Digital fluoroscopic excretory urography, digital fluoroscopic urethrography, helical computed tomography, and cystoscopy in 24 dogs with suspected ureteral ectopia

The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic utility of helical computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of ectopic ureters in the dog and to compare these findings with those of digital fluoroscopic excretory urography and digital fluoroscopic urethrography. Ureteral ectopia was confirmed or disproved based on findings from cystoscopy and exploratory surgery or postmortem examination. Of 24 dogs (20 female, 4 male) evaluated, 17 had ureteral ectopia. Digital fluoroscopic excretory urography and CT correctly identified ureteral ectopic status and site of ureteral ectopia (P < .05). Urethrography did not reliably detect ureteral ectopia. No false-positive diagnoses of ureteral ectopia were made in any of the imaging studies. Cystoscopic findings significantly agreed with findings during surgery in determining ureteral ectopic status and ectopic ureter site. One false-positive cystoscopic diagnosis of unilateral ureteral ectopia was made in a male dog. Kappa statistics showed better agreement between CT and both cystoscopy and surgical or postmortem examination findings with regard to presence and site of ureteral ectopia compared with other imaging techniques. CT was more useful than other established diagnostic imaging techniques for diagnosing canine ureteral ectopia.     

兔狲泌尿器官的形态特征

经对两只兔狲沁尿器官的解剖观察看到：兔狲的肾表面光滑，左右肾均为豆形，右肾略靠前；雌性左右侧输尿管长７８ｍｍ和９１ｍｍ，直径均为１．０ｍｍ；雄性左右侧输尿管长７０．６ｍｍ和７７．８ｍｍ直径均为１．２ｍｍ；膀胱为梨型；雌性尿道短，雄性尿道长。     

母猪尿路感染的检测方法及应用案例

母猪的尿路感染在种猪场中普遍存在，急性尿路感染会导致母猪猝死，亚临床感染影响母猪繁殖性能。由于缺乏便捷有效的检测方法，尿路感染经常被忽视。文章回顾了母猪尿路感染的原因和感染后的临床表现。为了在现场更好地普及尿路感染检测，文章介绍了一种新型的尿路感染的快速检测方法，并用此方法在山东某规模猪场进行了实际操作，对该场的40份母猪尿液样品进行了检测，分析了该场母猪在分娩前后的尿路感染情况，最后给出了解决方法。     

A Retrospective Analysis of Renal Carcinoma in the Horse

Background: Renal carcinoma is a rare tumor of horses.
Hypothesis: Presenting complaints and clinical signs of this disease are vague and early diagnosis increases survival time.
Animals: Data were collected from the medical records of 4 horses presented to Washington State University as well as the 23 previously published case reports of horses with renal carcinoma.
Methods: Retrospective study.
Results: Renal carcinoma affects horses of all ages with most cases observed in geldings and Thoroughbreds. The most common presenting complaints are nonspecific and usually do not occur until late in the course of the disease. Routine laboratory results generally are unremarkable with no evidence of renal dysfunction. Urine and peritoneal fluid analyses are consistently abnormal, but the changes usually are nonspecific. Rectal palpation often allows detection of an abnormal kidney or a mass in the area of the kidney. Renal ultrasound examination is the most rewarding imaging procedure, and when combined with renal biopsy, antemortem diagnosis can be achieved. Renal carcinoma is both locally invasive and metastatic, necessitating careful staging for metastasis using thoracic radiography and abdominal ultrasound examination. If the tumor is localized to 1 kidney, nephrectomy is the treatment of choice. No chemotherapy or radiation treatment for renal carcinoma has been reported in the horse. Median survival for this series of cases was 11 days (0 days–1 year).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Prognosis is poor to grave.     

