脑室腹腔分流术治疗犬脑积水的病例分析

为了探索犬脑积水(Hydrocephalus)的替代疗法并提高患犬生活质量,本文分析了1例临床50日龄患有脑积水的边境牧羊犬,初期尝试药物管理和最终采用手术治疗的方案。结果显示,采取药物保守治疗,目的为减少患犬脑脊液(CSF)的产生并增加其排出,但2周后临床症状无明显改善,遂进行脑室腹腔分流术治疗。术后患犬神经症状有所缓解,影像学检测结果显示CSF有所减少。术后约1个月,患犬因厌食、器官衰竭和手术引流失败而死亡。结果表明,在药物控制无效的情况下,脑室腹腔分流术可作为脑积水的替代治疗方法。虽然本病例患犬最终死亡,但为脑积水的诊断和治疗提供了参考。     

FAMILIAL CEREBELLAR ATAXIA WITH HYDROCEPHALUS IN BULL MASTIFFS

Familial cerebellar ataxia with concurrent hydrocephalus has previously been described in a family of bull mastiff pups, and recently has been identified in a litter from Louisiana. The 4 affected pups had ataxia, hypermetria, conscious proprioceptive deficits, behavioral abnormalities, and a visual deficit. In magnetic resonance imaging of the brain of two of the pups, there were symmetric hydrocephalus and two focal areas of increased signal intensity within the central nuclei of the cerebellum. Histopathologically there was vacuolization and mild astrogliosis within the deep cerebellar nuclei (dentate, interpositus, fastigial), caudal colliculi, and lateral vestibular nuclei. Although the postmortem results were not exactly the same as in the previously published report, the clinical features and histopathologic findings strongly support the diagnosis. This disorder is most likely inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.     

CISTERNOGRAPHY COMBINED WITH LINEAR TOMOGRAPHY FOR VISUALIZATION OF PITUITARY LESIONS IN DOGS WITH PITUITARY-DEPENDENT HYPERADRENOCORTICISM

Cisternography combined with sagittal linear tomography was performed in eight dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism, in search of pituitary lesions. In one dog with a pituitary microadenoma, the dimensions of the pituitary gland were within normal limits. In six dogs the pituitary gland was enlarged. In the remaining dog the pituitary gland was also enlarged, but could not be measured due to absence of contrast medium in the cisternae around the pituitary gland. In these seven dogs large pituitary tumors were found at autopsy. With linear tomography the height of the pituitary gland could only be measured in the dog with the microadenoma. In all other dogs compression of the subarachnoid space at the dorsal aspect of the pituitary gland interfered with the assessment of the height of the pituitary lesion, and therefore with the assessment of the presence and extent of compression of the hypothalamus. It is concluded that cisternography combined with linear tomography provides information about the size of the pituitary gland and the presence of suprasellar expansion, although the present technique does not allow an assessment of the severity of the suprasellar expansion.     

SLOW RELEASE CISPLATIN COMBINED WITH RADIATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANINE NASAL TUMORS

Thirteen dogs with malignant tumors of the nasal cavity were treated with a combination of slow release cisplatin and megavoltage radiation. Radiation was delivered on a Monday through Friday schedule using a 6 MV linear accelerator. The median total dose was 49.5 Gy (range 49.5-56 Gy). Cisplatin was given using an open-cell polylactic acid polymer, impregnated with the drug and implanted intramus-cularly at a distant site, as a slow release delivery system (OPLAn-Pt [THM Biomedical, Inc]). The median dose used was 60 mg/m2 (range 60–100 mg/m2). When combined with radiation, this delivery system caused no systemic drug toxicity, and a local tissue reaction was seen in only two dogs. Acute side effects to normal tissue from radiation were not enhanced, as measured by subjective assessment. When compared to a group of historical controls that received radiation without OPLA-Pt, the dogs that received combined radiation and cisplatin had longer overall survival times, with a median of 580 days. The control group had a median survival of 325 days. Previously reported median survival times for comparable megavoltage radiation treatment range from 6 to 13 months. Some dogs in both groups also received adjubant chemotherapy but this did not influence survival time. By multivariate analysis, only the use of OPLA-Pt was found to significantly influence survival, with a p value of p = 0.023. Mega-voltage radiation and slow release cisplatin appears to be a well tolerated combination that may favorably affect survival of dogs with nasal tumors.