Dog whose liver slipped into her chest saved by surgery

A FAMILY dog underwent emergency surgery after vets discovered her liver had slipped into her chest cavity and was crushing her lungs.

Willow, a previously fit and healthy dog, first displayed signs that something was not right when she developed a nasal discharge and mild breathing difficulty.

Owner Beth Dunne took her straight to her local vet, where tests began.

But as Willow’s symptoms escalated and fluid appeared in her chest, she needed several emergency out‑of‑hours visits.

Willow is a much-loved member of the family.

A CT scan was carried out which revealed a diaphragmatic hernia, a tear in the muscle separating the chest and abdomen.

Part of Willow’s liver had herniated up into her chest, with signs that one of the liver lobes may have twisted - a condition that can quickly become life‑threatening.

The results prompted an urgent referral for specialist veterinary surgery and her case was taken on by Erika Bianchini, EBVS European specialist in small animal surgery.

Erika confirmed that the CT scan showed a significant diaphragmatic defect, with displaced liver tissue and concerns about lobe torsion, meaning surgery was the only option.

Willow underwent two hours of intricate specialist surgery at CVS‑owned Chestergates Veterinary Specialists, Chester, overseen by a team of surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses.

The herniated liver was returned to the abdominal cavity while the damaged, twisted lobe was removed and the tear in the diaphragm repaired.

After two days of specialist nursing care at Chestergates, Willow recovered exceptionally well and was able to return home just two days later.

A few weeks later, she was back to her normal playful and bouncy self.

Erika said: "Diaphragmatic hernias can be complex, particularly when congenital or long‑standing, and a specialist anaesthesia team is vital.

"Even dogs that appear stable externally can have very serious internal compromise. Willow was fortunate that we were able to correct it smoothly.

"Had she not received this treatment, the consequences could have been devastating.

"The liver would have continued to compress her lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult, while the twisted lobe risked inflammation, tissue death and potentially fatal complications. Surgery was essential for her survival."

Beth said: "We want to say a huge thank you to Erika and all of the staff who cared for Willow during her time at Chestergates.

"Willow is not only our pet but our family and we are so grateful that they were able to help her and get her back home to us.

"We were so worried at the time but the staff were extremely reassuring and compassionate, which was exactly what we needed during such an upsetting time.

"Willow is now back to her usual happy, healthy and loving self and this is all thanks to the team at Chestergates. We are forever grateful."

Diaphragmatic hernias in dogs are rare. Symptoms vary widely - from sudden breathing difficulty and shock in acute cases to subtle signs such as lethargy or weight loss in chronic ones.

Some long‑standing hernias are discovered entirely by chance during imaging for unrelated issues.

Chestergates encourages owners to seek immediate veterinary assessment if their dog shows unexplained breathing problems, collapse, lethargy or recurrent chest fluid as conditions like Willow’s often require advanced imaging and a specialist surgical team.

For more information on Chestergates, visit: www.chestergates.org.uk