Insulin-secreting tumours of the canine pancreas: Clinical and pathological features of 11 cases

This paper describes the clinical and pathological features of 11 dogs with insulin-secreting tumours of the pancreas. All the dogs showed episodic weakness or collapse. The diagnosis was made on fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations, the insulimglucose ratio, and the results of an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Ten of the dogs had exploratory laparotomy, and partial pancreatectomy was performed in nine of the cases. One case was euthanased at surgery because of widespread metastases. The tumours were graded histologically and the results compared with the time to recurrence of clinical signs and postoperative survival time. Postoperative survival time for dogs which died or were euthanased as a direct result of tumour recurrence, and time to recurrence of clinical signs were calculated from actuarial survival curves. The median time to recurrence of clinical signs after surgery was 12 months (range from four to 16 months; mean time to recurrence of clinical signs 12 months). Two cases died of unrelated disease, without recurrence of hypoglycaemic signs. The median postoperative survival time was 14 months (range 10 to 33 months; mean survival time 15 months). There is a suggestion that tumours with a high mitotic count carried a worse prognosis.     

Neurological Manifestations of Hypothyroidism: A Retrospective Study of 29 Dogs

Neuromuscular signs in association with hypothyroidism are described in 29 dogs. Eleven dogs had lower motor neuron signs, 9 had peripheral vestibular deficits, 4 had megaesophagus, and 5 had laryngeal paralysis. Primarily older (mean = 9.5 years), large-breed dogs were affected, and there was no sex or breed predisposition. Duration of clinical signs before presentation ranged from 2 to 8 weeks (mean = 5 weeks). The diagnosis was based on (1) results of neurological examination (29 dogs); (2) electromyographic abnormalities (18 dogs), including fibrillation potentials (n = 18), positive sharp waves (n = 15), and complex repetitive discharges (n = 4); (3) high serum cholesterol concentration (10 dogs; mean = 335 mg/dL); (4) low response to thyroid-stimulating hormone (29 dogs; mean T₄ prestimulation concentration = 0.8 μg/dL; mean T₄ poststimulation = 1.2 μg/dL); and (5) good response to thyroxine supplementation (26 dogs). Dogs with vestibular deficits had abnormal brainstem auditory-evoked responses (BAER), including increased latencies of P₁-P₆ and decreased amplitude of P_4,5-N₅. Seven other dogs had similar BAER abnormalities without manifesting clinical signs of vestibular involvement. Three dogs with vestibular signs had fibrillation potentials and positive sharp waves without exhibiting lower motor neuron signs. All dogs were supplemented with levothyroxine (0.02 mg/kg P0 bid). The follow-up period ranged between 6 and 30 months (mean, 14 months). Serum T₄ concentrations were measured at least 3 times for each dog every 2 months (mean T₄ concentration = 2.6 μg/dL). All but 1 dog with lower motor neuron signs and 1 dog with vestibular signs recovered after 2 months (mean, 57 days). Signs of megaesophagus became progressively less severe over 4 months. Dogs with laryngeal paralysis improved partially after 5 months. We suggest that either vestibular or lower motor neuron signs, megaesophagus, or laryngeal paralysis may be the only clinical signs of an underlying, more generalized polyneuropathy associated with hypothyroidism. Electro-diagnostic abnormalities may be detected before clinical disease develops.     

Molecular evidence of tick-transmitted infections in dogs and cats in the United Kingdom

PCR analysis was used to determine the prevalence of tick-transmitted infections in 120 systemically ill dogs and 60 cats recruited over a period of three months from 52 veterinary practices in the UK. The animals had not travelled outside the UK and had one or more of the following clinical criteria: acute or recurrent pyrexia, anaemia and/or thrombocytopenia, polyarthritis/muscle pain, splenomegaly/lymphadenopathy, and intraocular inflammation with systemic signs. Blood samples from the animals were tested for the presence of DNA from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum by using simple PCR targeting. B. burgdorferi sensu lato was detected in five dogs and two cats, and A. phagocytophilum was detected in one dog and one cat. These results provide the first molecular evidence of naturally occurring B. burgdorferi sensu lato infection in cats in the UK and confirm that A. phagocytophilum infection is present in cats. There were no statistically significant associations between the infections and the clinical signs shown by the dogs and cats.     

