Hypervitaminosis A in a cat.

A 10-year-old cat that was kept on a diet consisting largely of raw liver was evaluated because of lethargy, partial anorexia, and weight loss of several months' duration. The cat's head and neck were rigidly extended, and a hard mass was palpable in the ventral cervical region. Cervical and thoracic radiography revealed proliferative bony lesions of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae as well as of the sternum and costal cartilages. Serum vitamin A concentration was 4 times normal. For reasons unrelated to hypervitaminosis A, euthanasia and necropsy were performed 6 months after evaluation. The skull and the cervical and first few thoracic vertebrae were rigidly fused, and the vertebral architecture was altered by deposition of new bone. The sternum and costal cartilages were similarly affected. The historical, physical, radiographic, laboratory, and postmortem findings were consistent with the diagnosis of hypervitaminosis A. On the basis of findings in this cat, hypervitaminosis A should be suspected in any sick cat fed a diet consisting partly or completely of raw liver.     

Spinal mast cell tumor in a dog.

A 6-year-old, spayed female rottweiler was referred for left forelimb lameness followed by tetraparesis. A mast cell tumor compressing the spinal cord at the level of the sixth cervical to first thoracic (C6-T1) vertebrae was diagnosed based on cervical myelography and necropsy findings. This was considered a primary extracutaneous mast cell tumor, as no evidence of disease was found elsewhere. This is the first report of a primary mast cell tumor in this location.     

Laryngeal paralysis in cats: 16 cases (1990-1999)

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical signs, physical examination findings, radiographic features, and concurrent diseases in cats with laryngeal paralysis, as well as evaluate the outcome of medical or surgical management. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 16 cats. PROCEDURE: Medical records from January 1990 to April 1999 were examined for cats with laryngeal paralysis. Signalment, clinical signs, physical examination findings, cervical and thoracic radiographic findings, laryngeal examination results, and clinical outcome were reviewed. RESULTS: No breed or sex predilection was identified in 16 cats with laryngeal paralysis. The most common clinical signs included tachypnea or dyspnea, dysphagia, weight loss, change in vocalization, coughing, and lethargy. Clinical signs were evident for a median of 245 days. Airway obstruction was apparent on cervical and thoracic radiographic views in 9 cats. Examination of the larynx revealed bilateral laryngeal paralysis in 12 cats and unilateral laryngeal paralysis in 4 cats. The 4 cats with unilateral disease were managed with medical treatment, and 3 of these had acceptable long-term outcomes. Seven of 12 cats with bilateral paralysis underwent surgery; procedures performed included left arytenoid tie back, bilateral arytenoid tie back and ventriculo-cordectomy, and partial left arytenoidectomy. One cat was euthanatized as a result of complications from surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Laryngeal paralysis is an uncommon cause of airway obstruction in cats. Cats with less severe clinical signs (often with unilateral paralysis) may be successfully managed with medical treatment, whereas cats with severe airway obstruction (often with bilateral paralysis) may benefit from surgical intervention.     

Long-term survival after surgical excision of a schwannoma of the sixth cervical spinal nerve in a dog

A schwannoma of the sixth cervical spinal nerve in a 5-year-old Shetland Sheepdog was surgically excised, sparing the thoracic limb and resulting in long-term survival. The dog had been referred because of slowly progressive left thoracic limb lameness. The lesion was localized to the left suprascapular and musculocutaneous nerves or the C6 and C7 spinal nerves on the basis of neurologic examination, electrodiagnostic examination, and myelography. Surgical exploration revealed a mass, which was excised and identified histologically as a schwannoma. Three and a half years later, the dog was normal except for mild gait abnormality, focal muscle atrophy, and a focal area of decreased cutaneous sensation of the left thoracic limb.     

