Gall Bladder Lesions in Bears

• Gall bladder polyps
• Gall bladder stones
• Cholecystitis
• Gall bladder foreign bodies

See also: Gall Bladder Fistula in Bears

• Gall bladder implants, other foreign material, and environmental contaminants. (P83.1.w1, P503.1.w7)
  • Chronic ascending infections of the gall bladder, direct trauma to the gall bladder and the presence of foreign bodies all disrupt the gall bladder lining, leading to the various pathological conditions. (P503.1.w7)
  • Non-absorbable suture material (e.g. unsterilised cotton thread) in the gall bladder appears to provide a nidus for the development of gall stones. (P503.1.w7)

• In bears in China in which the "free-dripping fistula" technique had been used for bile collection, at cholecystectomy, practically all bears had cholecystitis, polyps were found in the gall bladder in 70% of bears, foreign bodies were found in 21% and gallstones in 22%. Additionally, 29% had abscesses "either at the connection of the gall bladder to the abdominal wall or in the midline abdominal area." (P503.1.w7)
• Gall stones found in 23% of free-dripping bears; foreign objects in 21% and 69% had polyps. (V.w90)
• In individuals with severe polyps, bile "sludge" (sand) was noted to be collecting, presumably due to impeded emptying of the gall bladder since the polyps would cause physical obstruction during contraction of the gall bladder. (P503.1.w7)
• Non-absorbable suture material often was present within abscesses in the gall bladder wall, and free in the lumen, coated with bile "sludge". (P503.1.w7)

• The various pathologies of the gall bladder generally get worse over time and are a major contributing factor leading to early death of bears in bile farms. (P503.1.w7)
• NOTE: Ultrasound examinations of bears which have arrived at the Animals Asia Foundation rescue centre but have never been used for bile extraction has shown that these bears do not have any of the gall bladder pathologies found in the bears which have been subjected to bile extraction. (P3.2006b.w1)
• Biliary stones were noted in a circus Ursus maritimus - Polar bear which died from an unrelated cause (Pseudorabies in Bears)
• Numerous large gall stones occluding the bile duct were noted in one wild Ursus maritimus - Polar bear as the apparent cause of death of the bear. (B490.27.w27)

• History & Documentation
• Physical Examination of Mammals
• Necropsy of Mammals
• Environmental Assessment
• Treatment and Care
• Environmental and Population Management
• Preventative Medicine for Mammals
• Chapter 2 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen Collection and Preservation
• Chapter 3 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen shipment
• Appendix A - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Sample specimen history form

• Bears (Ursidae - Bears (Family))
• Ursus arctos - Brown bear
• Ursus arctos - Brown bear x Ursus thibetanus - Asiatic black bear
• Ursus maritimus - Polar bear
• Ursus thibetanus - Asiatic black bear

List does not contain all other species groups affected by this disease. [N.B. Miscellaneous / Traumatic Diseases tend to be under-reported and the majority are likely to affect all bird and mammal species, given exposure to the related disease agents/factors.]