Serial Peritoneoscopic Examinations as a Means of Studying Experimental Liver Damage in Dogs. ∗

Summary and Conclusions

1. The procedure of peritoneoscopy, as described by Ruddock, is a satisfactory means of inspecting the liver and of securing liver biopsy specimens in the dog. The examination can be accomplished without pain to the animal using local anesthesia, after morphine sedation. Repeated examinations with inspection and biopsy of the liver can be made over a period of time in the same dog.

2. A series of 145 peritoneoscope examinations in a group of 18 dogs with toxic or dietary liver damage was carried out in a 10-month period. Eight dogs in this group were subjected to peritoneoscopy 10 or more times. A second similar group of 9 dogs were subjected to 36 such examinations in a 2-month period. In each instance multiple liver biopsies were taken.

3. No fatalities attributable to this procedure have occurred even when performed on dogs exhibiting severe liver damage.