Study sets liver and spleen ultrasound benchmarks in Saanen goats

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A new study in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound reports baseline B-mode ultrasonographic reference values for the liver and spleen in 34 healthy lactating Saanen goats, giving clinicians breed- and physiologic-stage-specific benchmarks for routine abdominal imaging. The researchers found the spleen was visualized from the 12th to 8th intercostal spaces and the liver from the 12th to 6th, with both organs showing homogeneous parenchyma. Mean vessel diameters included 3.3 ± 0.9 mm for the splenic vein, 16.5 ± 2.6 mm for the portal vein, and 14.1 ± 3.4 mm for the caudal vena cava. The gallbladder showed variable shapes, with anechoic content in 73.5% of goats studied. The paper was published in May 2026 by investigators from Universidade Federal Fluminense and Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals working with dairy goats, the study adds more specific reference data for interpreting liver and splenic ultrasound findings in a common production breed. That matters because prior goat ultrasound literature has been limited, often focused on small cohorts or single organs, although earlier work in healthy Saanen goats had already described normal hepatic anatomy and vascular appearance, and newer work in other breeds such as Jamunapari goats has also aimed to build reference ranges. More precise normal values can help clinicians distinguish physiologic variation from hepatobiliary or splenic disease, and may improve confidence when working up suspected lipidosis, congestion, inflammatory disease, or other abdominal pathology. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: The next step is whether these reference values are validated in diseased goats, other breeds, males, kids, and non-lactating adults, where normal ranges may differ. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)