Endostatin concentrations in healthy dogs and dogs with selected neoplasms

Endostatin prevents angiogenesis and tumor growth by inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation and migration. The purpose of this study was to determine serum endostatin concentrations in 53 healthy dogs and in 38 dogs with confirmed malignant neoplasms. Endostatin concentration was determined with a competitive enzymatic immunoassay (EIA) with rabbit polyclonal antibody generated against a recombinant canine endostatin protein. Both the presence of cancer and increasing age were associated with increased serum concentration of endostatin. Endostatin concentration in healthy dogs was 87.7 +/- 3.5 ng/mL. Upper and lower limits of the reference range for serum endostatin concentration in healthy dogs were 60 and 113 ng/mL. Dogs with lymphoma (LSA) and hemangiosarcoma (HSA) had endostatin concentrations of 107 +/- 9.3 ng/mL. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that endostatin can be quantified in dogs and that endostatin concentrations are high in dogs with HSA and LSA.     

Canine cutaneous neoplasms: prevalence and influence of age, sex and site on the presence and potential malignancy of cutaneous neoplasms in dogs from Zimbabwe

Histopathological examination was performed on cutaneous biopsies from 900 dogs with skin lesions from Zimbabwe, collected from 1996 to 2000. Clinical data were collected from medical records. Sixty per cent (540/900) of the cases were tumours and 40% (360/900) were non-neoplastic inflammatory or degenerative diseases. Thirty different histological types of tumour were diagnosed. The prevalence of epithelial, mesenchymal, lymphohistiocytic and melanocytic tumours was 39.4%, 44.4%, 7.4% and 8.7%, respectively. The 10 most common tumours, comprising 73.7% of all cutaneous neoplasms, were mast cell tumours, squamous cell carcinomas, perianal gland adenomas, lymphomas, benign melanomas, haemangiosarcomas, sebaceous gland adenomas, fibrosarcomas, lipomas and malignant melanomas. The prevalence of various neoplasms, age of affected dogs and sites of occurrence were similar to surveys in other countries, except that in Zimbabwe there was a greater prevalence of lymphomas and of tumours associated with increased exposure to ultraviolet light (squamous cell carcinomas, haemangiosarcomas and melanomas). For all classes of tumours the sex of the dog did not have any significant influence on the likelihood of developing a tumour. For a dog diagnosed with a tumour located on the trunk, the tumour was significantly more likely to be an epithelial tumour than a non-epithelial tumour The occurrence of melanocytic tumours on the trunk was significantly lower than at other sites. Lymphohistiocytic tumours were 10 times more likely to occur at multiple locations as opposed to single locations.     

Characterization of sex, age, and breed for a population of canine leishmaniosis diseased dogs

Our study of a large canine population investigated whether the development of symptomatic canine leishmaniosis revealed any predilection for sex, age, or breed. Included in the study were 390 leishmaniosis-affected dogs that had been treated at the Hospital Clínic Veterinari attached to the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Of the diseased dogs, 238 were male (61%) and 152 were females (39%), whereas percentages for males and females in the overall reference population of dogs treated at this unit were 53% and 47%, respectively, (P<0.05). Age distribution was bimodal, with the highest prevalence of the disease occurring at 2-4 years of age and a secondary peak occurring at seven years or over. The over represented breeds were the German shepherd (13.6% versus 6.35%, P<0.001), the Rottweiler (13.1% versus 3.0%, P<0.001), and the Boxer (7.9% versus 4.7%, P=0.002), whereas the underrepresented breeds were the Yorkshire terrier (0.5% versus 6.5%, P<0.001), and the Poodle (0.3% versus 3.0%, P<0.001).     

Gender, age and breed pattern of diagnoses for veterinary care in insured dogs in Sweden during 1996

More than 200,000 dogs insured for veterinary care by one Swedish company at the beginning of 1996 were included in a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data from receipts for visits to veterinarians that were part of reimbursed veterinary care events, whose cost exceeded the deductible cost, were used to calculate the risk of cause-specific morbidity, both in total and stratified by gender, age and breed. Diagnoses were described by organic system, for example, cardiovascular, and by disease process, for example, neoplastic The most commonly affected system was the integument followed by the gastrointestinal and genital systems. The genital system was the most commonly affected system in females, within which 50 per cent of the affected bitches had pyometra. Inflammatory processes were most common, followed by symptomatic conditions, traumatic injuries and neoplastic conditions.     

Use of a microtiter Coombs' test for study of age, gender, and breed distributions in immunohemolytic anemia of the dog

Sixteen of 17 dogs with immunohemolytic anemia had a microtiter Coombs' test titer greater than or equal to 1:64. Performance of the test as a hemagglutination assay apparently increased the sensitivity of the test. Three of the dogs with immunohemolytic anemia were sexually intact females, 11 were spayed females, and 3 were sexually intact males. When age and gender were considered together, females were 4.3 times more likely to have immunohemolytic anemia than were males (P less than 0.05). When corrected for population age distribution, spayed females were not predisposed to the problem.     

