Destructive Cholangitis in an Adult Jack Russell Terrier

Abstract

A 4-year-old female Jack Russell terrier dog exhibited vomiting and severe jaundice of the visible mucous membranes and skin. Ultrasonography revealed diffuse areas of high echogenicity and focal areas of low echogenicity in the left lobe of the liver. On macroscopic observation of the biopsied liver specimen, many scattered irregularly shaped red spots were observed on the liver surface and on the cut surface. Histopathologically, there was loss of the interlobular bile duct and cholangitis accompanied by infiltration of pigment-laden macrophages in the Glisson's capsule. Therefore, in the present case the dog was diagnosed with destructive cholangitis.

Diagnostic challenge in veterinary pathology: Hyperbilirubinemia in a dog

“…Destructive cholangitis carries a poor prognosis: of the 10 reported cases, 7 survived 7 weeks or less, 2 survived 1 year and 6 months (at the time of publication), and 1 had an unknown survival time. 1,3,4,6 Interestingly, in the current case, the biliary epithelium of the gallbladder and major ducts was intact and histologically unremarkable.…”

“…Destructive cholangitis is a rare form of cholangitis in dogs with only 10 cases reported in the literature. 1,3,4,6 The underlying pathogenesis is not fully elucidated, but destructive cholangitis has been associated with possible idiosyncratic drug reactions (potentiated sulfonamides, amoxicillin-clavulanate, amitraz, and milbemycin oxime), toxic insults (paraquat, and 4,4' diaminodiphenylmethane), and canine distemper virus infection. 3,5,6 As this case presented with elevated liver enzyme concentrations and hyperbilirubinemia prior to medication administration, the underlying cause of destructive cholangitis in this case was undetermined.…”

“…1,3,4,6 The underlying pathogenesis is not fully elucidated, but destructive cholangitis has been associated with possible idiosyncratic drug reactions (potentiated sulfonamides, amoxicillin-clavulanate, amitraz, and milbemycin oxime), toxic insults (paraquat, and 4,4' diaminodiphenylmethane), and canine distemper virus infection. 3,5,6 As this case presented with elevated liver enzyme concentrations and hyperbilirubinemia prior to medication administration, the underlying cause of destructive cholangitis in this case was undetermined. Destructive cholangitis carries a poor prognosis: of the 10 reported cases, 7 survived 7 weeks or less, 2 survived 1 year and 6 months (at the time of publication), and 1 had an unknown survival time.…”