Recurrent Temporary Paralysis Reported After Human Rabies Post‐Exposure Prophylaxis

Adverse events can occur after rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and linkage to causality is often difficult to determine. We report a case of recurrent temporary paralysis that began immediately after the initiation of rabies PEP in a man exposed to a bat. The recurrent temporary paralysis first occurred in the patient after his initial dose and then again after day 3 of his rabies PEP. The PEP was terminated prior to a serologic response. The patient continued to experience numerous discrete episodes of temporary paralysis for over two years.     

Penetrating injury at the thoracic inlet in a Paint‐Arab mare

A 12‐year‐old Paint‐Arab mare was admitted for evaluation of a penetrating chest laceration at the thoracic inlet. The left brachiocephalic muscle was transected and the recurrent laryngeal nerve was traumatised. Subsequent to the injury, the horse developed Horner's syndrome on the left side of the neck and face, Grade IV left laryngeal hemiplegia, dysphagia, cough and subcutaneous emphysema. The defect was closed in multiple layers. Antimicrobial and antiinflammatory therapy was instituted along with local wound care. The mare remained bright and responsive and the wound healed normally. The mare showed no signs of respiratory distress. Dysphagia and ptosis persisted at 30 days post trauma.     

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese veterinary medicine for treatment of a mare with rectal paralysis

An 8‐year‐old Appaloosa mare with rectal paralysis due to a cosmetic ethanol ‘tail block’ was treated with traditional Chinese veterinary medicine treatments including acupuncture and herbal medicine. Her rectal and tail tone gradually improved after the treatment. At 4 months after initial presentation, the mare was able to produce faecal piles on a regular basis, and manual evacuations were no longer needed. Significant improvement was within 30 days of beginning treatment. At 8 months, the owner indicated that the mare had normal defaecation, was able to swish the tail from side to side and lift the tail to urinate, and had no evidence of straining to defaecate or colic.     

A comparison of the effect of propofol and alfaxalone on laryngeal motion in nonbrachycephalic and brachycephalic dogs

Objective

To compare the effect of propofol and alfaxalone on laryngeal motion under a light plane of anaesthesia in nonbrachycephalic and brachycephalic dogs anaesthetized for nonemergency procedures.

EVALUATION OF DIAPHRAGMATIC MOTION IN NORMAL AND DIAPHRAGMATIC PARALYZED DOGS USING M‐MODE ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Diagnosis of unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis in dogs is currently based on fluoroscopic detection of unequal movement between the crura. Bilateral paralysis may be more difficult to confirm with fluoroscopy because diaphragmatic movement is sometimes produced by compensatory abdominal muscle contractions. The purpose of this study was to develop a new method to evaluate diaphragmatic movement using M‐mode ultrasonography and to describe findings for normal and diaphragmatic paralyzed dogs. Fifty‐five clinically normal dogs and two dogs with diaphragmatic paralysis were recruited. Thoracic radiographs were acquired for all dogs and fluoroscopy studies were also acquired for clinically affected dogs. Two observers independently measured diaphragmatic direction of motion and amplitude of excursion using M‐mode ultrasonography for dogs meeting study inclusion criteria. Eight of the clinically normal dogs were excluded due to abnormal thoracic radiographic findings. For the remaining normal dogs, the lower limit values of diaphragmatic excursion were 2.85–2.98 mm during normal breathing. One dog with bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis showed paradoxical movement of both crura at the end of inspiration. One dog with unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis had diaphragmatic excursion values of 2.00 ± 0.42 mm on the left side and 4.05 ± 1.48 mm on the right side. The difference between left and right diaphragmatic excursion values was 55%. Findings indicated that M‐mode ultrasonography is a relatively simple and objective method for measuring diaphragmatic movement in dogs. Future studies are needed in a larger number of dogs with diaphragmatic paralysis to determine the diagnostic sensitivity of this promising new technique.     

肉牛母牛生产瘫痪的防治

[目的]为了掌握张掖肉牛母牛生产瘫痪的发生与治疗方法。[方法]对一例产前瘫痪母牛和一例产后瘫痪母牛进行药物治疗。[结果]两例生产瘫痪母牛经过准确诊断和及时合理治疗得到康复。[结论]生产瘫痪是发生于高产奶牛的代谢性疾病,但近年来张掖肉牛母牛偶有发生,对张掖肉牛母牛生产瘫痪的治疗,只要诊断正确,治疗及时,合理用药,定能取得满意的治疗效果。     

祛风化痰针刺法改善假性球麻痹吞咽功能障碍的多中心临床观察

目的系统观察祛风化痰针刺法改善假性球麻痹患者吞咽功能障碍的作用。方法将240例确诊为风痰型假性球麻痹的患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,每组各120例,分别给予祛风化痰针刺法和模拟针刺法治疗,取穴风池(双)、完骨(双)、廉泉、丰隆(双)。每天上、下午各针刺1次,连续6 d为1疗程,疗程间休息1 d,治疗4个疗程。采用洼田饮水试验方法于治疗前、治疗2、4个疗程后进行吞咽功能级别评定,4个疗程后进行疗效评定和比较。结果第2个疗程结束后两组患者的吞咽功能评级与治疗前比较有较显著的提高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),治疗组优于对照组(P<0.05);与治疗前比较,第4疗程结束后吞咽功能评级进一步显著提高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),治疗组较对照组更优,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);治疗组的治愈率、显效率和总有效率均显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论祛风化痰针刺法改善假性球麻痹患者吞咽功能有肯定、持续且显著的作用,有较大的临床应用价值。     

Retrospective study of 103 presumed cases of tick (Ixodes holocyclus) envenomation in the horse

Objective Review 103 cases of presumed tick envenomation in horses. Design Retrospective study. Method Variables, including date of presentation, age, breed, weight, presence of ticks, gait and respiration scores, duration of recumbency, treatment, outcome and complications were recorded. A series of univariable screening tests were performed and used in a multivariable logistic regression model. Results There were a total of 103 cases affecting 10 breeds, aged between 1 week and 18 years of age. Horses >6 months old and weighing >100 kg had a higher odds of death than those <6 months old and <100 kg. Cases were seen from North Queensland to the central coast of New South Wales and were more likely to present in the warmer months. There was no association between the number of ticks found on an animal and death. Horses with a higher respiratory score had higher odds of dying, but there was no association between gait score and survival. Horses recumbent >120 h after presentation had higher odds of dying. Complications were reported in 35% of horses. The odds ratio for survival was higher for horses receiving >0.5 mL/kg of tick antiserum. Overall, 74% of horses survived. Multivariable modelling was limited by the small sample size. Conclusion In general, tick envenomation in horses follows the geographic distribution of Ixodes holocyclus. Tick antiserum administered at >0.5 mL/kg increases the odds of survival. It would appear that the complications associated with managing a recumbent horse increase the odds of death.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING CHARACTERISTICS OF ASCENDING HEMORRHAGIC MYELOMALACIA IN A DOG

A 4-year-old neutered female terrier-cross was evaluated for an acute onset of paraplegia. Utilizing magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the cause of the neurologic deficits was determined to be a lumbar intervertebral disc extrusion. The MR study additionally demonstrated parenchymal hyperintensity on T2-weighted images and similarly located diffuse hypointensity on gradient echo images, cranial and caudal to the compressive extradural lesion. Hemorrhagic myelomalacia was suspected based on these MR characteristics, which was subsequently confirmed surgically and histopathologically.