Canine bicavitary carcinomatosis with transient needle tract metastasis diagnosed by multiplex immunocytochemistry

A 6‐year‐old, male castrated, mixed‐breed dog was referred to the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University for bicavitary effusion. On examination, the dog was tachycardic and tachypneic with bilaterally decreased lung sounds. Thoracic and abdominal ultrasonic examination revealed pleural and peritoneal effusions, which were aspirated and submitted for fluid analysis and cytology. Both cavity fluids were classified as exudates with a large population of vacuolated mononuclear cells. Multiplex immunocytochemistry (ICC) for cytokeratin and vimentin demonstrated exclusively cytokeratin expression, indicating these cells were of epithelial origin. A full diagnostic evaluation was performed, including CBC, clinical chemistry, a pet‐side test for heartworm disease, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and anaplasmosis, imaging modalities of thorax, abdomen, and heart, urinalysis, and fine‐needle aspirations of spleen, liver, and popliteal lymph nodes. The dog was diagnosed with pleural and peritoneal carcinoma with presumed carcinomatosis. A single dose of intracavitary carboplatin was administered before discharge, and over a period of 2 weeks, 5 thoracocenteses were performed. A subcutaneous mass was noted at a thoracocentesis site one week after initial presentation. Cytology of the mass was consistent with carcinoma, and neoplastic seeding of the tumor cells from the thoracocentesis was suspected. The dog was euthanized 15 days after the first visit, and a necropsy was performed. Findings were consistent with carcinomatosis secondary to anaplastic pulmonary carcinoma with transient subcutaneous seeding of neoplastic cells during routine thoracocentesis. This case demonstrates the utility of multiplex ICC in the clinical setting.     

Extradural haematoma secondary to brown snake (Pseudonaja species) envenomation

A 4-year-old Siberian Husky dog was treated with brown snake antivenom by his regular veterinarian after a witnessed episode of brown snake envenomation. The dog was discharged 5 hours post presentation despite an ongoing coagulopathy. The dog was presented to the emergency centre 2 hours later because the owner believed the dog to be in pain. Initial examination revealed an ambulatory but neurologically normal patient with thoracolumbar pain and laboratory evidence of a coagulopathy. Despite correction of the coagulopathy, the signs progressed to bilateral hind limb paresis after approximately 3 hours of hospitalisation, and continued to deteriorate over the next 56 hours to loss of deep pain perception in the right hind limb. Computed tomography imaging identified the presence of an extradural haematoma which was subsequently removed via a hemilaminectomy. Surgical decompression was successful in treating the spinal compression and the dog recovered with minimal complications. To our knowledge this is the first report of extradural haematoma secondary to coagulopathy induced by brown snake envenomation.     

Toxicity in three dogs from accidental oral administration of a topical endectocide containing moxidectin and imidacloprid

Three dogs were presented with a history of oral administration of a topical endectocide containing imidacloprid and moxidectin. They were diagnosed with imidacloprid and moxidectin intoxication, having ingested doses ranging from 7.5 to 1.4 mg/kg of imidacloprid and 1.9 to 2.8 mg/kg of moxidectin. The three dogs were affected to different degrees of severity, but all displayed signs of ataxia, generalised muscle tremors, paresis, hypersalivation and disorientation. Temporary blindness occurred in two cases. The three dogs were tested for the presence of the multi-drug resistance 1 gene deletion, which can cause an increased sensitivity to the toxic effects of moxidectin, and were found to be negative. Treatment included gastrointestinal decontamination, intravenous fluid therapy and benzodiazepines to control muscle tremors. All three dogs made a complete recovery within 48 h of ingestion.     

Effect of Supplemental Feeding with Glycerol or Propylene Glycol in Early Lactation on the Fertility of Swedish Dairy Cows

The aim of this field study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol (GLY) or propylene glycol (PG) during early lactation on the fertility of Swedish dairy cows. Within 17 commercial dairy herds, 798 cows were randomized to three groups that were daily fed supplements with 450 g GLY, 300 g PG or nothing (control, C). The supplements were given twice daily during 0–21 days in milk as a top dress on concentrates. Data on calving date, insemination dates, gynaecological examinations, as well as breed, parity and monthly milk yield were collected. From a subset of 308 cows in seven herds, milk samples for progesterone analysis were taken twice weekly and used to determine the time for onset of luteal activity. The effects of supplements on the intervals from calving to first luteal activity (FLA), first AI (FAI) and conception (CON), respectively, were analysed using semi‐parametric survival models (Cox proportional hazards models) controlling for the effect of parity, breed, calving season, milk yield and the clustering effect of herd. There was no difference in time to FLA between the cows in group C and in group GLY or PG. No differences in time to FAI or in time to CON were found between cows in group PG and group C. However, cows in the GLY group tended to get their FAI later compared with cows in the control group but without at subsequent delaying of time to CON.