Abstract Background Cholecystectomy is well described for gallbladder mucocele management, but its role in other gallbladder diseases is less well understood. Hypothesis/Objectives Characterize and compare dogs undergoing cholecystectomy for mature gallbladder mucocele (M-GBM) versus “other gallbladder disease” (non-M-GBM). A secondary exploratory aim was to compare surgical complication and 10 to 14-day mortality rates between cohorts. Animals A total of 256 dogs undergoing cholecystectomy. Methods Retrospective cohort study (2018-2025). Dogs were assigned to M-GBM or non-M-GBM groups based on radiologist review of stored ultrasonographic images. Clinical, biochemical, histopathologic, and outcome variables were compared. Survival was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier curves and restricted mean survival time estimates. Results Sixty-nine dogs were classified as M-GBM and 187 as non-M-GBM. The M-GBM dogs were significantly older (11.0 ± 2.8 vs 8.7 ± 3.1 years; P .001) and had higher white blood cell (13.8 ± 7.3 vs 10.0 ± 4.5 k/μL; P .001), and neutrophil counts (10.5 ± 6.2 vs 7.3 ± 3.9 k/μL; P .001), and ALT (148; interquartile range IQR: 55.2-402 vs 78; IQR: 42.5-278.5 U/L; P .001) and ALP activities (446; IQR: 148-1860 vs 178; IQR: 59.5-786.8 U/L; P .001). Fourteen-day mortality was significantly lower in the non-M-GBM cohort (3.2 vs 8.7%; P = .04). Post-surgical clinical improvement occurred in 83.7% of non-M-GBM dogs. Concurrent pancreatic and intestinal abnormalities were common. Conclusions and clinical importance Cholecystectomy was safe, associated with owner-perceived clinical improvement, and carried a lower short-term mortality rate in non-M-GBM dogs compared with M-GBM dogs.
Cridge et al. (2026) studied this question.