Nuclear medical bone imaging and targeted radiography for evaluation of skeletal neoplasms in 23 dogs

Nuclear medical bone imaging was used in combination with targeted radiography to detect metastatic or multicentric lesions in 23 dogs with skeletal neoplasms. Each dog with a radiographically diagnosed skeletal neoplasm was injected with Technetium-99m labeled methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) (15.0 mCi intravenously) for whole body imaging. All areas with increased uptake of 99mTc-MDP were radiographed. In 19 dogs, the amount of bone shaft involvement in primary sites indicated by bone imaging was larger than the amount indicated by radiography. Eighteen dogs had secondary areas of increased 99mTc-MDP uptake, six of which had secondary areas that were suspected radiographically to be neoplastic. Four dogs had lesions characterized histologically as neoplasia, one as bone infarction and one as normal cortical bone. Positive predictive value for this strategy was 66.7%. Results of this study suggest that nuclear medical bone imaging with targeted radiography is a quick, noninvasive technique with a good positive predictive value for evaluation of the skeleton for metastatic or multicentric sites of neoplasia.     

Effect of age,sex, and breed on serum cystatin C and creatinine concentrations in dogs

Veterinary Research Communications - This study investigated the effects of age, sex and breed on serum cystatin C (Cys-C) and creatinine in small breed dogs. This retrospective study included 250...     

The carbon dioxide laser: an alternative surgery technique for the treatment of common cutaneous tumors in dogs

Background

Tumors of the skin and subcutaneous tissue are the largest group of canine neoplasms. Total excision is still the most effective method for treatment of these skin tumors. For its universal properties the carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser appears to be an excellent surgical instrument in veterinary surgery. Laser techniques are alternatives to traditional methods for the surgical management of tumors. The aim of this study was to compare various types of laser techniques in skin oncologic surgery: excision, ablation and mixed technique and to suggest which technique of CO₂ laser procedure is the most useful in particular case of tumors in dogs.

Findings

The study was performed on 38 privately-owned dogs with total number of 40 skin tumors of different type removed by various CO₂ laser operation techniques from 2010–2013. The treatment effect was based on the surgical wound evaluation, the relative time of healing and possible local recurrence of the tumor after 3 months post surgery. Local recurrence was observed in two cases. The study showed that in 30 cases time needed for complete resection of lesions was less than 10 minutes. Time of healing was longer than 12 days in 6 cases (42.8%) with tumor excision and in 14 cases (87.5%) where excision with ablation technique was performed.

Conclusions

The advantages of the CO₂ laser surgery were better hemostasis, precision of working, non-contact dissection, less instruments at the site of operation and minimum traumatization of the surrounding tissues.     

健康,是犬最主要的福利

在日益文明,追求和谐发展的社会中,动物福利问题深受人们的关注。动物福利表现在多方面,而健康是其最主要的。     

Clinical manifestations of cataracts in small breed dogs

Objective  To determine the incidence, etiology, and concurrent ophthalmic findings in small breed dogs that presented with cataracts.
Animal studied  Five hundred and sixty-one small breed dogs (942 eyes) were presented to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Seoul National University between July 2002 and December 2007 with cataract.
Procedure  The medical records of small breed dogs with cataract were reviewed. The reason for presentation, cataract duration, bilaterality, breed, gender, age, vision, etiology, stage of cataract development, concurrent ophthalmic findings, IOP, ocular ultrasonography findings, and scotopic electroretinography (ERG) findings were investigated.
Results  The most frequently presented breeds were the Miniature/Toy Poodle ( n  = 112, 20.0%), Yorkshire Terrier ( n  = 110, 19.6%), and Shih Tzu ( n  = 95, 16.9%). The Miniature/Toy Poodle showed a significantly higher odds ratio for cataract formation (2.6). The proportion of female cataract patients was significantly higher than that of male cataract patients in the overall population ( P  < 0.05). The Miniature/Toy Poodles had significantly higher numbers of females affected with cataract ( P  < 0.01). The mean age for cataract formation was 8.3 ± 3.9 years. The mean age at onset in the Miniature/Toy Poodle and Yorkshire Terrier was significantly higher, whereas that in the Miniature Schnauzer group was significantly lower ( P  < 0.0001). Clinical signs related to lens induced uveitis had a tendency to increase with cataract progression ( P  < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the b-wave amplitude for mixed rod cone response by stage ( P  = 0.137).
Conclusions  Small breed dogs with cataracts had characteristics with regard to age of onset and gender distribution, depending on the breed.     

Transthoracic echocardiography in Estrela Mountain dogs: reference values for the breed

Of 100 Estrela Mountain dogs, 74 were examined to obtain echocardiographic reference values for the breed. The influence of bodyweight, age and sex on different echocardiographic parameters was studied using either analysis of variance or regression analysis. Statistically significant differences were found between sex and heart rate as well as interventricular septal thickness at end-systole and left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole. A statistically significant linear correlation was also found between several parameters and (1) age (mean arterial pressure, left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole, fractional shortening, circularity index in systole, aortic valve velocity time integral, pulmonic valve velocity time integral and mitral valve E wave peak velocity), (2) weight (left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole and end-systole, end-diastolic volume index, left atrium diameter, aortic valve peak velocity and mitral valve E wave deceleration time), (3) sex and age (left ventricle end-diastolic volume), and (4) sex and weight (aortic root diameter and pulmonic valve peak velocity). Reference values for the breed are presented, as well as dispersion graphics for selected parameters, based on a regression equation.     

