Plastinated heart slices aid echocardiographic interpretation in the dog

Our aim was to compare plastinated sections of the canine heart with corresponding two-dimensional (2D) echocardiographic images. Thirteen dog hearts were fixed by dilation and then processed by the S10 silicon plastination method (Biodur). Two dogs without evidence of cardiac disease were imaged using 2D echocardiography so as to obtain a complete series of the standard right and left parasternal images, which were compared with corresponding plastinated slices obtained by knife sectioning of the hearts. The plastinated slices revealed the internal anatomy of the heart with great detail and were particularly useful to display the spatial relationship between complex anatomic structures. The plastinated slices corresponded accurately with the echocardiographic images. Because of the dilation of the right heart during the fixation process, it was not possible to obtain plastinated specimens in ventricular systole. This paper may be a reference atlas for assisting 2D echocardiography interpretation.     

Hepatic ultrasonography in the dog

Ultrasonography may be used to evaluate noninvasively a wide variety of diseases affecting the canine liver. Hepatic mass lesions, parenchymal pathology, gallbladder and biliary disease, and vascular abnormalities may be detected and characterized by ultrasonography. Ultrasonically guided percutaneous liver biopsy can improve the succes and safety of obtaining diagnostic cytologic material. The response of liver disorders to treatment may be effectively monitored by serial ultrasonographic examination. The ultrasonographic diagnosis of canine liver disease is described and illustrated with 11 case history reports.     

Successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest associated with extradural lidocaine in a dog

BACKGROUND: Extradural lidocaine exerts several adverse effects which are seldom fatal. While cardiac arrest following extradural lidocaine injection has been reported in human beings, it has not hitherto been reported in dogs. OBSERVATIONS: The emergency management of a dog with complete urethral obstruction is described. We intended to perform vaginoscopy and cystostomy under extradural lidocaine anaesthesia, but cardiac asystole occurred a few minutes after injection. Resuscitation was successful. About 20 minutes later cardiac arrest recurred, and was treated successfully. The dog remained hypothermic for approximately 7 hours. Complete recovery without neurological deficit occurred the next day and the dog remained normal for at least 3 months. The probable cause of the problem was cranial lidocaine dispersion causing a drop in cardiac preload and cardiac arrest. The successful neurological outcome was attributed to early diagnosis and effective treatment. Hypothermia may have conferred cerebral protection during ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Extradural local anaesthetic administration is not without risk and the technique should be tailored to individual animals. Constant monitoring is required to detect potentially fatal complications and increase the likelihood of successful outcome.     

Suspected hepatic amyloidosis in a horse

A 9-year-old Saddlebred gelding was referred to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Care for decreased energy levels, weight loss, persistently elevated liver enzymes, hyperglobulinaemia and leukocytosis. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a large volume of peritoneal fluid of mixed echogenicity, and the presence of focally distributed, circular to oval (approximately 1–2 cm), hyperechoic areas within the parenchyma of an enlarged liver. Cytological analysis of the peritoneal fluid revealed sterile neutrophilic/macrophagic inflammation, with haemosiderophages. A liver biopsy confirmed the presence of hepatic amyloidosis and focal fibrosis. Medical therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 30 days and long-term dexamethasone was associated with both a clinical and biochemical response for 7 months, at which time the horse died from presumed hepatic rupture. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report describing potential successful management of hepatic amyloidosis in a horse.     