Hypothyroidism in the dog: a retrospective study of sixteen cases

Sixteen dogs with confirmed hypothyroidism were reviewed. The diagnosis was based on subnormal plasma thyroxine concentration and poor response following TSH administration. Common clinical signs were alopecia (12 dogs), lethargy (11) and obesity (11). Plasma cholesterol concentrations were abnormally high in 10 of 14 cases tested, five of 12 were anaemic and three of five had increased creatine phosphokinase activity. Skin changes compatible with endocrinopathy were present in all five cases biopsied. Spontaneous muscle activity was found on electromyography in four cases so examined. All dogs were treated with sodium levothyroxine, and 10 of 13 for which information was available responded satisfactorily.     

Vaginal resection and anastomosis for treatment of vestibulovaginal stenosis in 4 dogs with recurrent urinary tract infections

CASE DESCRIPTION-4 dogs were evaluated because of recurrent urinary tract infections. CLINICAL FINDINGS-All dogs had recurrent urinary tract infections and similar clinical signs; 3 dogs had urinary incontinence. Digital vaginal examination revealed vestibulovaginal stenosis in all dogs, which was confirmed by results of contrast vaginourethrography. From image measurements, the vestibulovaginal ratio (ratio of the height of the vestibulovaginal junction to the maximum height of the vagina on a lateral vaginourethrogram) was calculated for each dog. Three dogs had severe stenosis (vestibulovaginal ratio, < 0.20; severe stenosis is defined as a vestibulovaginal ratio < 0.20), whereas the fourth dog had moderate stenosis (vestibulovaginal ratio, 0.24; ratio range for moderate stenosis is 0.20 to 0.25). TREATMENT AND OUTCOME-All dogs were anesthetized for surgical correction of the vestibulovaginal stenosis. Vaginal resection and anastomosis of the stenosis was performed in all 4 dogs, with 1 dog also undergoing episioplasty. Complete resolution of clinical signs was apparent in 3 dogs; 1 dog had postoperative complications including pollakiuria and stranguria, which resulted in rectal and vaginal prolapse. This dog underwent ovariohysterectomy, after which clinical signs resolved. All dogs had resolution of urinary tract infections at the time of follow-up (6 to 8 months after surgery). CLINICAL RELEVANCE-Resection and anastomosis may resolve recurrent urinary tract infections in dogs with severe or moderate vestibulovaginal stenosis. Episiotomy was not necessary for success of surgical treatment, and overall, that procedure increased morbidity, the severity of intraoperative hemorrhage, and duration of surgery.     

Perineal urethrostomy versus dietary management in prevention of recurrent lower urinary tract disease

The frequency and cause of recurrent lower urinary tract disease was compared prospectively in three groups of 10 male cats during a one year period following correction of obstructive urethropathy caused by matrix-crystalline plugs. One group of cats was managed by perineal urethrostomy, one group with a calculolytic diet, and the third group by perineal urethrostomy and the calculolytic diet. Ten episodes of bacterial urinary tract infection developed in five of 10 cats with perineal urethrostomies; six episodes of bacterial urinary tract infection developed in four of 10 cats with perineal urethrostomies and consuming the calculolytic diet. Bacterial urinary tract infections were not observed in cats managed only with the calculolytic diet. Staphylococcal-induced struvite urocystoliths developed in two cats with perineal urethrostomies. Vesicourachal diverticula detected in nine cats at the time of diagnosis of urethral obstruction healed spontaneously following restoration of urethral patency and remission of clinical signs. Transient microscopic haematuria was observed in approximately 25 per cent of the cats in all three treatment groups during the one year study. Results of this study confirm the effectiveness of dietary management in prevention of recurrent urethral obstruction caused by struvite-containing urethral precipitates, and verify that recurrent signs of lower urinary tract disease in cats may be caused by agents that are different from those that initiate the problem. They also confirm that perineal urethrostomies predispose cats to recurrent ascending bacterial urinary tract infections.     

