03030-A: Evaluation of Serum C-reactive Protein as a Noninvasive Biomarker of Inflammation and Disease Severity in Dogs with Gallbladder Mucocele

Abstract

In the last 20 years a condition called gallbladder mucocele has emerged as a very common disease of the liver in dogs. This disease is associated with the accumulation of congealed bile in the gallbladder that subsequently cannot empty properly into the intestine. The result of this is often irreversible damage to the gallbladder wall with rupture and inflammation. This complication is life threatening and requires emergency surgery, which has a high mortality rate (20-40%). There is an increased incidence in several breeds of dogs including Shetland Sheepdogs, Border Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Cocker Spaniels, Pomeranians and Bichons, but it can occur in any breed or mixed breed dog. Some dogs can live with the abnormal gallbladder and can be managed medically with low-fat diets and drugs to increase bile flow. Some of these medically managed dogs have an abrupt onset of decompensation that can be fatal, however, veterinarians and researchers do not fully understand how to recognize which dogs this will happen to. Investigators hypothesize that this decompensation may be related to the onset of inflammation which triggers the development of clots in the gallbladder wall that compromise blood flow and lead to necrosis (death) of the wall. In this study, researchers will determine if measurement of C-reactive protein in the blood can serve as a marker of impending decompensation and the need for gallbladder removal.

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