Role of transcranial magnetic stimulation in differentiating motor nervous tract disorders from other causes of recumbency in four horses and one donkey

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and measurement of the magnetic motor-evoked potentials (MMEPs) in the thoracic and pelvic limbs of four recumbent horses and one recumbent donkey were used to assess the integrity of the descending motor pathways, in order to confirm or exclude a descending motor tract lesion as the cause of the recumbency. In two of the animals abnormal MMEPs were recorded; in one of the horses a lesion along the cervical spinal cord due to a fracture of the fifth cervical vertebra was diagnosed and confirmed by radiography and postmortem examination; in another horse, damage to the peripheral nerves of the left forelimb was diagnosed and confirmed postmortem when a large abscess was found to have been compressing the peripheral nerves at the level of the last cervical vertebra. In the three other animals, normal MMEPs were recorded, and laminitis, rhabdomyolysis and physitis were diagnosed as the causes of the recumbency.     

Giant cell tumor of the accessory carpal bone in a dog

A 4-year-old Springer Spaniel was referred because of a 6-week history of progressive left forelimb lameness. A marked pain response was elicited by palpation over the left accessory carpal bone. Radiography revealed a lytic, markedly expansile lesion of the accessory carpal bone. The bone was excised, and pancarpal arthrodesis was performed. Histologic examination of the excised bone revealed giant cell tumor. At 14 months after surgery, the dog was using the limb normally. Radiography of the carpus revealed satisfactory progression of the arthrodesis, and thoracic radiographs were negative for metastases.     

Small-cell carcinoma of the lung resembling a brachial plexus tumour

A small-cell carcinoma of the lung was identified in a six-year-old female German shepherd dog with a history of chronic lameness of the left forelimb, Horner's syndrome and sensory deficits on the caudal portion of the left forelimb below the elbow. A mass, the exact location of which was difficult to ascertain, was identified during radiographic examination of the thorax. It was easily identified, using magnetic resonance imaging, as an apical tumour of the left lung with dorsal extension and involvement of paraspinal structures, such as spinal nerve roots C8 to T1 and the sympathetic trunk. Postmortem examination confirmed a mass in the left apical lobe of the lung, compatible with a diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This clinical presentation is similar to Pancoast syndrome described in humans.     

Anaplastic astrocytoma in the spinal cord of an African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

A 2-year-old, female hedgehog presented with an 8-month history of progressive, ascending paresis/paralysis and was tentatively diagnosed with wobbly hedgehog syndrome. She died awaiting further diagnostic tests, and the owners consented to postmortem examination. Grossly, the bladder was large and flaccid and the cervical and lumbar spinal cord were regionally enlarged, light grey, and friable with multifocal hemorrhages. The thoracic spinal cord was grossly normal. Microscopically all regions of the spinal cord had similar changes, although the cervical and lumbar sections were most severely affected. These regions were completely effaced by a moderately cellular infiltration of highly pleomorphic polygonal to spindle shaped cells, mineralization, and necrosis, which were most consistent with anaplastic astrocytoma. The thoracic spinal cord white matter was similarly infiltrated by the neoplastic cells, with perivascular extension into the otherwise normal grey matter. A diagnosis of anaplastic astrocytoma was confirmed using immunohistochemical stains that were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein and S100.     

猪GDF11基因部分序列的克隆及组织表达分析

为了探讨生长分化因子11(Growth differentiation factor11,GDF11,又名BMP11)在胸腰椎数变异中的作用,本试验克隆了该基因包含外显子2在内的部分编码区,并进一步采用RT-PCR技术对其在猪胚胎和初生仔猪中的表达进行了分析。结果表明,在35d的猪胚胎中,后肢、牙龈、脑、肝脏、肾脏、胸椎、腰椎各组织均有明显的表达,而在前肢、眼、心脏、肺脏中的表达较弱,在颈椎和荐尾椎中没有观察到GDF11的表达。在45d猪胚胎的后肢、脑、眼、胸椎组织中GDF11的表达较强,而在前肢、牙龈、肺脏、肾脏、腰椎和荐尾椎的表达相对较弱,在肝脏中的表达极其微弱。在心脏和颈椎中没有检测到GDF11的表达。在55d的猪胚胎中,前肢、后肢、脑、眼、肝脏、颈椎、胸椎、腰椎组织中有明显的表达,肺脏和肾脏组织中的表达较强,牙龈和荐尾椎中的表达较弱,而在心脏中没有检测到GDF11的表达。3d仔猪的后肢、牙龈、脑、肾脏和腰椎组织中GDF11有明显的表达,脾脏组织的表达量较高,前肢、肝脏、心脏、背腰最长肌和肺脏中的表达相对较弱,在眼、颈椎和荐尾椎中的表达极弱,在胸椎中没有检测到表达。在所检测的不同时期的所有组织中,脑和肾脏组织表达明显地高于其他组织。     