Complications and long-term outcomes of the ligation of congenital portosystemic shunts in 49 cats

Only two of 49 cats undergoing surgical ligation of congenital extra- and intrahepatic portosystemic shunts died perioperatively, a mortality rate comparable with the mortality rates of dogs undergoing surgical attenuation of congenital portosystemic shunts and cats in which the shunts are attenuated with an ameroid ring constrictor. Thirty (83 per cent) of the 36 cats for which long-term information was available were still alive at a median follow-up period of 47 months (range six to 105 months); the outcome was excellent (no clinical signs) in 20 of them (median follow-up 37 months, range six to 105 months) and good (minimal clinical signs) in seven (median follow-up 39 months, range 10 to 73 months) and none of these 27 cats was on any long-term medication or special diet. The only major cause of morbidity was the development of neurological signs in 18 (37 per cent) of the cats. These included seizures and a wide variety of other neurological signs, and their development and persistence was not affected by the presence of preoperative seizures, the type of shunt, the degree of shunt attenuation or the age of the cat. The serum concentrations of ammonia and preprandial bile acids were normal or significantly below normal in the cats with neurological signs. Liver histopathology was similar in the cats with and without neurological signs. Ten (56 per cent) of the 18 cats that developed neurological signs recovered normal neurological function long term.     

Medial Patellar Luxation in 16 Large Dogs A Retrospective Study

Unilateral medial patellar luxation was diagnosed in 10, and bilateral medial patellar luxation in six, large and giant-breed dogs (22 stifles). Lameness occurred in five dogs after trauma or surgery, and 11 dogs had no known predisposing history. The mean age at presentation was 25 months, and the mean time from initial onset of clinical signs to diagnosis was 13 weeks. All traumatic or iatrogenic luxations (five dogs) were unilateral. Luxations presumed to be congenital were unilateral in five dogs and bilateral in six. The grades of medial patellar luxation were I (1 stifle), II (11 stifles), III (9 stifles), and IV (1 stifle). Preoperative function was good (1 dog), fair (9 dogs), and poor (6 dogs). Surgical correction was performed in dogs with grades II, III, and IV luxations (21 stifles). Complications included one wound dehiscence and trochlear wedge migration, one pin loosening, and one persistent lameness caused by lymphoplasmacytic synovitis. Long-term follow-up was available in 13 dogs (18 stifles). Function was judged by owners to be excellent in seven dogs, good in five dogs, and poor in one dog. Surgical treatment of grades II and III luxations yielded good (8 stifles) and excellent (9 stifles) results, while one grade IV luxation had a poor long-term outcome.     

The acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) as an inflammatory marker in equine influenza virus infection

The acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) has proven potentially useful as an inflammatory marker in the horse, but the knowledge of SAA responses in viral diseases is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate SAA as a marker for acute equine influenza A2 (H3N8) virus infection. This is a highly contagious, serious condition that inflicts suffering on affected horses and predisposes them to secondary bacterial infections and impaired performance. Seventy horses, suffering from equine influenza, as verified by clinical signs and seroconversion, were sampled in the acute (the first 48 h) and convalescent (days 11-22) stages of the disease, and SAA concentrations were determined. Clinical signs and rectal temperature were recorded. Secondary infections, that could have influenced SAA concentrations, were clinically suspected in 4 horses. SAA concentrations were higher in the acute stage than in the convalescent stage, and there was a statistically positive relationship between acute stage SAA concentrations and clinical signs and between acute stage SAA concentrations and maximal rectal temperature. Horses sampled early in the acute stage had lower SAA concentrations than those sampled later, indicating increasing concentrations during the first 48 h. There was a statistically positive relationship between convalescent SAA concentrations and degree of clinical signs during the disease process. The results of this investigation indicate that equine SAA responds to equine influenza infection by increasing in concentration during the first 48 h of clinical signs and returning to baseline within 11-22 days in uncomplicated cases.     

