A Case of Canine Gallbladder Mucocele With Intramural Haematoma and Rupture

To report a case of a ruptured gallbladder intramural haematoma with a concurrent ruptured gallbladder mucocele in a dog.

A 10-year-old neutered male Poodle mix.

Case report.

The patient was presented for assessment of anorexia, vomiting and a severe mixed hepatopathy. Abdominal ultrasound revealed peritoneal effusion and a ruptured gallbladder mass with a concurrent gallbladder mucocele suspected. Evaluation of the abdominal fluid was supportive of a haemoabdomen with simultaneous bile peritonitis. Emergent cholecystectomy was pursued and two points of rupture were noted, one at the gallbladder neck and a second associated with the mass-like lesion. The gallbladder was submitted for histopathologic analysis.

Cholecystectomy was performed routinely. Histopathology revealed a ruptured intramural gallbladder haematoma with concurrent gallbladder mucocele. The dog recovered well from surgery and was discharged 2 days post-operatively. Owner reports no clinical concerns at 2 months post-operatively.

Gallbladder intramural haematoma is a rare clinical finding in veterinary medicine, but should be considered in diagnostic workup for gallbladder masses.