Osteosarcoma of the proximal radius in a donkey

A mature donkey was presented for evaluation of a forelimb lameness and presence of a large mass on the left forelimb distal to the elbow joint. Clinical examination, radiographs and cytological examination of ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspirates of the mass led to a presumptive diagnosis of osteosarcoma. The donkey was subsequently subjected to euthanasia. Post mortem examination confirmed the diagnosis of osteosarcoma in the proximal radius with expansion of the mass through the ulnar cortex and metastases to liver and regional lymph nodes, areas of metastasis previously unreported in the equine literature.     

Sub‐acute and chronic MRI findings in bilateral canine fibrotic contracture of the infraspinatus muscle

A six‐year‐old, 30‐kg female German pointer dog was presented for examination with a history of pre‐existing right‐forelimb lameness and more recent (3 months) persistent lameness in the left‐forelimb. Physical examination revealed mild left‐forelimb lameness and a mild circumduction movement. There were no signs of pain or crepitation detected during manipulation of the shoulders, but the animal was unable to fully flex both glenohumeral joints. Magnetic resonance imaging, using fast recovery fast spin echo T2‐weighted and fat saturated proton density sequences, revealed abnormal heterogeneous hypointensity in the right infraspinatus muscle and a heterogeneous hyperintense area in the left infraspinatus muscle. Surgical treatment consisting of a bilateral infraspinatus tenectomy resulted in improved limb function. Histopathological examination demonstrated tissue changes in the right infraspinatus, characterised by myofibre degeneration and fibrosis, compatible with a chronic degenerative process, while changes in the left infraspinatus muscle were characterised by variable degrees of fibre degeneration, haemorrhage and interstitial oedema.     

Tetraparesis in a cat with fibrocartilaginous emboli

An 8-year-old cat, with a history of ataxia that progressed to tetraparesis over a 5-day period, was evaluated. A lesion was localized to the sixth cervical (C6) to second thoracic (T2) spinal cord segments based on physical and neurological examination findings. Blood work was unremarkable, as was survey radiography of the thoracic and abdominal cavities. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed moderate neutrophilic inflammation. A definitive diagnosis was not made until necropsy, at which time intravascular fibrocartilaginous embolization (FCE) of the cervical spinal cord was identified. This is only the third published report of FCE in the feline species and the first such case involving the cervical spinal cord.     

一例黑熊尺骨桡骨开放性骨折的诊疗

2008年9月7日,哈尔滨市某实验林场养熊场1只8月龄雄性黑熊因左前肢被大熊咬伤而就诊。经体格检查发现小黑熊左前肢尺骨和桡骨开放性骨折。采用内固定法治疗,2个月后小黑熊痊愈。     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LYMPHOMA INVOLVING THE BRACHIAL PLEXUS IN A CAT

An 11-year-old, neutered, female Domestic Long Hair cat had a 3-week history of left forelimb lameness. Conscious proprioception and postural reflexes were absent on the left thoracic limb. The cat had slightly reduced placing and hopping responses on the left pelvic limb, absent cutaneous trunci muscle reflex on the left side, and left triceps muscle atrophy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 2 x 2 x 2 cm mass in the region of the left brachial plexus. The cat was treated by left forelimb amputation and hemilaminectomy. Histopathology of the brachial plexus revealed lymphoma.     

