Gastric rupture in horses: a review of 54 cases

The historical, clinical, laboratory, surgical and necropsy findings in 54 cases of gastric rupture in horses are described. Eleven per cent of the deaths of horses undergoing exploratory coeliotomy for colic during the period of the study were a result of gastric rupture. Comparison with all horses which had exploratory coeliotomies for colic over an eight year period did not show that horses with gastric rupture were different from these reference horses regarding age, breed or season. There were fewer stallions than expected in the gastric rupture group. Horses with histories of both acute and chronic (more than 36 h) colic were susceptible to gastric rupture. Primary and idiopathic causes of gastric dilation and rupture accounted for about one-third of the horses. All but one of these cases resulting from secondary causes fell into three aetiologically-related groups: obstructive, peritoneal and enteric, with approximately equal numbers of horses in each group. Most of the ruptures occurred along the greater curvature of the stomach. At least six horses ruptured their stomachs postoperatively in the presence of an indwelling nasogastric tube. The presence or absence of gastric reflux following nasogastric intubation was not a reliable indicator, on its own, of gastric dilation. Horses that later died from gastric rupture had markedly elevated heart rate, hypochloraemia, peritoneal exudative effusion (particularly with evidence of sepsis), pre- and/or postoperative gastric reflux and small or large intestinal disease. However, no distinctive feature of these horses was shown to place them at risk of gastric rupture.     

Dilation of the pancreatic duct: An ultrasonographic finding in acute pancreatitis

Dilation of the pancreatic duct in two dogs with acute pancreatitis was identified using ultrasonography. This sign supported the diagnosis of pancreatitis. However, reference to the human medical literature indicates that dilation of the pancreatic duct may occur with a variety of conditions, and should be considered a potentially non-specific finding in dogs.     

Ultrasonographic findings in cats with clinical,gross pathologic,and histologic evidence of acute pancreatic necrosis: 20 cases (1994-2001)

OBJECTIVE: To determine ultrasonographic findings in cats with clinical, gross pathologic, and histologic evidence of acute pancreatic necrosis. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 20 cats. PROCEDURE: Ultrasound reports and permanent ultrasonographic images were reviewed, and ultrasonographic findings were recorded. Thoracic and abdominal radiographs were also reviewed, when available. Anatomic localization of pancreatic necrosis was determined from the gross pathology report; duration and severity of pancreatic necrosis were determined by reviewing histologic specimens. The presence of concurrent disease was recorded from the final pathology report. RESULTS: The pancreas was considered ultrasonographically normal in 10 cats and was not observed in 3. Ultrasonographic findings were considered compatible with pancreatitis in the remaining 7 cats. Gross pathologic findings indicated that pancreatitis was multifocal in all 7 of these cats; histologically, pancreatitis was acute or subacute in 5 and associated with severe or moderate necrosis in 6. In the remaining 13 cats, gross pathologic findings indicated that pancreatitis was multifocal (n = 8) or focal (2), or gross pathologic findings were normal (3). Histologically, pancreatitis was peracute or acute in 11 of these 13 cats and associated with severe or moderate necrosis in 8. Thoracic and abdominal radiographic findings were nonspecific. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results of ultrasonography were consistent with a diagnosis of pancreatitis in only 7 of 20 cats with acute pancreatic necrosis in the present study. This suggests that new diagnostic criteria must be established if abdominal ultrasonography is to be an effective tool in the diagnosis of pancreatitis in cats.     

Acute Pancreatitis in Cats With Hepatic Lipidosis

The purpose of this study was to characterize the incidence, clinical features, and prognosis of acute pancreatitis in cats with hepatic lipidosis. Of 13 cats histologically diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis between July 1988, and November 1989,5 (38%) were also histologically diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. In cats with hepatic lipidosis alone, the signalment, history, physical examination, and clinicopatho-logic findings were generally indistinguishable from those of cats with concurrent acute pancreatitis except that cats with acute pancreatitis were more likely to be cachectic and to have coagulation abnormalities. Hepatomegaly was seen on abdominal radiographs in both groups. Of the 5 cats with concurrent acute pancreatitis, abdominal ultrasonography detected 1 cat with a hypoechoic pancreas and 5 with peritoneal effusion; those abnormalities were not seen in cats without concurrent acute pancreatitis. Cats with concurrent acute pancreatitis had only a 20% recovery rate, compared with a 50% recovery rate in cats with hepatic lipidosis alone. We conclude that cats with hepatic lipidosis should be rigorously evaluated for concurrent acute pancreatitis because of 1) the rate of disease coincidence, 2) the inability of signalment, history, physical examination, and clinicopathologic findings to adequately distinguish between hepatic lipidosis and acute pancreatitis, 3) the worse prognosis associated with concurrent acute pancreatitis, and 4) the opposing nutritional strategies for hepatic lipidosis and acute pancreatitis. (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1993; 7:205–209. Copyright © 1993 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)     

