Ultrasound guided liver biopsy and ascitic fluid aspiration for diagnosis of hepatopathy in dogs

The efficacy of ultrasound guided liver biopsy and ascitic fluid aspiration was evaluated for diagnosis of hepatopathy in 10 dogs. In four cases alteration in the texture of the liver was diagnosed, and in remaining six cases with ascites the presence of small amount of anechoic fluid was detected in the peritoneal cavity. All these animals treated using antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and hepatoprotective drugs, and kept on high protein diet responded and recovered, except one animal with HCC, which died after six days. The diagnostic value of samples collected under ultrasound guided biopsy was 90%. It can be concluded that ultrasound guided tissue core biopsy and fine needle aspiration cytology are effective and safe procedures with minimal complications.