Diagnostic techniques in the investigation of shoulder lameness

Methods of investigating horses with suspected shoulder lameness are described and discussed. The gait of shoulder lameness is characterised and compared with that of lower forelimb lameness. If lameness is slight, differentiation may be difficult, but if moderate, upper forelimb lameness usually results in shortening of the cranial phase of the stride and a low limb flight. Clinically, it may not be possible to differentiate between shoulder and elbow lameness without intra-articular anaesthesia. Practical aspects of intra-articular anaesthesia of the shoulder joint are reviewed. Synovial fluid must be retrieved to ensure that the needle is intra-articular. Up to 60 mins may elapse after injection of local anaesthetic before significant improvement occurs. Lameness is often improved rather than eliminated. A technique for standing radiography of the shoulder is described and the limitations of assessing a joint only by lateral projections are highlighted. There may be difficulties in positioning weanling foals and yearlings, resulting in superimposition of the shoulder joint, cervical and thoracic vertebra and ribs. It is concluded that a combination of a thorough clinical examination, faradism, local anaesthesia, synovial fluid analysis and radiography usually enables an accurate diagnosis to be reached.     

Suspected fibrocartilaginous embolism in a cat

A 12-year-old cat was presented to the University of Queensland's Small Animal Teaching Hospital with a 1-day history of left hemiparesis of acute onset, with no evidence of trauma or toxin exposure. Neurological examination findings were consistent with a lesion in the caudal left cervical spinal cord (C6 to C8), which was non-painful and had not progressed since the onset of clinical signs. No other abnormalities were found, although myelography showed a mild swelling involving the caudal cervical and cranial thoracic spinal segments. A diagnosis of suspected fibrocartilaginous embolism was made on the basis of the history, clinical presentation and diagnostic tests results, making this case the first report of a suspected fibrocartilaginous embolism in a cat that returned to normal function.     

Hematogenous metastasis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma originating from skeletal muscle in a young dog.

An 8-month-old, intact male Golden Retriever with a history of left forelimb lameness for 2 months was presented to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Konkuk University (Seoul, Korea). Results of a physical examination revealed a mass in the left axillary region. A thoracic radiography showed an osteolytic lesion in the scapula and the presence of a soft tissue density from the thoracic wall to the scapula. A computerized tomography revealed a mass invading into the scapula, and small nodules in the lung that suggested metastasis. At necropsy, a pale-yellow, irregular, firm, 8 x 10 x 5 cm mass extended from axillary region and destroyed the scapular. In addition, small nodules were noted in the lung. On microscopic examination, the mass consisted of round-to-oval cells, with eccentrically located hyperchromatic nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm in fibromyxoid stroma. Tumor cells were observed in blood vessels in the primary mass. Tumor cells strongly expressed vimentin, desmin, and myoglobin. In phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin staining, cross-striations were detected in rhabdomyoblasts. In periodic acid-Schiff reaction, only a few cells were detected. The diagnosis was primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the appendicular muscle of a young dog. The tumor presumably originated in the skeletal muscle of the limb, invaded into the adjacent scapular bone, and metastasized to the lung.     

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy in a dog with chronic bicipital tenosynovitis

A 15-month-old, spayed female, Bernese mountain dog was presented to the Institute of Small Animal Surgery at the University of Zurich because of chronic left forelimb lameness. The referring veterinarian diagnosed pain in the left shoulder region and had treated the dog with systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and restricted exercise for a two-week period. The follow-up examination revealed only minimal improvement and therefore, the dog was referred for further diagnostic evaluation. Chronic bicipital tenosynovitis and tendinitis of the infraspinatus muscle was diagnosed based on survey radiographs, arthrography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and synovial fluid cytology. The dog underwent three sessions of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and substantial clinical improvement was observed. On follow-up examinations, only mild left forelimb lameness was evident following exercise, and changes in the intertubercular groove and at the supraglenoid tuberosity appeared less active on radiographs and CT. However, six months following treatment, mild degenerative joint disease was apparent.