Serum antiprotease concentrations in dogs with spontaneous and experimentally induced acute pancreatitis

A significant decline (P = 0.047) in serum antiprotease concentration was detected in dogs with experimentally induced acute pancreatitis. Decreased serum antiprotease concentrations, similar in magnitude to those documented in the experimental dogs, were present in dogs with spontaneous, acute pancreatitis. These findings suggest that significant amounts of proteolytic enzymes escape into the systemic circulation during acute pancreatitis in dogs. These circulating enzymes may be involved in the extrapancreatic complications of acute pancreatitis.     

Occurrence, clinical features and outcome of canine pancreatitis (80 cases)

Medical records of 80 dogs diagnosed with acute pancreatitis during a 4-year period were evaluated regarding history, breed predilection, clinical signs and additional examination findings. Cases were selected if compatible clinical symptoms, increased serum activity of amylase or lipase and morphologic evidence of pancreatitis by ultrasonography, laparotomy or necropsy were all present. Like in other studies, neutered dogs had an increased risk of developing acute pancreatitis. Although breed predilection was consistent with earlier reports, some notable differences were also observed. Apart from Dachshunds, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and Fox Terriers, the sled dogs (Laikas, Alaskan Malamutes) also demonstrated a higher risk for pancreatitis according to our results. Concurrent diseases occurred in 56 dogs (70%), diabetes mellitus (n = 29, 36%) being the most common. Clinical signs of acute pancreatitis were similar to those observed in other studies. The study group represented a dog population with severe acute pancreatitis, having a relatively high mortality rate (40%) compared to data of the literature. Breed, age, gender, neutering and body condition had no significant association with the outcome. Hypothermia (p = 0.0413) and metabolic acidosis (p = 0.0063) correlated significantly with poor prognosis and may serve as valuable markers for severity assessment in canine acute pancreatitis.     

Acid-base-balance status and blood gas analysis in rabbits with gastric stasis and gastric dilation

Background: The aim of this study was to analyse the acid-base-balance status and blood gas values in rabbits with gastric stasis and gastric dilation syndrome. Methods: Thirty rabbits with corresponding symptoms and radiographs were sampled before, during, and after treatment and an arterial acid-base-balance status and blood gas analysis was performed. Results: pCO₂, HCO₃, and base excess were significantly lower in animals that were presented 12 hours after the owner had registered signs of illness than animals presented within 6 hours. Of the examined rabbits, 57% had acidosis, 83% of which were of metabolic origin. The pH returned to normal after treatment in 94% of surviving animals (24/30). Conclusions: Gastric stasis and dilation syndrome has a considerable impact on the acid-base-balance status and blood gas analysis in rabbits and its measurement is therefore valuable for assessing the patient's status and adjusting the therapy accordingly to each animal's needs. Clinical relevance: Our findings underline the importance of a swift introduction of rabbits with gastric stasis and dilation syndrome into veterinary care to prevent further impairment of secondary findings such as metabolic acidosis.     

ULTRASONIC FEATURES OF EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED, ACUTE PANCREATITIS IN THE DOG

Acute, necrotizing pancreatitis was experimentally produced in three dogs by injection of oleic acid into the accessory pancreatic duct. The ultrasonic features of acute pancreatitis were compared with the radiographic and gross pathologic findings. It was concluded that ultrasonography was very useful for the detection and characterization of experimental pancreatitis. The results must be carefully compared with the ultrasonic abnormalities found in naturally occurring, acute canine pancreatitis before the usefulness of pancreatic sonography can be determined for this disease in the dog     

Use of laparoscopy for diagnosing experimentally induced acute pancreatitis in dogs

Diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in dogs remains a significant challenge despite the development of advanced diagnostic methodologies. Visual inspection and pancreas biopsy using laparoscopy are generally considered to be procedures free of complications when conducted on healthy animals. However, the usefulness of laparoscopy for diagnosing acute pancreatitis has not been assessed. In the present study, the efficacy of laparoscopy for diagnosing acute pancreatitis in dogs was evaluated in animals with experimentally induced acute pancreatitis. Gross appearance of the pancreatic area was examined by laparoscopy to survey for the presence of edema, adhesions, effusion, pseudocysts, hemorrhage, and fat necrosis. Laparoscopic biopsy was performed and the histopathologic results were compared to those of pancreatic samples obtained during necropsy. The correlation between laparoscopy and histopathologic findings of the pancreas was evaluated. The presence of adhesions, effusion, and hemorrhage in the pancreatic area observed by laparoscopy significantly correlated with the histopathologic results (p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between the histopathologic and laparoscopic biopsy findings. Results of this study suggested that laparoscopic evaluation of gross lesions has clinical significance although the laparoscopic biopsy technique has some limitations. This method combined with additional diagnostic tools can be effective for diagnosing acute pancreatitis in dogs.     

