Bile Culture, Antimicrobial Susceptibility, and Hepatobiliary Pathology in Dogs Undergoing Cholecystectomy for Gallbladder Mucocele.

UNLABELLED: Gallbladder mucocele is a major cause of biliary disease in dogs, particularly affecting elderly and small-breed populations.

BACKGROUND

This study retrospectively evaluated 65 dogs that underwent cholecystectomy at a referral hospital in Seoul, Korea, (2022-2025) to characterize clinical features, bile culture results, antimicrobial susceptibility, and histopathologic findings.

METHODS

Signalment, ASA grade, preoperative laboratory data, bile culture and susceptibility results, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

Bile culture was positive in 21.3% (13/61) of cases, most frequently isolating Escherichia coli 38.5% (5/13) and Enterococcus spp. 30.8% (4/13). Approximately 18% of isolates were multidrug- or extensively drug-resistant, showing reduced susceptibility to β-lactams but retained sensitivity to imipenem and florfenicol. Preoperative increases in liver enzyme activities and C-reactive protein were common. Histopathology revealed gallbladder mucosal hyperplasia 90.4% (47/52) and inflammation 61.5% (35/52), often accompanied by hepatic inflammation or fibrosis. Toy Poodles were significantly over-represented (35.4%; OR = 3.1, p < 0.001). Antibiotic matching was not significantly associated with complications or the length of hospital stay (LOS).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the bile-culture positivity rate was modest, the frequent detection of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) organisms highlights the clinical value of culture-guided antibiotic therapy. Routine bile culture with susceptibility testing, concurrent liver biopsy, and careful perioperative management may improve diagnostic accuracy and outcomes in canine gallbladder disease.