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage as the primary treatment for prostatic abscesses and cysts in dogs

Thirteen dogs with prostatic abscesses and cysts were treated using percutaneous ultrasound-guided drainage. Eight dogs were diagnosed with prostatic abscesses and five with cysts on the basis of cytopathological examination and bacterial culture of the prostatic fluid. Antibiotic therapy, based on culture and sensitivity results, was administered for a minimum of 4 weeks. Intact dogs were castrated after initial drainage. Repeat ultrasonography of the prostate was performed every 1 to 6 weeks, and any residual cavitary lesions were drained and fluid analysis repeated. The median number of drainage procedures required to completely resolve the lesions was two (range, one to four). No complications were observed after drainage, and clinical signs resolved in all dogs. None of the dogs developed clinical signs of recurrent abscesses or cysts in the follow-up period (median, 36 months; range, 10 to 50 months). Ultrasound-guided, percutaneous drainage of prostatic abscesses and cysts appears to be a useful alternative to surgical treatment in select dogs.     

Ossification of the infraspinatus tendon-bursa in 13 dogs

Ossification of the infraspinatus tendon-bursa was diagnosed in 13 labrador retrievers, 12 of which were lame in one thoracic limb and the other in both. They ranged in age from 28 to 121 months (mean 69.4 months). The lameness developed gradually and was progressive in 11 of the 14 affected joints. Scapular muscle atrophy and signs of pain on direct pressure over the infraspinatus tendon of insertion were key clinical signs. Caudocranial radiographs revealed multiple mineralised masses lateral to the proximal humerus or glenohumeral joint in 11 of the 26 joints and single masses in 12. An arthroscopic examination revealed concomitant ligament or tendon abnormalities in six of seven shoulders. The dogs were followed up from one to 55 months (mean 20 months). Of five shoulders treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids), one resolved, two improved and two were managed surgically. Of six shoulders treated by the injection of long-acting intra-articular corticosteroid (five before and one after surgery), three resolved, two improved and one was unchanged. Of six shoulders treated by the surgical resection of the infraspinatus tendon and bursa (three before and two after treatment with nsaids, and one after treatment with a long-acting intra-articular corticosteroid), four improved, one was unchanged and one was managed with an intra-articular long-acting corticosteroid. One shoulder was managed by restricted exercise and the lameness resolved. Histological examination of the excised tissues revealed heterotopic bone within the infraspinatus tendon and/or bursa.     

Changes in serum thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations in epileptic dogs receiving phenobarbital for one year

A multicentric prospective study was conducted to monitor the effect of phenobarbital on serum total thyroxine (T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations in epileptic dogs. Serum T4 concentrations were determined for 22 epileptic dogs prior to initiation of phenobarbital therapy (time 0), and 3 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after the start of phenobarbital. Median T4 concentration was significantly lower at 3 weeks and 6 months compared to time 0. Thirty-two percent of dogs had T4 concentrations below the reference range at 6 and 12 months. Nineteen of the 22 dogs had serum TSH concentrations determined at all sampling times. A significant upward trend in median TSH concentration was found. No associations were found between T4 concentration, dose of phenobarbital, or serum phenobarbital concentration. No signs of overt hypothyroidism were evident in dogs with low T4, with one exception. TSH stimulation tests were performed on six of seven dogs with low T4 concentrations at 12 months, and all but one had normal responses. In conclusion, phenobarbital therapy decreased serum T4 concentration but did not appear to cause clinical signs of hypothyroidism. Serum TSH concentrations and TSH stimulation tests suggest that the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis is functioning appropriately.     

