Evaluation of rhinoscopy and rhinoscopy-assisted mucosal biopsy in diagnosis of nasal disease in dogs: 119 cases (1985-1989).

The case records of 149 dogs examined from 1985 to 1989 with clinical signs of nasal disease were reviewed. Gross rhinoscopy was performed in 119 dogs, and rhinoscopy-assisted pinch biopsy was performed in 109. Rhinoscopy was performed by use of a 2.7-mm rigid fiberoptic endoscope. Mucosal biopsy specimens were obtained with rhinoscopic guidance by use of a 2 x 3-mm biopsy forcep. Gross, cytologic, and histologic findings are summarized. Ninety-four of 119 cases could be evaluated on the basis of diagnostic and follow-up criteria established by the authors. The diagnostic success rate of gross rhinoscopy with rhinoscopy-assisted biopsy was 83% (78 of 94 evaluated cases). Protracted hemorrhage was a complication in 2 of 109 cases in which rhinoscopy-assisted biopsy was performed. It was concluded that rhinoscopy with rhinoscopy-assisted biopsy contributes important diagnostic information in dogs with nasal disease without the relative invasiveness, expense, and risk of surgery.     

Periodontal disease. Therapy and prevention

Success in veterinary dentistry lies in good home care and regular, thorough dental prophylaxis. The removal of supragingival and subgingival calculus must be accomplished before periodontal disease can be controlled. When gingival sulcus depths exceed 4 or 5 mm, the gingivae must be excised or reflected to allow proper treatment of the pocket area. Antibiotic therapy should be instituted in the extensively involved veterinary dental patient.     

Atypical parasitic migration and necrotizing sacral myelitis due to Serratospiculoides amaculata in a prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus)

An adult, wild-caught, female prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) was presented with the chief complaint of anorexia. Radiographic findings included increased densities within the air sacs, and coelomic endoscopy revealed numerous slender worms within the air sacs and on the serosal surfaces of the ovary, oviduct, liver, proventriculus, and ventriculus. The bird seemed to improve for a short period of time with antiparasitic therapy (ivermectin and fenbendazole) and supportive care. Twenty-one days after initial presentation, the bird became recumbent with increasing pelvic limb neurologic deficits and was euthanized. On histopathologic examination, mature nematodes and larvated eggs identified as Serratospiculoides amaculata were found within the subdural space of the distal thoracolumbar and synsacral spinal cord and within the coelomic cavity. This case suggests that S. amaculata can cause clinically significant lesions in its falconiform host with potentially fatal results.     

Use of a modified stomach tube for bronchoalveolar lavage in dogs

A technique that did not require use of a bronchoscope for bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in dogs was developed. An inexpensive, readily available 16-F Levin-type stomach tube was modified for the procedure. The technique was effective for collecting BAL fluid in 9 dogs that ranged from 9.3 to 26.2 kg (20.5 to 57.6 lb). Recovered fluid was consistent with fluid collected bronchoscopically. Mean recovery volume was 84/125 ml (67%), mean WBC counts were high (> 300 cells/microl), and > 70% of cells were macrophages. Complications from use of the technique were not detected on the basis of pulse oximetry, thoracic radiography, and clinical observation. This effective, simple, and safe technique for BAL can be readily performed in clinical settings that do not have bronchoscopic capabilities. It also provides a less costly alternative than bronchoscopic BAL.     

Enigmatic resistance of sheep (Ovis aries) to infection by virulent Francisella tularensis.

Tularemia in range sheep is an occasional cause of severe economic loss from mortality and unthriftiness as well as a hazard to persons in contact with the animals. Epizootics are unpredictable and explosive, therefore, prophylaxis is more practical than therapy. Live vaccine of proven value in man and in beavers was inoculated into mature ewes and elicited antibodies without harm to the sheep. However, challenge of immunity was not possible because virulent Francisella tularensis in large doses did not cause significant mortality in healthy, well managed, unimmunized sheep. Evidence suggests that a complex of stresses such as inclement weather, lambing and concomitant ectoparasitism render sheep more susceptible to tularemia.     

Use of animation-enhanced video clips for teaching abnormal breathing patterns

The ability to characterize disease of the respiratory tract accurately based on breathing pattern is helpful for the development of differential diagnoses and an efficient diagnostic plan and critical for the stabilization of patients in respiratory distress. Veterinary students do not have sufficient clinical experience to observe personally all types of respiratory diseases and their resultant abnormal breathing patterns. We developed a teaching tool, the animated breathing pattern videotape (ABV), to fill this gap. The ABV is a collection of video clips of small animal patients with normal and abnormal breathing patterns on a conventional videotape of approximately 20 minutes duration. Each video clip is shown for 20 to 40 seconds, followed by the same clip with superimposed animation of rib and diaphragm motion, followed by the initial clip again, without overlying animation. The ABV has since been used in teaching third-year veterinary students, interns, residents, practicing veterinarians, and veterinary technicians. Student evaluations and responses to questionnaires by interns, residents, practicing veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and peer reviewers have been uniformly positive.     

