Observational study establishes baseline gallbladder ultrasound parameters in healthy Korean raccoon dogs, revealing larger volumes in individuals with biliary sludge.
Background: The Korean raccoon dog represents a large proportion of mammalian casualty cases treated at wildlife rescue centers in Korea, increasing the demand for diagnostic imaging.However, ultrasonographic characteristics and reference values of the gallbladder (GB) have not been established for this species.This study aimed to describe the ultrasonographic features of the GB and establish reference values for the GB in clinically healthy wild Korean raccoon dogs.Methods: This study employed a mixed retrospective-prospective design.Ultrasonography was performed in 46 animals to assess GB morphology and wall thickness.Of these, 21 animals underwent ultrasonographic examinations in both preprandial and postprandial states to measure GB volume and contraction index.These parameters were compared according to the presence or absence of GB sludge.Results: The GB typically appeared as an ovoid to pearshaped, anechoic, fluid-filled structure, although a septated GB was observed in one individual.The mean GB wall thickness was 0.66 ± 0.12 mm (range, 0.42-1.00mm).The mean preprandial and postprandial GB volumes were 5.48 ± 3.09 mL (range, 1.23-11.62mL) and 2.99 ± 2.22 mL (range, 0.16-10.06mL), respectively, and the mean contraction index was 46.09 ± 20.07%(range, 13.36-90.47%).GB sludge was identified in 9 of 46 animals, and animals with sludge had significantly higher preprandial (p = 0.01) and postprandial (p = 0.002) GB volumes than those without sludge.Conclusion: This study provides species-specific ultrasonographic features and reference values for the GB in Korean raccoon dogs.
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장하연 et al. (2026) studied this question.
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