Retinol-Binding Protein in Serum and Urine of Hyperthyroid Cats before and after Treatment with Radioiodine

Background: Retinol-binding protein (RBP) is suggested as a clinically useful marker of renal function in cats.
Hypothesis: Serum and urinary RBP concentrations in hyperthyroid (HT) cats differ from those in healthy (H) cats; radioiodine (¹³¹I) treatment influences serum and urinary RBP concentrations in HT cats.
Animals: Ten HT and 8 H cats.
Methods: RBP concentration was evaluated in feline serum and urine samples from a prospective study.
Results: There was a significant ( P = .003) difference in the urinary RBP/creatinine (uRBP/c) ratios of H (−) and untreated HT (1.4 ± 1.5 × 10⁻² μg/mg) cats. Serum total thyroxine concentration (1.8 ± 1.9 μg/dL, 24 weeks) and uRBP/c (0.6 ± 1.0 × 10⁻² μg/mg, 24 weeks) decreased significantly ( P < .001) in HT cats at all time points after treatment with ¹³¹I, and these variables were significantly correlated with one another ( r = 0.42, P = .007). Serum RBP concentrations from HT cats (199 ± 86 μg/L) did not differ significantly ( P = .98) from those of H cats (174 ± 60) and did not change after treatment with ¹³¹I (182 ± 124 μg/L, P = .80).
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The presence of urinary RBP in HT cats is a potential marker of tubular dysfunction that is correlated to thyroid status, although it is independent of circulating RBP concentrations. The decreased uRBP/c combined with the absence of changes in serum RBP after treatment suggests that the suspected tubular dysfunction was partly reversible with treatment of ¹³¹I.     

Pathophysiology,Clinical Importance,and Management of Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Caused by Suprasacral Spinal Cord Injury

Management of persistent lower urinary tract dysfunction resulting from severe thoracolumbar spinal cord injury can be challenging. Severe suprasacral spinal cord injury releases the spinal cord segmental micturition reflex from supraspinal modulation and increases nerve growth factor concentration in the bladder wall, lumbosacral spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglion, which subsequently activates hypermechanosensitive C‐fiber bladder wall afferents. Hyperexcitability of bladder afferents and detrusor overactivity can cause urine leaking during the storage phase. During urine voiding, the loss of supraspinal control that normally coordinates detrusor contraction with sphincter relaxation can lead to spinal cord segmental reflex‐mediated simultaneous detrusor and sphincter contractions or detrusor‐sphincter dyssynergia, resulting in inefficient urine voiding and high residual volume. These disease‐associated changes can impact on the quality of life and life expectancy of spinal‐injured animals. Here, we discuss the pathophysiology and management considerations of lower urinary tract dysfunction as the result of severe, acute, suprasacral spinal cord injury. In addition, drawing from experimental, preclinical, and clinical medicine, we introduce some treatment options for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction that are designed to: (1) prevent urine leakage arising because of detrusor overactivity during bladder filling, (2) preserve upper urinary tract integrity and function by reducing intravesical pressure and subsequent vesicoureteral reflux, and (3) prevent urinary tract and systemic complications by treating and preventing urinary tract infections.     

Welfare of lactating Holstein cows under outdoor grazing and indoor housing in relation to temperature and humidity in summer in Japan

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the physiological responses of lactating Holstein cows between outdoor grazing and indoor housing in summer in Japan.

Method

The cows (n=16) were grazed outside from indoor housing and returned indoors 3 weeks later, with a 1-week transition phase to mitigate each environmental change. Grazing cows remained in pasture except for milking twice per day and concentrate feeding before milking. Indoors, the cows were tethered except for milking twice per day and about 5.5 h of exercise in an open-air paddock.

Results

When the Temperature–Humidity Index (THI) threshold was above 72, urinary cortisol levels were higher only in the grazing phase. The indoor cows took a longer time to prepare to lie down compared with grazing cows.

Conclusions

This study suggests that forcing cows outside during hot weather can induce certain physiological stress responses in lactating Holstein cows. Cows exhibit more fluid lying-down movements on pasture, suggesting that the comfort of lying conditions of indoor housing was not ideal.     

Acellular Urinary Bladder Matrix in a Collagenase Model of Superficial Digital Flexor Tendonitis in Horses

The objective of the present study was to determine the efficacy of urinary bladder matrix (UBM) in collagenase-induced superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendonitis by using clinical, ultrasonographic, and histologic data. A total of eight healthy adult horses were used in this study. Bilateral forelimb SDF tendonitis was created in the horses by injecting collagenase. After 14 days, one randomly selected forelimb SDF tendon was blindly treated with UBM and the opposite tendon was treated with a control (saline). Clinical and ultrasonographic parameters including lameness, lesion size, ultrasonographic fiber pattern, and echogenicity were measured throughout the study. After 84 days, horses were euthanized and SDF tendon lesions from the two groups were compared statistically using an analysis of variance with significance set at P ≤ .05.Results showed that there were no significant differences between the treated and control tendons for any of the clinical, ultrasonographic, gross, or histologic variables. UBM does not appear to be an effective treatment for collagenase-induced SDF tendonitis. However, there may be differences in clinical tendonitis that might render the treatment more effective in the clinical setting.     

