Spontaneous mural gallbladder hematoma in a dog

A 12-year-old spayed female Maltese dog was evaluated because of a 12-hour history of vomiting, mucoid diarrhea, and anorexia. There was no history of trauma or injury. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a well-defined mass associated with the gallbladder. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) confirmed a non-contrast enhancing mass emanating from the gallbladder wall causing separation of the serosal and mucosal margins. Exploratory celiotomy followed by cholecystectomy was performed. Histology of the gallbladder mass was consistent with a mural hematoma and there were no signs of significant inflammation or neoplasia present. The patient remained clinically normal in the 3 months after surgery and is reported to be alive and well 4 years after the procedure. Key clinical message: To the author's knowledge, this is the first reported case of a spontaneous mural hematoma of the gallbladder in the veterinary literature.