How specialist veterinary surgery helped a 9-year-old Shih Tzu facing a life-threatening liver emergency.

 

 

A Life-Threatening Liver Mass

 

Meet Mui Mui, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu who was urgently referred to **Hong Kong Veterinary Specialty Services (HKVSS)** after being diagnosed with a very large, actively bleeding liver mass.

 

A bleeding liver mass can rapidly become life-threatening, requiring urgent diagnosis and surgical intervention.

 

Complex Emergency Liver Surgery

 

Advanced diagnostic imaging helped assess the extent of Mui Mui’s liver mass, confirming the need for emergency surgery.

 

The operation was particularly challenging because the mass was closely associated with the vena cava, one of the body's largest blood vessels.

 

Our specialist veterinary surgical team successfully removed the mass, achieving the widest surgical margins considered safe while protecting surrounding vital structures.

 

A Successful Surgery and Encouraging Recovery

 

Following surgery, Mui Mui recovered well, and her red blood cell count stabilised — an important early milestone following significant internal bleeding.

 

Her treatment was made possible through close collaboration with the Veterinary Emergency Centre (VEC), whose team provided prompt referral, intensive care and postoperative management.

 

Mui Mui's story demonstrates how timely intervention, specialist surgical expertise and coordinated veterinary care can make a meaningful difference in complex emergencies.

 

Does Your Dog Have a Liver Mass?

 

Not every liver mass is cancerous, and not every dog requires surgery. However, some liver masses can bleed unexpectedly and become life-threatening.