Small Animal Radiology and Ultrasound: A Diagnostic Atlas and Text

282 Small Animal Radiolo g y and Ultrasono graphy
peritonitis, adhesions, or any form of abdominal effusion, caused by blood, pus, chyle, or
transudate (Fig. 3-31). 123-146 A small amount of peritoneal fluid is normally present in puppies
and kittens. Hydroperitoneum may be caused by feline infectious peritonitis (FIP),
right-sided heart failure, bacterial infection, urine as a result of rupture of the urinary tract,
hypoproteinemia, portal hypertension, serosal malignancy, or hemorrhage.
Hydroperitoneum may be present in any degree, ranging from minimal, with just slight
blurring of the edges of the abdominal viscera, to marked, causing a homogeneous tissue
density.
Fig. 3-30 A 14-year-old neutered
male mixed breed dog with gagging
for 2 days. There are multiple gasfilled
bowel loops (large white arrow)
ventral to and crossing (small white
arrows) the normal line of the ventral
body wall. Diagnosis: Ventral
hernia.
Fig. 3-31 A 7-year-old male Siamese
cat with anorexia and vomiting for 4
days and pain upon abdominal palpation.
There is a mottling of tissue
density in the normally homogenous
density of the abdominal fat. This is
readily apparent in the fat pads ventral
to the abdominal wall (white
arrows). Also noted is hepatomegaly
(black L) and hydrothorax (black H).
Differential diagnoses include steatitis
or neoplasia with abdominal carcinomatosis
and thoracic metastases.
Diagnosis: Steatitis (the cat had
been on an all-tuna diet).