Small intestinal adenocarcinoma in cats: 32 cases (1978-1985)

The medical records of 32 cats with small intestinal adenocarcinoma were reviewed. Common clinical signs included vomiting, dehydration, weight loss, cachexia, anorexia, and lethargy. In 50% of the cats, an abdominal mass was palpated, and in 38%, a mass was seen on radiographs. Biopsy of the tumor without resection was performed in 9 cats; 8 cats were euthanatized at the time of surgery, 7 because of metastases, and 1 cat died 1 day after surgery. In 23 cats, resection was performed. Eleven of these died within 2 weeks after surgery (mean survival time, 2.6 days); 8 had lymph node metastasis. Twelve cats survived greater than 2 weeks after surgery. The mean survival of 11 of these cats was 15 months. Six cats were euthanatized because of recurrent signs; 5 of the 6 had a recurrent abdominal mass. One cat was alive 2 years after surgery. Results of this study indicated that cats with adenocarcinoma, even those cats with advanced disease, can have long-term survival after surgery.     

Coccidiosis Caused by Isospora ohioensis-like Organisms in Three Dogs

Three dogs with atypical coccidiosis are described. The age and clinical signs were not those normally associated with coccidiosis described in the literature. The ages of the three dogs were twenty-two months, five months and twelve weeks respectively. The clinical signs were recurrent mild to severe diarrhea, depressed growth and poor body condition. Repeated fecal examinations were needed to diagnose the disease. Sulfamethazine and amprolium were used successfully in treating the condition in all cases.     

Review of 15 cases of pemphigus foliaceus in horses and a survey of the literature

The records of 15 horses with pemphigus foliaceus diagnosed on the basis of their history, clinical signs, histopathology and the exclusion of differential diagnoses were evaluated with respect to the age of onset, the clinical signs and the diagnostic tests used. There was no apparent breed predisposition. The horses' mean age was nine years, with a range from three months to 25.5 years, three were foals up to six months old and eight were nine years old or older. The most frequent lesions were scaling in 11, crusting in 10 and alopecia in 10, and they appeared most commonly on the face, neck and trunk, in 10 horses for each of these sites. The extremities were involved in nine of the horses, pruritus occurred in seven, and four of the horses had pustules. The clinical signs mostly corresponded with those described in previous reports, but signs of pain were not a prominent feature. Acantholytic cells were identified cytologically in four of six of the horses.     

Vaginourethroplasty for Treatment of Urethral Obstruction in the Bitch

Vaginourethroplasty was performed in six bitches with infiltrative, obstructive urethral disease. The initial clinical signs included dysuria, hematuria, pollakiuria, and stranguria. Diagnosis was based on the clinical signs, plain radiography and contrast vagino-urethrogram examination, and urethral biopsy. Five dogs were diagnosed as having urethral neoplasia; the sixth dog had granulomatous urethritis. In all six dogs, up to 50% of the urethra and the urethral tubercle were resected to ensure adequate surgical margins. One dog was euthanatized 4 months after surgery for recurrence of a transitional cell carcinoma at the surgical site. Long-term resolution of the problem (minimum of 12 months) was achieved in the other five dogs. The frequency of serious complications, including urinary incontinence and ascending lower urinary tract infections, was low.     

