Abstract: | Arterial blood gas analysis is an important diagnostic and monitoring tool for
respiratory abnormalities. In human medicine, lung complications often occur as a result
of liver disease. Although pulmonary complications of liver disease have not been reported
in dogs, we have frequently encountered hypoxemia in dogs with liver disorders, especially
extrahepatic biliary obstruction. In addition, respiratory disorders account for 20% of
perioperative fatalities in dogs. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the respiratory
status in dogs with hepatobiliary disease by arterial blood gas analysis. PaO2
and PaCO2 were measured. Alveolar-arterial oxygen difference
(AaDO2), the indicator of gas exchange efficiency, was calculated. Compared to
healthy dogs (control group), hepatobiliary disease dogs had significantly lower
PaO2 and higher AaDO2. Hypoxemia (PaO2 of ≤80 mmHg) was
observed in 28/71 dogs with hepatobiliary disease. AaDO2 was higher (≥30 mmHg)
than the control group range (11.6 to 26.4 mmHg) in 32/71 hepatobiliary disease dogs. By
classifying type of hepatobiliary disease, dogs with extrahepatic biliary obstruction and
chronic hepatitis showed significantly lower PaO2 and higher AaDO2
than in a control group. Dogs with chronic hepatitis also had significantly lower
PaCO2. The present study shows that dogs with hepatobiliary disease have
respiratory abnormalities more than healthy dogs. Preanesthetic or routine arterial blood
gas analysis is likely beneficial to detect the respiratory abnormalities in dogs with
hepatobiliary disease, especially extrahepatic biliary obstruction and chronic
hepatitis. |