Bilateral Morgagni hernia in a donkey

This case report describes the clinical presentation and management of a donkey admitted with acute signs of abdominal pain that was diagnosed with a bilateral Morgagni hernia, a rare type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. For more than 8 months before presentation, the donkey had been showing signs of recurrent mild abdominal pain that responded favourably to medical treatment. On admission, the donkey had mild tachycardia and tachypnoea. Radiography and ultrasound of the thorax and abdomen showed thoracic herniation of the large colon. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, and the sternal and diaphragmatic flexures of the large colon, as well as the left hepatic lobe, were found incarcerated in a bilateral Morgagni hernia. Intestine and liver were removed from the hernia, and the large colon was exteriorised. The defect in the diaphragm was repaired by stapling a polyester mesh circumferentially around the hernia ring and covering the mesh with an excised section of the greater omentum. No further complications and no recurrence of colic were observed during an 8-month follow-up period.     

Characteristics and outcomes in surgical management of severe acute pancreatitis: 37 dogs (2001–2007)

Objective – Describe clinical characteristics and outcomes associated with canine patients undergoing surgical intervention for treatment of acute pancreatitis.
Design – Retrospective outcome study from 2001 to 2007.
Animals – Thirty-seven dogs.
Interventions – None.
Measurements and Main Results – The following data were collected for dogs who underwent surgical intervention in the course of treatment for severe acute pancreatitis: preoperative clinicopathologic and physical data, ultrasonographic findings, surgical procedure detail, histopathologic findings, and transfusion requirements. The survival rate was 80.8% in dogs with extrahepatic biliary obstruction, 64.3% in dogs undergoing necrosectomy, and 40.6% with pancreatic abscess. Overall survival was 63.6%. Surgical complications included intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage in 12 dogs, postoperative development of diabetes mellitus in 3 dogs, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in 1 dog, and bacterial peritonitis in 2 dogs.
Conclusion – Surgical intervention and aggressive postoperative care may be pursued in select dogs with severe acute pancreatitis. In dogs with extrahepatic biliary obstruction secondary to acute pancreatitis, surgical intervention may be associated with a good prognosis whereas dogs with pancreatic abscess formation may have a more guarded prognosis.     

Ante mortem diagnosis of pancreatitis in four cats

The ante mortem detection of pancreatitis in four cats is reported. Clinical findings included vomiting, lethargy and constipation in all the cats, diabetes mellitus in two cats and severe jaundice and a vitamin K responsive coagulopathy in one cat. Serum amylase was normal in all the cats and serum lipase was elevated in one azotaemic cat. Ultrasonography revealed predominantly hypoechoic masses in the right cranial quandrant of the abdomen of each cat. The anatomical location of these masses was consistent with the pancreas. Gross examination supported these ultrasonographic observations. The pancreatic lesions were characterised histologically as acute necrotising pancreatitis, acute necrotising pancreatitis with abscessation, chronic active pancreatitis with cystic dilatation of the pancreatic duct causing bile duct obstruction and chronic active pancreatitis with nodular hyperplasia. This report indicates that pancreatitis is a clinically significant disease in cats that may be diagnosed ante mortem.     

Performing both lateral abdominal radiographs may not improve the visualization of gas in the gastric outflow tract of cats

Reports in the veterinary literature support three‐view abdominal radiographs as a standard of practice for evaluating dogs with suspected gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. The usefulness of three‐view abdominal studies has not been evaluated in cats. Images from a prospective crossover group study with 20 healthy cats, and those from a retrospective cohort study of 110 cats, were reviewed and the location and degree of gas was assessed in the gastric outflow tract. Comparisons of the frequency of luminal gas were made between the views and between cats with GI disease versus cats without and between cats having sedation versus those without. Chi‐Square analysis was performed with P < .05 being considered significant. No significant difference was found in the location and degree of luminal gas in left versus right lateral views in all cats regardless of the order in which the views were obtained or in cats with GI disease versus cats without. Cats with gastric dilation had a higher overall frequency of gas; those with dilation with homogeneous material were higher than those with dilation with heterogeneous material. A higher frequency of gas was found in sedated cats than nonsedated, but further study is needed to determine the underlying cause. Based on these findings, a three‐view abdominal study for cats as a standard of practice may not be necessary, but obtaining the additional lateral view when gastric dilation is present might allow better visualization of the pyloric antrum and duodenum.     

