The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of biopsies collected with aspiration or cutting needles, which were compared to the post-mortem histologic examination of the liver from dogs with hepatic diseases. Sixty mixed breed dogs of several ages and of both sexes were studied. Biopsies were collected with Menghini needles (aspiration) or Tru-Cut needles (cutting). The diagnoses obtained with the Tru-Cut needle did not differ statistically from diagnoses obtained with the Menghini needle. The diagnoses obtained with the Tru-Cut needle had a better agreement index, totaling 88.3% of correct diagnoses. The Tru-Cut needle provided excellent results, regardless of the nature of the lesions, whereas the Menghini needle failed when fibrosis was present.
Dog; hepatic disease; hepatic biopsy
