MAGNETIC RESONANCE, ULTRASOUND AND HISTOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION OF ACUTE AND HEALING EQUINE TENDON INJURIES

Ultrasonography and MRI have become valuable tools for imaging of tendon injuries. The current study examines the histopathologic basis for the imaging abnormalities. Five injured equine forelimbs and two normal contralateral limbs were studied with high resolution real time ultrasound and MRI. Histologic sections were made and correlated with the diagnostic images. All lesions were readily seen by both modalities. Lesions characterized by hemorrhage, edma, and cellular infiltration were sonolucent on ultrasound and bright on MRI images. MRI returned to normal as fibrogenesis ensued. Ultrasound images remained abnormal until fibrillar reallgnment occured with completion of the healing process. High resolution real time ultrasound and MRI both accurately reflect the tissue abnormalities in acute tendon injuries. The injured horse does appear to be an effective model for correlative imaging studies of tendon injuries.     

Use of 64Copper Measurements to Diagnose Canine Copper Toxicosis

Inherited canine copper toxicosis is a serious problem in Bedlington terriers and West Highland White terriers, and may also be a problem in other less-studied breeds. Affected dogs become ill at midlife with progressive and ultimately fatal liver disease. Treatments for removal of copper and prevention of copper accumulation are available, but are most effective if begun before the dog becomes ill. Until recently diagnosis has not been available until the dog is 1 year of age, and then only by an invasive liver biopsy with determination of liver copper concentration. The authors studied the use of 64copper for early diagnosis of canine copper toxicosis. Two procedures were evaluated. The first involved measuring the concentration of 64copper in blood 24 hours after oral administration of the radioisotope. At this time, 64copper was associated primarily with ceruloplasmin secreted into the blood by the liver. This procedure is useful in the diagnosis of the human counterpart, Wilson's disease. However, the authors found it to be nondiscriminatory between affected and unaffected dogs. In contrast, the second procedure, which involved measuring 64copper excreted in stool during 48 hours after an intravenous dose of radioisotope, yielded results that differentiated most affected and unaffected dogs.     

USE OF 123IODINE METAIODOBENZYLGUANIDINE SCINTIGRAPHY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF A PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA IN A DOG

A 13-year-old neutered female Yorkshire terrier presented with a history of progressive episodic weakness and disorientation of 4 months duration. Physical and neurologic examinations were normal at presentation. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a mass involving the right adrenal gland. Standard planar scintigraphy was performed at 4, 18, and 24 hours after intravenous injection 185 MBq (5mCi) of ¹²³I-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I-MIBG). An area of focal intense uptake was identified in the area of the right adrenal gland. A pheochromocytoma was confirmed histologically after surgical excision.     

Evaluation of Transmittance and Reflectance Pulse Oximetry in a Canine Model of Hypotension and Desaturation

Ten, anesthetized dogs were instrumented with three pulse oximeter probes; two lingual transmittance probes and one rectal reflective probe. Arterial oxygen desaturation was produced by decreasing the inspired oxygen concentration. Hypotension was produced with an infusion of nitroprusside. Simultaneous pulse oximeter readings (SpO₂) were compared to co-oximeter measured arterial saturation (SaO₂) collected over a range of SaO₂ (50–100%) and mean arterial pressures (40–100mmHg). Each of the monitors and means of evaluating SpO₂ studied provided accurate SpO₂ measurements over a range of mean arterial pressure from 40–100mmHg. All of the monitors tested tended to overestimate the SaO₂ when the arterial saturation was less than 70%.     

Profile of Steroid Receptors and Increased Aromatase Immunoexpression in Canine Inflammatory Mammary Cancer as a Potential Therapeutic Target

Canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) has been proposed as a model for the study of human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). The aims of this study were to compare the immunohistochemical expression of aromatase (Arom) and several hormone receptors [estrogen receptor α (ERα), estrogen receptor β (ERβ), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR)], in 21 IMC cases vs 19 non‐IMC; and to study the possible effect of letrozole on canine IMC and human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) in vitro using IPC‐366 and SUM‐149 cell lines. Significant elevations of the means of Arom Total Score (TS), ERβ TS and PR TS were found in the IMC group (p = 0.025, p = 0.038 and p = 0.037, respectively). Secondary IMC tumours expressed higher levels of Arom than primary IMC (p = 0.029). Non‐IMC PR‐ tumours contained higher levels of Arom than non‐IMC PR+ tumours (p = 0.007). After the addition of letrozole, the number of IMC and IBC cells dropped drastically. The overexpression of Arom found and the results obtained in vitro further support canine IMC as a model for the study of IBC and future approaches to the treatment of dogs with mammary cancer, and especially IMC, using Arom inhibitors.     

Pancreatic Polypeptide and Insulin-Secreting Tumor in a Dog With Duodenal Ulcers and Hypertrophic Gastritis

A 7-year-old spayed female Cocker Spaniel was hospitalized with a history of chronic vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss. Laboratory abnormalities included leukocytosis, metabolic alkalosis, hypoglycemia, hypoproteinemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Gastroscopy and ultrasonography revealed multiple gastric masses and a possible pancreatic mass, respectively. Examination of tissues obtained at necropsy showed a pancreatic adenocarcinoma with hepatic metastasis, gastric hypertrophy, and multiple duodenal ulcers. Immunocytochemical staining of the neoplasia was positive for pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and insulin and negative for gastrin, calcitonin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serotonin, L-enkephalin, chromagranin, glucagon, and somatostatin. Subsequent serum gastrin and PP assays showed a fasting hypergastrinemia with a normal response of gastrin to provocative testing and extremely increased PP values. The high PP values may have resulted in the vomiting and gastrointestinal ulceration. A PP-secreting tumor has not previously been reported in the dog.     