驴骨胶原肽制备方法的初步建立及分子量检测

旨在建立驴骨胶原肽的制备方法,并对其分子量进行检测.以牛血清白蛋白为对照品,建立多肽含量和OD650 nm值的标准曲线方程;模拟人工胃液、肠液环境,以驴骨胶原肽一级、二级酶解产物多肽含量为评价指标,在筛选胃蛋白酶和胰蛋白酶最佳酶解时间和加酶量的基础上,采用二级生物酶解技术制备驴骨胶原肽;应用SDS-PAGE法对制备的驴...     

Review of feline pancreatitis part two: clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment

In the past decade pancreatitis has become recognised as a significant disease in the cat. Chronic, mild pancreatitis is often associated with more commonly diagnosed diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or cholangitis/cholangiohepatitis. Furthermore, acute pancreatitis with similar complications to those seen in dogs is now diagnosed more frequently in cats. Unfortunately, the clinical signs and clinicopathological findings in cats with pancreatitis are often non-specific and vague. The lack of specific signs often results in a diagnosis being made only when the veterinary surgeon has a strong index of suspicion for pancreatitis and vigorously pursues that diagnosis. Pancreatitis is an important disease in cats, has been implicated as a potential cause of diabetes mellitus, and when present complicates the treatment of diabetes and other intra-abdominal diseases in cats.     

德州驴生产性能的初步研究

德州驴是优秀的皮肉兼用驴,包括“三粉驴”和“乌头驴”两个品系,但是关于德州驴的研究较少.为了向驴产业提供可靠的德州驴生产性能数据,该研究以40头三粉驴和9头乌头驴为研究对象,系统研究了德州驴的体尺性状、屠宰性能、脏器系数及胸腰椎数等性状特点.结果 表明,三粉驴的屠宰率为54.02％,净肉率为42.43％,净皮率为8.1...     

Sideroblastic anemia in 7 dogs (1996-2002)

Sideroblastic anemia is an anemic condition characterized by chronic hypochromic anemia and the presence of large iron deposits in erythroid cells. Seven dogs with sideroblastic anemia were evaluated retrospectively. Historical, clinical, and clinicopathologic findings were reviewed to determine whether the condition was idiopathic or associated with disease conditions or drug or toxin exposure. Associated diseases were identified in 6 affected dogs and included acute hepatitis, pancreatitis, acute hepatitis and pancreatitis, inflammatory disease, glomerulonephritis, and myelofibrosis. None of the dogs had a history of recent exposure to drugs or toxins. One dog had no evidence of associated disease. Regardless of the associated disease condition, sideroblastic anemia was characterized by moderate to severe nonregenerative and frequently hypochromic anemia with prominent dysplastic features in bone marrow that were most prominent in the erythroid series. Survival varied from days to years. Identification of large numbers of siderocytes or sideroblasts in blood or bone marrow is inconsistent with a diagnosis of iron deficiency and should prompt a search for inflammatory disease conditions, including hepatitis, pancreatitis, and glomerulonephritis.     

Aspiration of barium-impregnated polyethylene spheres by a dog

This case report describes an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois dog with acute onset of cough caused by aspiration of barium-impregnated polyethylene spheres (BIPS) and pneumonia following an episode of suspected gastric dilation. Although bronchoscopic retrieval of the BIPS was largely unsuccessful, the dog recovered uneventfully, with most of the BIPS being coughed out and swallowed over a 1-month period. Aspiration of BIPS should be considered a potential complication of their administration. Furthermore, endoscopic removal of aspirated BIPS is challenging and may not be indicated because of their inert nature and possible self-clearance.     

Pulmonary edema in a dog with acute pancreatitis and cardiac disease

Acute pancreatitis and cardiac disease were diagnosed in a dog with pulmonary edema. The early clinical course and initial thoracic radiographs suggested that the pulmonary edema was noncardiogenic. The late clinical course was complicated by heart failure. The dog died, and a necropsy was performed. Histologically, an acute, severe capillary-alveolar membrane lesion was found in the lungs. Review of the human medical literature indicated that respiratory complications, including pulmonary edema, are commonly recognized in people with acute pancreatitis. Furthermore, in acute pancreatitis of human beings, the existence of specific mechanisms of pulmonary injury is suspected. Retrospective consideration of this case suggested that the initial pulmonary edema was induced by acute pancreatitis.