Two-dimensional link-segment model of the forelimb of dogs at a walk

OBJECTIVE: To calculate normative joint angle, intersegmental forces, moment of force, and mechanical power at elbow, antebrachiocarpal, and metacarpophalangeal joints of dogs at a walk. ANIMALS: 6 clinically normal mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURE: Kinetic data were collected via a force platform, and kinematic data were collected from forelimbs by use of 3-dimensional videography. Length, location of the center of mass, total mass, and mass moment of inertia about the center of mass were determined for each of 4 segments of the forelimb. Kinematic data and inertial properties were combined with vertical and craniocaudal ground reaction forces to calculate sagittal plane forces and moments across joints of interest throughout stance phase. Mechanical power was calculated as the product of net joint moment and the angular velocity. Joint angles were calculated directly from kinematic data. RESULTS: All joint intersegmental forces were similar to ground reaction forces, with a decrease in magnitude the more proximal the location of each joint. Flexor moments were observed at metacarpophalangeal and antebrachiocarpal joints, and extensor moments were observed at elbow and shoulder joints, which provided a net extensor support moment for the forelimb. Typical profiles of work existed for each joint. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For clinically normal dogs of a similar size at a walk, inverse dynamic calculation of intersegmental forces, moments of force, and mechanical power for forelimb joints yielded values of consistent patterns and magnitudes. These values may be used for comparison in evaluations of gait in other studies and in treatment of dogs with forelimb musculoskeletal disease.     

Demographic, clinical, and radiographic features of bronchiectasis in dogs: 316 cases (1988-2000)

OBJECTIVE: To determine demographic, clinical, and radiographic features of bronchiectasis in dogs. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 289 dogs identified through the Veterinary Medical Database (VMDB) and 27 dogs examined at the North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. PROCEDURE: Demographic characteristics of dogs identified through the VMDB were compared with characteristics of the entire population of dogs entered in the VMDB. Medical records of dogs examined at the teaching hospital were reviewed; the diagnosis was confirmed through review of thoracic radiographs. RESULTS: Analysis of data from the VMDB indicated that American Cocker Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, Miniature Poodles, Siberian Huskies, English Springer Spaniels, and dogs > 10 years old had an increased risk of bronchiectasis. Among dogs examined at the teaching hospital, coughing was the most common clinical sign. There was evidence for excessive airway mucus but not hemorrhage. A variety of bacterial organisms were isolated from tracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage samples. On thoracic radiographs, cylindrical bronchiectasis, generalized disease, and right cranial lung lobe involvement were most common. Seven of 14 dogs for which follow-up radiographs were available did not have any progression of radiographic lesions. Median duration of clinical signs prior to diagnosis of bronchiectasis was 9 months (range, 1 day to 10 years). Median survival time was 16 months (range, 2 days to 72 months). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that despite substantial clinical abnormalities, dogs with bronchiectasis may survive for years. Certain purebred dogs and older dogs may have an increased risk of developing bronchiectasis.     

Prevalence of Salmonella in beef feeder steers as determined by bacterial culture and ELISA serology

Results are presented for monitoring Salmonella infection by bacteriological culture and immune response (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and haptoglobin) testing of samples collected from beef cattle at a single feedyard sampled over time. A total of 120 beef steers were examined on entry to the feedyard and at days 30, 60, and at time of slaughter (120-150 days). Isolations of Salmonella decreased over time from 40% of the steers sampled at day 0 to 0% at slaughter, whereas serological results varied by serogroup. Seropositivity increased for Salmonella group B up to day 60, and subsequently decreased to about half of the 60-day positivity rate at the time of slaughter. No significant changes in seropositivity were detected during the course of the study for the four other Salmonella serogroups (C1, C3, D1, and E1). Haptoglobin measurements were not a good indicator of Salmonella infection status. Sequential Salmonella testing either by culture, ELISA, or both could be used to monitor pathogen control practices.     

Frequency of pulmonary mineralization and hypoxemia in 21 dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of hypoxemia and pulmonary mineralization using ^99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (^99mTc-MDP) in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH). Twenty-one dogs with PDH were pro-spectively evaluated using thoracic radiography, arterial blood gas analysis, and bone phase and pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy (using ^99mTc-macro-aggregated albumin [^99mTc-MAA]). The radiographs and bone and perfusion studies were evaluated subjectively. An averaged quantitative count density ratio was calculated between the thorax and cranial thoraco-lumbar vertebrae from lateral thoracic ^99mTc-MDP images. Thoracic: vertebral ratios were calculated using ^99mTc-MDP studies from 21 control dogs. The thoracic: vertebral ratios were compared between the 2 groups (PDH and control). The mean age (±SD) of the 21 PDH dogs was 10.2 (±3) years, whereas the mean age of the control group was 9.8 (±3) years. Seven of the 21 dogs with PDH were hypoxemic (denned as an arterial partial pressure of oxygen [PaO₂] <80 mm Hg) with an average PaO₂ (±SD) of 62 (±15) mm Hg. Of the 7 hypoxemic dogs, 2 were found to have pulmonary mineralization based on bone scintigraphic images. Pulmonary perfusion abnormalities were not identified using ^99mTc-MAA in any of the 21 PDH dogs. Six PDH dogs had an abnormal interstitial pulmonary pattern and 5 of these dogs were hypoxemic. The average quantitative thoracic: vertebral ratio was not significantly different between the PDH and control dogs (0.5 ± 0.4 versus 0.4 ± 0.1, P = .16). Causes of hypoxemia other than pulmonary thromboembolism should be considered in dogs with PDH. Pulmonary mineralization may contribute to hypoxemia in dogs with PDH.