Idiopathic detrusor-urethral dyssynergia in dogs: a retrospective analysis of 22 cases

Results of a retrospective study of 22 dogs with signs of dysuria and/or stranguria in which a diagnosis of idiopathic detrusorurethral dyssynergia was made are presented. The diagnosis was based on the exclusion of detectable pathological conditions which could also cause urine outflow obstruction. The affected cases were 22 middle-aged male dogs (mean age 4·9 years) of large and giant breeds (mean bodyweight 36·7 kg). Nine dogs had had periodic clinical signs for longer than one year, one for seven months and eight for two to five weeks, while in four dogs signs had begun four to five days before referral. All dogs received the α-sympatholytic agent prazosin as an initial treatment and in 11 it remained the only therapy. There was a good effect in seven and a moderate response in the other four dogs. In one dog, prazosin was ineffective and was replaced by diazepam, which markedly reduced the signs. Three other dogs required frequent catheterisation and antibiotics were administered. These dogs responded favourably. Another three dogs with evidence of impaired bladder contractility were also treated with the parasympathomimetic agent carbachol. One did not improve and was euthanased. Four dogs developed bladder paralysis and severe infectious cystitis. Only one of these could be managed satisfactorily by long-term administration of prazosin, carbachol and antibiotics, and the others had to be euthanased.     

Serum cobalamin concentrations in cats with gastrointestinal signs: correlation with histopathological findings and duration of clinical signs

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of hypocobalaminaemia in UK cats presented for referral investigation of gastrointestinal signs and to ascertain whether the duration of clinical signs or severity of disease (based on WSAVA Gastrointestinal Standardization histopathological grading) related to cobalamin concentration. The study population comprised 39 cats, of which 11 (28.2%) had hypocobalaminaemia. Eight of these cats were diagnosed with a single cause of gastrointestinal signs: intestinal inflammation (five); alimentary lymphoma (two); and cholangitis (one). Two or more concurrent diseases were diagnosed in the three remaining cases. Alimentary lymphoma and the most severe grade of histological intestinal inflammation were associated most commonly with concurrent hypocobalaminaemia, but there was no statistically significant correlation between serum cobalamin concentrations and histopathological score or duration of clinical signs.     

Use of splenectomy in the management of lymphoma in dogs: 16 cases (1976-1985)

Sixteen dogs with lymphoma underwent splenectomy to relieve signs of massive splenomegaly including splenic rupture. The most common preoperative hematologic abnormalities, anemia and thrombocytopenia, were reversed in all dogs surviving the initial postoperative period. Within 6 weeks after surgery, 5 dogs died because of disseminated intravascular coagulation and sepsis. The remaining 11 dogs underwent chemotherapy. These 11 dogs had a complete response rate of 66% at one month after surgery; the mean and median survival times were 9.3 and 5 months, respectively. In 7 dogs evaluated until death, the mean and median survival times were 13.4 months and 14 months, respectively.     

Purpura haemorrhagica in 53 horses

The medical records of 53 horses with purpura haemorrhagica were reviewed. Seventeen of them had been exposed to or infected with Streptococcus equi, nine had been infected with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, five had been vaccinated with S. equi M protein, five had had a respiratory infection of unknown aetiology, and two had open wounds; the other 15 cases had no history of recent viral or bacterial infection. The horses were between six months and 19 years of age (mean 8.4 years). The predominant clinical signs were well demarcated subcutaneous oedema of all four limbs and haemorrhages on the visible mucous membranes; other signs included depression, anorexia, fever, tachycardia, tachypnoea, reluctance to move, drainage from lymph nodes, exudation of serum from the skin, colic, epistaxis and weight loss. Haematological and biochemical abnormalities commonly detected were anaemia, neutrophilia, hyperproteinaemia, hyperfibrinogenaemia, hyperglobulinaemia and high activities of muscle enzymes. All of the horses were treated with corticosteroids; 42 also received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 26 received antimicrobial drugs. Selected cases received special nursing care, including hydrotherapy and bandaging of the limbs. Most of the horses were treated for more than seven days and none of them relapsed. Forty-nine of the horses survived, one died and three were euthanased, either because their severe clinical disease failed to respond to treatment or because they developed secondary complications. Two of the four non-survivors had been vaccinated against S. equi with a product containing the M protein, one had a S. equi infection and the other had a respiratory infection of undetermined aetiology.