Video-Assisted Left Partial Arytenoidectomy by Diode Laser Photoablation for Treatment of Canine Laryngeal Paralysis

Objectives— To evaluate the clinical outcome of left partial arytenoidectomy by video-assisted laser diode photoablation as a surgical treatment for canine laryngeal paralysis (LP).
Study Design— Case series.
Animals— Dogs with bilateral LP (n=20).
Methods— After endoscopic diagnosis of bilateral LP, left partial arytenoidectomy was performed by photoablation of arytenoid cartilage tissue using a diode laser (600 μm diameter, 15 W power, 980 nm wave length) to increase the width of the rima glottidis. Outcome was evaluated endoscopically (1 and 6 months) and clinically (1, 6, and 12 months).
Results— No substantial complications occurred during photoablation or in the immediate postoperative period. Postoperative width of the rima glottidis ranged from 6 to 10 mm at its widest aspect. At 1 month, respiratory function after walking and short running appeared good. Clinical and endoscopic examination revealed good outcome at 1 and 6 months. At 6 months, there was no evidence of hypertrophic scar, hypertrophic granulation tissue, or stricture of the laryngeal glottis in any dog. Two dogs developed aspiration pneumonia after 12 months.
Conclusions— Partial arytenoidectomy using video-assisted diode laser photoablation appears to be an effective technique for treating LP.
Clinical Relevance— Partial arytenoidectomy by diode laser photoablation should be considered as an alternative technique for treatment of canine LP.     

CONTRAST‐ENHANCED ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE NORMAL CANINE ADRENAL GLAND

Contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography is useful in differentiating adrenal gland adenomas from nonadenomatous lesions in human patients. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and to describe contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography of the normal canine adrenal gland. Six healthy female Beagles were injected with an intravenous bolus of a lipid‐shelled contrast agent (SonoVue^®). The aorta enhanced immediately followed by the renal artery and then the adrenal gland. Adrenal gland enhancement was uniform, centrifugal, and rapid from the medulla to the cortex. When maximum enhancement was reached, a gradual homogeneous decrease in echogenicity of the adrenal gland began and simultaneously enhancement of the phrenicoabdominal vessels was observed. While enhancement kept decreasing in the adrenal parenchyma, the renal vein, caudal vena cava, and phrenicoabdominal vein were characterized by persistent enhancement until the end of the study. A second contrast enhancement was observed, corresponding to the refilling time. Objective measurements were performed storing the images for off‐line image analysis using Image J (ImageJ^©). The shape of the time–intensity curve reflecting adrenal perfusion was similar in all dogs. Ratios of the values of the cortex and the medulla to the values of the renal artery were characterized by significant differences from initial upslope to the peak allowing differentiation between the cortex and the medulla for both adrenal glands only in this time period. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography of the adrenal glands is feasible in dogs and the optimal time for adrenal imaging is between 5 and 90 s after injection.     

Correction of Rotational Deformity of the Pes with External Skeletal Fixation in Four Dogs

Objective— To report unilateral correction and initial stabilization with external skeletal fixation (ESF) of metatarsal rotation in 4 immature Bernese Mountain Dogs.
Study Design— Case series.
Animals— Bernese Mountain Dogs (n=4).
Methods— The limb deformity, including degree and origin of the deformity at the level of the proximal intertarsal joint and involvement of the central tarsal bone, was characterized by clinical and radiographic assessment. Unilateral surgical correction of the most severely affected limb was performed by disrupting the ligaments and debriding the articular cartilage of the proximal intertarsal joint to allow for derotation of the deformity and arthrodesis of the proximal intertarsal joint stabilized with either circular or linear ESF.
Results— Initial metatarsal rotation of the corrected limbs ranged from 60° to 80° of external rotation (mean, 72.5°). Three limb corrections were stabilized with circular ESF and 1 with a biplanar linear ESF. Implants were removed at the time of radiographic bony union (range, 7–10 weeks; mean, 8.6 weeks). Residual deformity was minimal, ranging from 6° to 15° (mean, 11°). Two minor complications (loosening of 1 pin, serous drainage from 1 pin) resolved with treatment.
Conclusion— Correction of rotational deformity of the pes with intertarsal arthrodesis yielded an excellent clinical outcome, with only a mild residual deformity.
Clinical Relevance— Rotational metatarsal deformities can have a significant impact on gait, ambulation, and appearance. Correction of these deformities and stabilization with ESF and intratarsal arthrodesis can yield an excellent functional outcome, with improved gait and ambulation.     

