Abstract
As far as we are aware, the occurrence of acute edema of the gallbladder, pancreas and stomach has not been described as a consequence of serum anaphylaxis in the dog.
Incidence. In 21 dogs, we observed edema of the pancreas 8 times; edema of the gallbladder-mucosa and adventitia 15 times; and edema of the stomach-submucosa 8 times.
Degree of Edema. This varied considerably; in the pancreas the entire gland could be involved so that the lobules were separated by a clear, watery fluid; or the edema was largely limited to that portion closely adherent to the duodenum and antrum.
The lymph glands between the pancreas and stomach were generally black, hard and gorged with blood. Other lymph glands of the viscera appeared normal.
In the gallbladder the edema of the mucosa and adventitia varied between 1 and 3 mm in thickness; the fundus was chiefly involved and the edema was less on the body and apparently absent on the neck of the bladder.
In the stomach, the edema was found chiefly in the submucosa of the antrum and especially of the preantrum, and was most marked along the lesser curvature; the fundus generally showed no edema. In several instances, however, the fundus showed limited areas of edema at least 5 mm in thickness and this edema was associated with definite thickening of the mucosal rugae.
The duodenal submucosa never showed any appreciable edema.
The edema fluid in all instances was water-clear and not bloody.
A few petechial hemorrhages into the gastric mucosa of the fundus were observed in only one dog.
Duration. Some evidence is available indicating that the edema becomes less and disappears as the animal recovers.
It is conceivable that this acute edema of the gallbladder, pancreas and stomach may serve as the starting point of pathological processes or exacerbate existing abnormal conditions in the involved organs.
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