Vascular Ultrasonographic Findings in Canine and Feline Patients with Leishmaniosis.

Abdominal vascular ultrasound detects characteristic hyperechoic wall thickening and thrombosis in leishmaniosis.

This study establishes reference values for abdominal vascular wall thickness in healthy dogs and cats while characterizing ultrasonographic abnormalities in leishmaniosis patients. The research combined a prospective cross-sectional control cohort (10 healthy dogs, 10 healthy cats) with a retrospective case series (23 dogs, 7 cats with confirmed leishmaniosis). Vascular wall thickness and echogenicity of major abdominal vessels were measured, with documentation of halo/macaroni-like signs, intraluminal thrombi, and low-flow 'smoke' artifacts. Results demonstrated vessel-specific and species-dependent variations in healthy animals. In diseased dogs, wall thickening primarily affected intrahepatic portal branches, hepatic veins, caudal vena cava, and splenic vein, characterized by hyperechoic walls often associated with intraluminal smoke and mural thrombi. Cats showed less extensive but similarly characterized vascular involvement. Findings support the inclusion of abdominal vascular ultrasound in routine leishmaniosis assessment for staging, risk stratification, and monitoring vascular complications.

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