Gender, age, breed and distribution of morbidity and mortality in insured dogs in Sweden during 1995 and 1996

More than 200,000 dogs insured by one Swedish company at the beginning of either 1995 or 1996 were included in a retrospective, cross-sectional study. They could be covered for veterinary care at any age, but were eligible for life insurance only up to 10 years of age. Accessions for veterinary care that exceeded the deductible cost were used to calculate the risk of morbidity. The morbidity and mortality data have been stratified by gender, age, breed, location and human population density. In each year, 13 per cent of the dogs experienced at least one veterinary care event and the mortality risk was 3.0 per cent. The risk of morbidity varied with age, gender, breed, and location. The risk of mortality increased principally with age. It was possible to derive population-based risks of morbidity and mortality from these insurance data.     

屠宰检疫中常见肝脏病变的鉴定和卫生评价

肝脏具有消化、解毒、合成、免疫、贮藏等功能,是动物机体的重要组织器官.当动物发生疫病时,肝脏会受到不同程度的损害,表现出不同的病变,是疫病诊断的重要依据,也是动物屠宰检疫中必检器官.下面结合笔者多年的检疫工作,谈谈生猪屠宰检疫中常见的肝脏病理变化及处理措施.     

Prospective evaluation of techniques for differentiating shoulder pathology as a source of forelimb lameness in medium and large breed dogs

Objective— To assess lameness evaluation, shoulder abduction angles, radiography, and ultrasonography for determining presence, location, and severity of forelimb pathology. Study Design— Prospective cohort study. Animals— Dogs ≥20 kg (n=30). Methods— Each dog was assigned lameness scores. Shoulder abduction angles were determined. Radiographs of shoulders and elbows were subjectively graded for pathology. One investigator unaware of dog history (lameness, radiographic findings) performed ultrasonographic assessment of shoulders with subjective grading of pathology. Another investigator unaware of dog history (lameness, radiographic, ultrasonographic findings) performed arthroscopic assessment of shoulders with subjective grading of pathology. Elbows were disarticulated and evaluated for gross pathology. Histologic pathology scoring of shoulder tissues was performed. Data were compared for differences among groups, sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated. Results— Twenty‐seven forelimbs were considered clinically normal, 26 had shoulder pathology, 5 had elbow pathology, and 2 had pathology of both the shoulder and elbow. Dogs with shoulder pathology were twice as likely to be lame compared with dogs with elbow pathology. Limbs with medial shoulder instability had significantly higher abduction angles than normal limbs and those with elbow pathology. Radiographs were clinically useful for diagnosing elbow, but not shoulder, pathology. Ultrasonography was clinically useful for diagnosing shoulder pathology other than instability. Abduction angles, ultrasonographic evaluation, and arthroscopic assessments had strong, significant correlations with reference standards. Conclusions— Clinically relevant diagnostic techniques yielded characteristic, repeatable differences in objective and subjective assessments for distinguishing presence, location, and severity of forelimb lameness in dogs. Clinical Relevance— The diagnostic approach to forelimb lameness in dogs should include shoulder pathology as a differential with multiple assessments used to determine the clinical cause of lameness.     

Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs

OBJECTIVE: To identify non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) in large breed and giant breed dogs. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 1,637 dogs > or = 6 months old of the following breeds: Akita, Bloodhound, Collie, Great Dane, Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhound, Newfoundland, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Standard Poodle, and Weimaraner. PROCEDURE: Owners of dogs that did not have a history of GDV were recruited at dog shows, and the dog's length and height and the depth and width of its thorax and abdomen were measured. Information concerning the dog's medical history, genetic background, personality, and diet was obtained from the owners, and owners were contacted by mail and telephone at approximately 1-year intervals to determine whether dogs had developed GDV or died. Incidence of GDV, calculated on the basis of dog-years at risk for dogs that were or were not exposed to potential risk factors, was used to calculate the relative risk of GDV. RESULTS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cumulative incidence of GDV during the study was 6% for large breed and giant breed dogs. Factors significantly associated with an increased risk of GDV were increasing age, having a first-degree relative with a history of GDV, having a faster speed of eating, and having a raised feeding bowl. Approximately 20 and 52% of cases of GDV among the large breed and giant breed dogs, respectively, were attributed to having a raised feed bowl.     

Pregnancy termination in dogs with non-hormonal compounds: evaluation of selected derivatives

Four non-hormonal, pregnancy-terminating compounds have been studied in bitches. One of these, 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-s-triazole[5,1-a]isoquinoline (DL 717-IT or L 12717), has been found to be very efficacious after a single subcutaneous injection. This compound appears to be promising for use in veterinary practice.     

Effects of age,sex, and breed on the composition of free extractable ceramides in the stratum corneum of healthy dogs

Veterinary Research Communications - Ceramide (CER), an important component of the extracellular lamellar lipids in the stratum corneum (SC), plays a critical role in maintaining the cutaneous...