Pathology of Liver and Pancreas

Question 1

What are the three zones of a normal liver lobule?

Answer 1

Periportal, Midzonal, Centrilobular

Question 2

What is a portosystemic shunt?

Answer 2

Congenital or acquired disease where portal blood bypasses the liver

Question 3

What is the difference between a congenital and acquired portosystemic shunt?

Answer 3

Congenital - shunt into vena cava, azygos or renal vein

Acquired - shunts secondary to fibrosis with multiple thin-walled shunts

Question 4

What is right sided heart failure normally associated with in the liver?

Answer 4

Passive venous congestion

Question 5

Describe the gross and microscopic appearance of passive venous congestion

Answer 5

Gross - enlarged liver, oozes blood when cut, enhanced lobulation (nutmeg liver)
Microscopic - engorged sinusoids and hepatic venules, atrophy of hepatocytes

Question 6

Name four disorders of pigmentation in the liver

Answer 6

Melanin
Haemosiderin
Bile
Lipofuscin

Question 7

What is Vacuolar Hepatopathies?

Answer 7

A degenerative disease where hydropic change happens in hepatocytes - may be caused by Cushings

Question 8

What can cause lipidosis (fatty liver)?

Answer 8

Dietry factors, increased energy demand, disease (diabetes mellitus), abnormal hepatocyte function

Question 9

What is lysosomal storage disease?

Answer 9

Deficiencies of lysosomal enzymes - causes macrophages with stored material to accumulate in liver, lymph, CNS etc

Question 10

In amyloidosis, what stain can be used to show there is an accumulation of amyloid?

Answer 10

Congo red

Question 11

What are the four patterns of Fibrosis in the liver? How are they caused?

Answer 11

Periacinar (around central vein) - chronic passive congestion
Biliary - accompanies inflammation of portal triads
Post-necrotic scarring
Cirrhosis - extensive fibrotic lesions, end stage liver

Question 12

Name three types of inflammation in the liver and where the inflammation has occured

Answer 12

Hepatits - liver parenchyma
Cholangitis - inflammation of bile ducts
Cholangiohepatitis - both

Question 13

Give an example of a common viral disease which causes hepatitis in dogs. Describe the disease

Answer 13

Infectious canine hepatitis - highly infectious, widespread tropism on endothelium, enlarged tonsils and lymph nodes, normally young dogs, virus shed in urine

Question 14

Give four examples of herpesviruses that cause hepatitis

Answer 14

Equine viral rhinopneumonitis
Infectious Bovine rhinotracheitis
Feline viral rhinopneumonitis
Aujezsky’s disease

Question 15

Give an example and describe a viral disease in cats that causes hepatitis

Answer 15

Feline infectious peritonitis - caused by enteric coronavirus, systemic vasculitis and effusions, either ‘wet’ or ‘dry’

Question 16

What routes of infection cause bacterial hepatitis?

Answer 16

Direct extension, haematogenous, hepatic abscessation

Question 17

What is Bacillary Necrosis caused by? How does it infect in calves and cattle?

Answer 17

Fusobacterium necrophorum. Calves via umbilical infection - Cattle via ruminitis

Question 18

What is Infectious necrotic hepatitis caused by? What is the pathology?

Answer 18

Clostridium novyi type B - extensive subcutaneous venous congestion and oedema

Question 19

What is Bacillary haemoglobinuria caused by? What is the pathology similar to?

Answer 19

Clostridium haemolyticum - Black disease

Question 20

What is Tyzzers disease caused by? What does it normally affect?

Answer 20

Clostridium piliforme (Bacillus piliformis) - Lab rodents

Question 21

What is Leptospirosis? Why is it important to us?

Answer 21

Hepatic disease caused by many bacteria that cause widespread haemorrhages and icterus - zoonotic

Question 22

Describe the disease Salmonellosis in calves

Answer 22

Infected with S. dublin - fever dehydration and diarrhoea - paratyphoid nodules in liver (foci of necrosis)

Question 23

If there is acute intoxication of the liver what signs will be present and why?

Answer 23

Widespread haemorrhage - excess consumption of clotting factors and lack of production of clotting factors

Question 24

In which diseases does cholecystitis (inflammation of gall bladder) occur?

Answer 24

Salmonellosis and Infectious Canine Hepatitis

Question 25

What two scenarios of the biliary tree cause pathology? Which is more serious and why?

Answer 25

Obstruction (compression) or rupture. Rupture as the omentum can’t seal it up

Question 26

Give an example of 4 things that cause pathology in the exocrine pancreas

Answer 26

Developmental - pancreatitis - pancreatic hyperplasia - pancreatic neoplasia

Question 27

What breed of dog is most commonly effected by pancreatic hypoplasia?

Answer 27

German Shepherd Dogs

Question 28

Give the clinical signs and gross findingsof acute pancreatitis

Answer 28

Clinical - shock, CVS collapse, raised lipase and amylase levels
Gross - chalk like areas of fat necrosis, local reddening, blood-tinged fluid with fat globules in abdomen