Veterinarians, can you translate these ultrasound findings for me?

[Brodi]

Mysti, Madame Pukes-A Lot, had another ultra sound done today and these were the findings the vet told me about and sent me a printed copy of. We are still trying to get a handle on just WHAT is happening here.

Normal Gallbladder is not noted on examination.

The vet who did the ultra sound thinks this is just a rare congenital abdormality and is not playing a roll in with the currant problem.

The apex of the bladder is mildly thickened with multiple small to finger-point projections along the lumen.

Both my vet and the ultra sound vet think this MAY be a UTI, but they are not 100% sure due to Mysti showing no signs of one.

decreased motilty

The above was found in the intestinal tract. All other findings were normal.

So, does this point to any single thing?

[Merneith]

I’m not a vet. I’ve just spent a lot of time with a lot of animals.

Are they saying that she doesn’t have a gallbladder at all or that she has one, but it’s abnormal? I would want to know if by abnormal, they mean, “malfunctioning”. Because a malfunctioning galbladder is the pits - but it’s an easy fix.

Intestinal motility disorders are a real thing, and range from mild irritable bowel to serious obstructions. This would explain Mysti’s constipation a while back.

See here for a discussion of intestinal motility disorder in humans -
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/179937-overview#a3

@eMedicine article

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) is a clinical syndrome caused by ineffective intestinal propulsion and characterized by symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction in the absence of an occluding lesion of the intestinal lumen. [6] CIP is caused by a group of heterogeneous nerve and muscle disorders and results in obstructive intestinal symptoms in the absence of any mechanical obstruction. Usually, CIP occurs in patients with severe comorbid clinical conditions or after traumas (even surgical) or in patients with other underlying medical diseases.

A consensus working group defined CIP as a “rare, severe disabling disorder characterized by repetitive episodes or continuous symptoms and signs of bowel obstruction, including radiographic documentation of dilated bowel with air-fluid levels, in the absence of a fixed, lumen-occluding lesion.” [7] However, this definition is really applicable only to the most severe forms of CIP; air-fluid levels may not always be present.

Thus, the criteria for diagnosis should include definite symptoms and signs of obstruction, with documentation of air-fluid levels on plain radiographs of the abdomen or a dilated duodenum, small intestine, or colon on barium radiographs. Even though severe dysmotility may otherwise be present, the term pseudo-obstruction should not be used when these radiographic findings are absent.

And here are a couple links for dogs -

Stomach Disorder (Loss of Motility) in Dogs

Intestinal Disorder (Loss of Motility) in Dogs

Your vet should be familiar with these terms. This should be helpful information for her.

[Brodi]

@Merneith

I’m not a vet. I’ve just spent a lot of time with a lot of animals.

Are they saying that she doesn’t have a gallbladder at all or that she has one, but it’s abnormal? I would want to know if by abnormal, they mean, “malfunctioning”. Because a malfunctioning galbladder is the pits - but it’s an easy fix.

Intestinal motility disorders are a real thing, and range from mild irritable bowel to serious obstructions. This would explain Mysti’s constipation a while back.

See here for a discussion of intestinal motility disorder in humans -
Intestinal Motility Disorders: Background, Pathophysiology, Etiology

And here are a couple links for dogs -

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_stomach_motility_loss

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_ileus
Your vet should be familiar with these terms. This should be helpful information for her.

No gallbladder at all, nothing but empty space. Both her and the ultra sound person couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Thanks for the links.

[Merneith]

Lacking a gallbladder altogether is sufficiently weird that I’d be tempted to want to stick a small small camera in there and see what’s going on. That’s probably overkill. OTOH, you should ask the vet about bile duct disease, bile duct obstruction and/or ruptures.

Not having a gallbladder is not a huge deal but there are dietary restriction and other care for those of us who are gallbladderless. If Mysti is just a harmless anomaly, (and it’s certainly possible), she’ll still need to proceed as if she’s had her gallbladder removed. You’ll want to talk to your vet about how to care for a dog that lacks gallbladder function.