Growth and movement patterns of early juvenile European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) in the Bay of Biscay based on otolith microstructure and chemistry

Various hypotheses have been put forward to explain the mechanisms in the Bay of Biscay that result in a good recruitment of European anchovy. Anchovy larvae from the spawning area in the Gironde River plume are advected towards off-shelf waters, where juveniles are commonly observed. Otolith microstructural and chemical analysis were combined to assess the importance of this off-shelf transport and to determine the relative contribution of these areas for anchovy survival. Chemical analysis of otoliths showed that anchovy juveniles in the Bay of Biscay can be divided into two groups: a group that drifts towards off-shelf waters early in their life and returns later, and a group that remains in the low salinity waters of the coastal area. The first group presents significantly faster growth rates (0.88 mm day⁻¹) than those remaining in the coastal waters (0.32 mm day⁻¹). This may be due to off-shelf waters being warmer in spring/summer, and to the fact that the lower food concentration is compensated for by higher prey visibility. Furthermore, the group of juveniles that drifted off the spawning area and had faster growth rates represents 99% of the juvenile population. These findings support the hypothesis that anchovy in the Bay of Biscay may use off-shelf waters as a spatio-temporal loophole, suggesting that transport off the shelf may be favourable for recruitment.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF SKULL OSTEOMYELITIS IN FOUR YOUNG DOGS

Computed tomography (CT) features of four immature to young adult dogs with osteomyelitis of the skull are described. Trauma or bite wounds were the cause of infection and Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen. CT features were a combination of soft tissue thickening, bone lysis, and bone proliferation. Bone lysis was extensive in some dogs with a moth-eaten appearance and involved the calvarium, base of the skull, the frontal sinuses, and the temporomandibular joint. In other dogs it was more focal with thinning of the bone rather than complete lysis. Bone proliferation also varied in appearance from irregular palisading or spiculated to expansion and septation of the frontal bone. Sequestrum formation was seen in one dog. Widespread infection in one dog involved the tympanic bullae and the temporomandibular joint. Lysis of the calvarium resulted in bacterial meningitis in two dogs. One dog was euthanized and three were treated with surgical curettage of the affected bone and antibiotic therapy which resulted in resolution of the clinical signs in one dog whereas two dogs had recurrent disease. CT was very helpful for characterizing extent and localization of the infection. Despite the aggressive CT features, osteomyelitis should be considered especially in young animals with a history of trauma or bite wounds. The pathophysiology of skull bone infections is discussed.     

B‐MODE AND CONTRAST‐ENHANCED SONOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF ACCESSORY SPLEEN IN THE DOG

Four dogs with an accessory spleen are described. The accessory spleens appeared as a round‐to‐triangular structure located in the perisplenic area. They were homogeneous and isoechoic with the adjacent spleen. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound was performed using a second generation microbubble contrast medium (sulfur hexafluoride). The type and timing of enhancement of the accessory spleen was similar to that of the parent spleen. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound is a noninvasive modality useful in distinguishing an accessory spleen from a mass of another origin.     

Least speciose among the most speciose: Natural history correlates of monospecific and bispecific genera of Rodentia and Soricomorpha

Monospecific and bispecific genera are of special concern as they represent unique phylogenetic/evolutionary trajectories within larger clades. In addition, as phylogenetically older taxa are supposed to be exposed to higher rarity and extinction risk, monospecific and bispecific genera may be intrinsically more prone to extinction risks than multispecies genera, although extinction risks also depend on the ecological and biological strategy of the species. Here, the distribution across biogeographical zones and the levels of threat to 2 speciose orders of mammals (monospecific and bispecific genera of Rodentia and Soricomorpha) are investigated in order to highlight major patterns at the worldwide scale. In Rodentia, 39.7% of the genera (n = 490) were monospecific and 17.9% were bispecific. In Soricomorpha, 44.4% of the total genera (n = 45) were monospecific and 15% were bispecific. There was a positive correlation between the number of monospecific genera and the total number of genera per family. Peaks of monospecific and bispecific genera richness were observed in Neotropical, Oriental and Afrotropical regions in rodents and in the Palearctic region in soricomorphs. Range size was significantly uneven across biogeographic region in rodents (with larger ranges in Nearctic and Oriental regions and smaller ranges in the Australian region), but there was no difference across biogeographic regions in terms of range size in soricomorphs. Most of the monospecific and bispecific genera occurred in forest habitat in both taxa. The frequency distribution of the monospecific and bispecific genera across IUCN categories did not differ significantly from the expected pattern using the total rodent genera and the multispecies genera.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF LUNG LOBE TORSION

The imaging features of lung lobe torsion in 10 dogs (nine complete, one partial torsion) acquired with a helical single‐slice computed tomography (CT) unit are described. Attenuation values of normal, rotated, and adjacent collapsed lung lobes before and after intravenous contrast medium administration were compared. Affected lung lobes were: left cranial (5), right middle (3), right cranial (1), and left caudal (1). CT findings in nine dogs with complete lung lobe torsion included pleural effusion and an abruptly ending bronchus. In eight of these dogs, enlargement, consolidation, emphysema of the affected lung lobe, and mediastinal shift to the contralateral side were present. Rotated lung lobes did not enhance, whereas adjacent collapsed and aerated lung lobes did (P<0.05). Apnea induced with hyperventilation or breath‐hold is essential to reduce motion artefacts and obtain a diagnostic study.