Destructive cholangiolitis in seven dogs.

In seven dogs presented with clinical signs and laboratory data suggestive of extrahepatic cholestasis, destructive cholangiolitis was diagnosed. The diagnosis was based on the absence of extrahepatic cholestasis at laparoscopy, laparotomy and/or post-mortem examination, and the presence of specific liver lesions i.e. loss of bile ducts in the smaller portal areas. The disease is compared with drug-induced (chlorpromazine) cholestasis in man. In two dogs clinical signs were preceded by longstanding respectively repeated sulphonamide medication.