Evaluation of a live Salmonella choleraesuis vaccine by intranasal challenge.

Weaned pigs were immunised with a live attenuated Salmonella choleraesuis vaccine. The protective immunity induced was compared with that of unvaccinated pigs by intranasal challenge with a field strain of S choleraesuis. Of 18 unvaccinated pigs, three died as a result of challenge from S choleraesuis and 10 of the survivors developed chronic lung lesions. None of the vaccinated pigs died as a result of challenge and two only showed macroscopic evidence of salmonellosis on autopsy three weeks after challenge. It was concluded that subcutaneous vaccination of pigs prevented death and clinical illness but did not prevent invasion of tissues following intranasal challenge with S choleraesuis.     

Metabolisable energy content of diets and broiler performance as affected by wheat specific weight and enzyme supplementation

1. Two experiments were performed with male, Ross broiler chicks to study the relationship between wheat specific weight and performance parameters and the effects of xylanase inclusion in diets of different wheat specific weight (SW). 2. In both studies wheat was incorporated at 667 g/kg and a protein concentrate based on soyameal 50, full fat soyameal, extrupro and herring meal and formulated to provide (g/kg) crude protein 370, crude oil 140, crude fibre 45, crude ash 110 was incorporated at 333 g/kg. 3. In Experiment 1, 3 wheats (69, 67, 57, SW respectively) without or with enzyme (Avizyme TX, Finnfeeds International) and in Experiment 2, 6 wheats (81, 77, 76, 70, 64, 61 SW respectively) were used and diets were fed ad libitum to individually caged birds. 4. In Experiment 1 the feeding period was 7 to 28 d and a total excreta collection was made from 14 to 20 d for determination of apparent metabolisable energy (AME) content. Experiment 2 started at 4 d with excreta collections from d 6 to 9, 10 to 12 and 13 to 19 inclusive for AME measurements. 5. In Experiment 1 there were no significant effects of wheat on dry matter (DM) intake but liveweight gain (LWG) and gain:food were significantly better for 67 SW than for 57 SW. Food enzyme inclusion improved LWG and gain:food but there was a significant wheat/enzyme interaction for gain:food with no improvement due to enzyme addition for 67 SW but a 5% improvement for 57 SW. There was no significant effect of wheat or enzyme addition on the measured AME contents of the diets. 6. In Experiment 2, although not statistically significant, there were large numerical differences in food intake between diets, with the lowest values occurring for 64 SW. For the complete period, wheat variety tended to affect LWG (P=0.057) with the best and worst results recorded for the 2 low SW wheats. Gain:food was significantly affected by wheat, the poorest values occurring with 64 SW and the best with 77 SW Diet AME content was also affected by wheat variety (P<0.01) but the low result obtained for 61 SW was not mirrored in the gain:food value. The lack of correlation between diet AME values and gain:food could not be attributed to differences in protein or amino acid content of the diets. 7. In Experiment 2 diet AME content increased from period 1.1 (6 to 9 d) to period 2 (13 to 20 d) by 7% but interpretation is hampered by the short adaptation period (2 d) prior to period 1.1. The AME values obtained in both studies during the 3rd week of age were towards the upper end of the range of values in the literature. 8. In Experiment 2 there was a good correlation (r2=0.95) between SW and wheat starch content and between SW and calculated wheat AME content (r2=0.40, P<0.001) but a poor correlation between SW and gain:food. There was also a high correlation between wheat AME content and starch content (r2=0.41, P<0.001). Taken together with the results of Experiment 1 it appeared that starch content is a better measure of wheat quality than specific weight.     

When, why, and how to perform cardiac radiofrequency catheter ablation

Radiofrequency catheter ablative techniques provide a unique opportunity to cure dogs of certain supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, rather than simply controlling the rhythm with drug therapy. Accessory pathways, which can participate as one limb of a rapid, narrow complex tachyarrhythmia circuit, have a particularly high cure rate with radiofrequency catheter ablation. Focal atrial tachycardias also provide a substrate that can be amenable to ablation. Tachycardia-induced myocardial dysfunction resulting from frequent tachyarrhythmic episodes will resolve after a successful ablation. This report outlines the indications, equipment, and techniques used in dogs for performing catheter ablation with temperature-controlled radiofrequency energy delivery.     

Cardiovascular Effects of Enoximone and Epinephrine on Heparin Reversal With Protamine in Conscious Dogs

Objective—To compare enoximone with epinephrine as treatments for the cardiotoxic effects of protamine sulfate.
Study Design—Prospective randomized study.
Animal Population—12 healthy cross-bred dogs weighing 23 ± 4 kg.
Methods—The dogs were anesthetized with xylazine and ketamine to allow instrumentation. Femoral arterial and venous catheters were inserted for pressure monitoring and to allow drug infusion. A thermodilution catheter mounted with a fast response thermistor was inserted into the pulmonary artery via the jugular vein to measure cardiac output and right ventricular volumes. Heparin 300 units/kg followed by protamine 4.5 mg/kg were administered 45 minutes after the xylazine/ketamine. Four animals were not treated (controls), four received enoximone, and four were given epinephrine. Cardiopulmonary parameters were monitored for a period of 30 minutes.
Results—Cardiac index was 104 ± 15 mL/kg/min in the enoximone group, 72 ± 13 mL/kg/ min in the epinephrine group, and 63 ± 10 mL/kg/min in the control group ( P < .05 enoximone versus control and epinephrine). Right ventricular end systolic volume was 18 ± 3, 27 ± 4, and 29 ± 6 mL in the enoximone, epinephrine, and control groups ( P < .05 enoximone versus control and epinephrine). There were no differences in mean arterial pressure or pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance between the groups.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In this study, enoximone was more effective than epinephrine at reversing the hemodynamic changes associated with protamine sulfate administration.