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→Diagnosis
==Diagnosis==
==Diagnosis==
It is important that biliary tract rupture are diagnosed promptly as the peritonitis becomes more severe with time.
It is important that biliary tract rupture is diagnosed promptly as the peritonitis becomes more severe with time.
===Clinical Signs===
===Clinical Signs===
The affected animal may show few clinical signs initially besides [[Icterus|icterus]] and evidence of an [[Exudate|ascites]]. As chemical peritonitis develops, the animal may show signs of:
The affected animal may show few clinical signs initially besides [[Icterus|icterus]] and evidence of an [[Exudate|ascites]]. As chemical peritonitis develops, the animal may show signs of:
Analysis of blood samples may show evidence of an acute inflammatory response, with a neutrophilic '''leucocytosis''' and elevated fibrinogen. The neutrophilia may have a left shift or, in severe cases, it may have a degenerative right shift. Cases with a very marked inflammatory response may develop a '''leukaemoid response''' with mobilisation of very large numbers of neutrophils from the bone marrow pools.
Analysis of blood samples may show evidence of an acute inflammatory response, with a neutrophilic '''leucocytosis''' and elevated fibrinogen. The neutrophilia may have a left shift or, in severe cases, it may have a degenerative right shift. Cases with a very marked inflammatory response may develop a '''leukaemoid response''' with mobilisation of very large numbers of neutrophils from the bone marrow pools.
Aspiration and cytological analysis of fluid from the abdomen will reveal it to be a form of [[Exudate|exudate]] with an evident green colouration. The fluid may contain mucinous or fibrillar material and it should be expected to have a bilirubin concentration at least twice that of serum<ref>Owens SD, Gossett R, McElhaney MR, Christopher MM, Shelly SM. '''Three cases of canine bile peritonitis with mucinous material in abdominal fluid as the prominent cytologic finding.''' ''Vet Clin Pathol. 2003;32(3):114-20.''</ref>.
'''Aspiration and cytological analysis''' of fluid from the abdomen will reveal it to be a form of [[Exudate|exudate]] with an evident green colouration. The fluid may contain mucinous or fibrillar material and it should be expected to have a bilirubin concentration at least twice that of serum<ref>Owens SD, Gossett R, McElhaney MR, Christopher MM, Shelly SM. '''Three cases of canine bile peritonitis with mucinous material in abdominal fluid as the prominent cytologic finding.''' ''Vet Clin Pathol. 2003;32(3):114-20.''</ref>.
===Diagnostic Imaging===
===Diagnostic Imaging===