Dogs ≥ five years of age at the time of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt diagnosis have better long-term outcomes with surgical attenuation than with medical management alone

Mandy L. WallaceDepartment of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

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Janet A. GrimesDepartment of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

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Lauren EdwardsDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

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Cassie N. LuxDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

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Candace TamDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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Vanna M. DickersonDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

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Kenneth A. CarrollDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

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Valery F. ScharfDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

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Valerie ColbergDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA

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Raymond K. KudejDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA

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Aki OtomoDepartment of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

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Ameet SinghDepartment of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada

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Annellie MillerDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

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Penny J. RegierDepartment of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

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Chiara CurcilloDepartment of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

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David E. HoltDepartment of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

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Jessica A. OgdenDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

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Shiori AraiDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN

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David A. UpchurchDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

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Logan EicherDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

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James HowardDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

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Robert J. HardieDepartment of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

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Eric M. ZellnerDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

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Milan MilovancevDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

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Barbara BennettDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

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Natalie HeapeDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

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Brad M. MatzDepartment of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

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Chad W. SchmiedtDepartment of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine the outcome in dogs diagnosed with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (EHPSS) at ≥ 5 years of age treated with medical management only (M) or with surgical attenuation (S). The hypothesis was that dogs undergoing surgical attenuation would have a longer survival time than dogs undergoing medical management only.

ANIMALS

351 dogs definitively diagnosed with EHPSS at ≥ 5 years of age.

PROCEDURES

Medical records from 2009 to 2019 at 16 veterinary teaching hospitals were evaluated. Data collected included signalment, clinical signs at diagnosis, clinicopathologic data, surgical and medical treatments, shunt morphology, clinical signs and medical treatments at 6 to 12 months after diagnosis, and survival time.

RESULTS

351 dogs (M, 119 [33.9%]; S, 232 [66.1%]) were included in the study. Survival time was longer with surgery than medical management (hazard ratio, 4.2; M, 3.4 years; S, 10.9 years). Continued clinical signs at 6 to 12 months after diagnosis were more common with medical management (M, 40% [33/88]; S, 14% [21/155]). Continued medical treatments at 6 to 12 months after diagnosis were more common in the medical management group (M, 78% [69/88]; S, 34% [53/155]). Perioperative mortality rate was 7.3%.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Dogs diagnosed at ≥ 5 years of age with EHPSS have significantly better survival times and fewer clinical signs with surgical attenuation, compared with medical management. Older dogs have similar surgical mortality rates to dogs of all ages after surgical EHPSS attenuation.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine the outcome in dogs diagnosed with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (EHPSS) at ≥ 5 years of age treated with medical management only (M) or with surgical attenuation (S). The hypothesis was that dogs undergoing surgical attenuation would have a longer survival time than dogs undergoing medical management only.

ANIMALS

351 dogs definitively diagnosed with EHPSS at ≥ 5 years of age.

PROCEDURES

Medical records from 2009 to 2019 at 16 veterinary teaching hospitals were evaluated. Data collected included signalment, clinical signs at diagnosis, clinicopathologic data, surgical and medical treatments, shunt morphology, clinical signs and medical treatments at 6 to 12 months after diagnosis, and survival time.

RESULTS

351 dogs (M, 119 [33.9%]; S, 232 [66.1%]) were included in the study. Survival time was longer with surgery than medical management (hazard ratio, 4.2; M, 3.4 years; S, 10.9 years). Continued clinical signs at 6 to 12 months after diagnosis were more common with medical management (M, 40% [33/88]; S, 14% [21/155]). Continued medical treatments at 6 to 12 months after diagnosis were more common in the medical management group (M, 78% [69/88]; S, 34% [53/155]). Perioperative mortality rate was 7.3%.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Dogs diagnosed at ≥ 5 years of age with EHPSS have significantly better survival times and fewer clinical signs with surgical attenuation, compared with medical management. Older dogs have similar surgical mortality rates to dogs of all ages after surgical EHPSS attenuation.

Contributor Notes

Corresponding author: Dr. Wallace (mandywl@uga.edu)
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