Animal: Dog, toy poodle, intact male, 7 years old.
Diagnosis: Gallbladder, cystic mucinous hyperplasia.
Description: Clinically, the dog was presented with rectal temperature of 40.5 ° C, generalized lymphadenopathy and poor general condition. The animal was placed on broad spectrum antibiotics but did not respond to therapy and died 5 days later. At necropsy the dog presented a severe left atrio-ventricular valvular multifocal to coalescing proliferative endocarditis and multifocal marginal splenic infarcts. The only gross change of the gallbladder was a moderate enlargement and thickening of the wall. Numerous hyperplastic sessile and polypoid cystic nodules containing mucin were noticed when the gallbladder was opened together with a thick, tenacious, dark-green bile accumulation.
Comments: Cystic mucinous hyperplasia of the mucus-producing glands in the mucosa of the gallbladder has been reported as an incidental lesion in dogs, sheep and in one ferret (Reindel JF at al. J Comp Pathol 1987; 601-604). The etiology of this condition is unknown, and may be related to decreased gallbladder motility, bile stasis, and altered bile composition and viscosity.
Picture and authored by Ranieri Verin, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.