. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the association of survival with variables that could be utilized to improve clinical decisions. A total of 1194 dogs with a gross and histopathological diagnosis of GBM were included from 41 veterinary referral hospitals in this retrospective study. Dogs with GBM that demonstrated abnormal clinical signs had significantly greater odds of death than subclinical dogs in a univariable analysis (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 2.14-8.23; P<0.001). The multivariable model indicated that categorical variables including owner recognition of

BackgroundGall bladder mucoceles (GBM) are a leading cause of biliary disease in dogs with several breeds, including the Shetland Sheepdog, American Cocker Spaniel, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, and Miniature Schnauzer apparently predisposed.ObjectiveTo determine risk factors, clinical features, and response to treatment of GBM in Border terriers (BT).AnimalsMedical records of 99 dogs (including 51 BT) with an ultrasonographic (±histopathologic) diagnosis of GBM from three referral centers in the United Kingdom were collected. A control group of 87 similar‐aged BT with no ultrasonographic evidence of gall bladder disease was selected for comparison.MethodRetrospective case‐control study. Odds ratios were calculated to establish breed predisposition. Signalment, presence of endocrine disease, clinicopathologic results, and outcome were compared between the BT, other breeds, and control BTs.ResultsThe odds of identifying a GBM in a BT in this hospital population was 85 times that of all other breeds (95% confidence interval 56.9‐126.8). BT had similar clinical signs and clinicopathologic changes to other breeds with GBM. There was no evidence that endocrinopathies were associated with GBM in BT.Clinical SignificanceA robust breed predisposition to GBM is established for the BT.

This retrospective study aimed to identify the most accurate formula for estimating the increase in packed cell volume (PCV) after whole blood transfusion of cats, as several formulae have been reported but not validated. Forty cats, of varying breeds and gender, were included from two referral institutions after database searches over a 13 year period. Five formulae were used to calculate an estimated post-transfusion PCV based on the re-working of formulae for determining the volume of donor blood to be transfused; three formulae were derived from those previously reported in the feline literature and two from human paediatric medicine, where a similar mean blood volume has been described. Cats were subdivided into two groups, the first consisting of 17 cats with non-regenerative anaemia and the second consisting of 23 cats with ongoing losses such as haemolysis and haemorrhage; it was hypothesised that formulae could be more accurate for group 1 cats, whereas formulae applied to group 2 cats could have overestimated the post-transfusion PCV. Bland-Altman analysis was performed for all cats to compare the actual increase in PCV with the calculated increase for the five formulae. Formula 1 (PCV % increase = volume of blood transfused in ml/2 × bodyweight in kg) performed best overall and is easy to calculate; however, no single formula was highly accurate at predicting the PCV increase after whole blood transfusion in cats and, owing to the wide confidence intervals, these formulae should be applied judiciously in the clinical setting.