犬尿结石的化学成分分析研究

应用物理学特征观察、化学定性分析、X射线衍射分析等方法,分析了临床收集的1份犬肾结石样品、2份犬膀胱结石样品的化学成分,并根据结石的形成原因、机理探讨其防治方法。结果表明:肾结石样品为混合型结石,主要成分为水合磷酸氢镁、水合磷酸铁及水合磷酸钙,另外还可能含有少量水合硫酸钙;2份膀胱结石样品主要成分均为六水磷酸铵镁。对尿结石的成分分析,有助于了解结石形成机制,为尿结石的防治奠定一定基础。     

犬尿结石的化学成分分析研究

应用物理学特征观察、化学定性分析、X射线衍射分析等方法,分析了临床收集的1份犬肾结石样品、2份犬膀胱结石样品的化学成分,并根据结石的形成原因、机理探讨其防治方法.结果表明:肾结石样品为混合型结石,主要成分为水合磷酸氢镁、水合磷酸铁及水合磷酸钙,另外还可能含有少量水合硫酸钙;2份膀胱结石样品主要成分均为六水磷酸铵镁.对尿结石的成分分析,有助于了解结石形成机制,为尿结石的防治奠定一定基础.     

Holmium:YAG Laser Lithotripsy for Urolithiasis in Horses

Background: Laser lithotripsy has been used as an alternative to surgical removal of uroliths.
Objective: To describe the procedure and efficacy of laser lithotripsy for removal of lower urinary tract uroliths in horses. Additionally, the ultrastructure and the differences in mineralogy and microstructure from 1 successful and 1 unsuccessful laser lithotripsy case are described.
Animals: Six client-owned horses with 7 episodes of naturally occurring urocystoliths, urethroliths, or both.
Methods: Retrospective study of all horses treated between 2006 and 2008 by laser lithotripsy. All horses were sedated followed by laser lithotripsy. Quantitative urolith analysis was performed in all cases. Ultrastructure and microstructure analyses were performed on uroliths from 2 horses.
Results: Procedural success was achieved in 5 of 7 laser lithotripsy procedures. No complications occurred as a result of laser lithotripsy. One horse developed uroabdomen likely as a result of manual lithotrite disruption of the bladder after failure of laser lithotripsy. There were differences in microstructure between 1 urolith that was successfully fragmented by laser lithotripsy and 1 urolith that was resistant to laser fragmentation.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Laser lithotripsy is an effective procedure for removal of some urocystoliths, urethroliths, or both in horses.     

Differences in the expression of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone receptors in the lower urinary tract between intact and gonadectomised male and female dogs

Receptors for LH (LHR) and FSH (FSHR) are expressed in the canine lower urinary tract (LUT). As gonadectomy results in an increase in plasma LH and FSH, the objective of this study was to determine whether there are any differences in the expression of LHR and FSHR in the LUT between intact and gonadectomised dogs. Four regions of the LUT, i.e. body and neck of the bladder as well as proximal and distal urethra, were collected from 20 healthy dogs (5 intact males, 5 intact anoestrous females, 4 castrated males and 6 spayed females). The mRNA and protein expression of receptors was determined by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively, and assessed semi-quantitatively incorporating both the distribution and the intensity of specific staining. Expression of LHR and FSHR was present in all tissue layers (epithelium, sub-epithelial stroma and muscle) of each region with different levels of the expression. Overall mRNA and protein expression for both LHR and FSHR was significantly (P < 0.001) lower in gonadectomised dogs. Intact dogs had more (P < 0.05) LHR and FSHR mRNA and protein in all tissue layers of the four regions, except for LHR mRNA expression in the sub-epithelial stroma where no differences were observed between the two statuses. Decreases in LHR and FSHR mRNA and protein in gonadectomised dogs appeared to be more consistent in spayed bitches compared to castrated males. Lower expression of LHR and FSHR observed in gonadectomised dogs may adversely affect the normal canine LUT function.