B y : E v e l y n C a p o r a l i , M V, M S , P h D, D A C V S
Introduction:
Gizmo, a 14 year old, male
neutered Papillon was presented to
The Coral Springs Animal Hospital
for evaluation of a hepatic mass.
On presentation, the physical exam
was unremarkable with the exception
of firm abdominal palpation and
cranial abdominal organomegaly.
Three weeks prior to his appointment,
Gizmo was seen by his primary
veterinarian for vomiting, shivering
and not acting himself. Complete
blood count revealed a reticulocytosis
(152.9 K/uL; 10-110 K/ul), mild
neutrophilia (11.96 K/uL; 2.95-11.64
K/uL), thrombocytosis (547 K/uL; 148-
484 K/uL), elevated ALT (670 U/L; 10-
125 U/L), ALP (1766 U/L; 23-212 U/L)
and GGT (19 U/L; 0-11 U/L). Abdominal
radiographs (Figures 1 and 2) showed
a mass occupying the cranial abdomen
displacing the intestines and spleen
caudodorsally.
An
abdominal
ultrasound showed a large cavitated
mass that extended cranio-caudally
from the diaphragm to the middle
third of the abdomen and from the
right body wall to the porta hepatis. A
computed tomography (CT) scan was
recommended for further evaluation.
Imaging:
A CT scan photo of images should
be included with arrows showing the
massconfirmed a large (13 cm in
diameter), soft tissue attenuating
mass in the right side of the liver,
suspected to be arising from the
right medial liver lobe, displacing
the gallbladder to the left side of the
body (Figures 3 and 5) The mass also
caused severe dorsal displacement and
compression of the caudal vena cava
and portal vein (Figure 4). There was
no evidence of invasion into the
vessels or any other hepatic nodules. A
7 mm ovoid soft tissue structure was