Case report: Budd-Chiari-Like syndrome in a dog

Abstract

In this case report, a 6 month old male Cocker Spaniel dog had exhibited clinical signs compatible with cardiac failure (tiredness and difficulties during exercise, anorexia, abdominal pain and distension and dyspnoea) for 3 months, an important ascites with a bloodstained fluid, a marked anaemia and great increases in the plasma AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine aminotransferase) activities. Necropsy and histopathological investigations were performed after the spontaneous death and revealed excessive liver enlargement and necrosis in the vicinity of the central veins, hepatocyte disappearance and replacement with erythrocytes in hepatic cords (trabecular lesions), sinusoid dilatations, increase in the connective tissue, collagen accumulation in the walls of portal veins and formation of multiple blood vessels. It was concluded that the liver injury in the dog was consistent with histological appearance of Budd-Chiari-like syndrome.