Renal amyloidosis in cattle with inflammatory diseases

BACKGROUND: The association of inflammatory diseases such as traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP), mastitis, metritis, and pododermatitis with renal amyloidosis in cattle is poorly described. HYPOTHESIS: Serum amyloid A (SAA) levels are elevated during inflammatory diseases, and renal amyloidosis is formed as a complication. ANIMALS: This study was conducted with 82 crossbred cattle with mastitis (n = 18 cows), metritis (n = 11 cows), TRP (n = 30 cows), and pododermatitis (n = 23 : 15 cows and 8 beef cattle). Ten clinically healthy cows served as controls. Methods: Hematological, urinary, and blood parameters, including SAA, were measured by an automated procedure provided with trade kits. Determination of amyloidal structures was made by histopathological examination of renal biopsy specimens. RESULTS: At the end of this trial, amyloidosis was detected in 5 cows displaying typical nephrotic syndrome, with hypoproteinemia and proteinuria in combination with polyuria and weight loss. Furthermore, it was observed that cows with renal amyloidosis had significantly higher (P < .01) total leukocyte counts, serum and urine enzyme activities, and urea and creatinine concentrations, with lower serum total protein concentrations, when compared with animals without renal amyloidosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The incidence of AA amyloidosis in cattle in this study suggests that cattle with mastitis, metritis, and pododermatitis have a high prevalence of systemic amyloidosis in response to inflammation.     

Glycogenosis in the dog.

Four cases of a generalized form of glycogenosis occurring in German Shepherd dogs, all females, are described. Symptoms could be noticed as early as the age of two months and progressed slowly for months. They appeared as dizziness, muscular weakness, and in two of the cases as poor nutritional state. The abdomen became gradually distended. The main lesion seen at postmortem was a greatly increased liver size with some moderate liver fibrosis. Heavy deposits of a granular substance behaving as glycogen in histochemical tests and at electron microscopy were found in the hepatic cells, muscle fibres of the heart, skeletal and smooth muscles, and in nerve and glial cells of the central nervous system. The substance was lying freely dispersed in the cell cytoplasm without any indication of lysosomal storage. The disease of dogs does not seem to be fully comparable with any of the types observed in man, but is probably much related to Type III or Cori''s Disease. Structure analysis of the deposits and enzyme investigations have been done and are published (Čeh et al. 1976).     

Quantitative evaluation of echinocytes in the dog

Echinocytes were evaluated quantitatively in both healthy and sick dogs and compared with red blood cell (RBC) morphology on Wright's-stained blood smears. Of 68 samples submitted from sick dogs, 32 had high echinocyte numbers. Two diseases, glomerulonephritis and lymphosarcoma, accounted for 15 of the 32 cases. In only four instances were echinocytes reported from blood smear evaluation and not found to be high by quantitative studies. We conclude that nonartifactual echinocytosis occurs in the dog and that it may be associated with specific diseases.     

Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade caused by intrapericardial granulation tissue in a dog

Objective – To describe and report successful surgical management of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in a dog caused by intrapericardial granulation tissue.
Case Summary – An 8-month-old, intact male, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was referred for cardiac evaluation following 2 weeks of progressive lethargy, abdominal distention, and difficulty breathing. On the day of presentation, the dog had an episode of acute collapse. A 14-cm multilocular pericardial cystic lesion causing collapse of the right atrial free wall and resulting in pericardial tamponade was observed on echocardiogram. After the dog subsequently experienced two acute episodes of pericardial effusion, a subtotal pericardectomy was performed and clinical signs resolved. The histopathologic diagnosis of the mass was inflammation and granulation tissue, likely caused by a resolving hematoma or abscess.
New or Unique Information Provided – This is the first report of intrapericardial granulation tissue as the cause of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade.     

Hemangiosarcoma of the third eyelid in a dog

Abstract A case of hemangiosarcoma of the third eyelid in a 7-year-old Caucasian Sheepdog is reported. A voluminous red mass protruding from the free edge of the third eyelid in the right eye was present. The mass and the free edge of the third eyelid were surgically excised. On histopathologic examination the tumor was seen to infiltrate the propria of the third eyelid and was composed of neoplastic mesenchymal cells forming irregular channels containing blood. These plump cells showed moderate anisocytosis and anisokaryosis with a low mitotic index. The surgical wound healed successfully and after 9 months there had been no recurrence. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first hemangiosarcoma of the third eyelid reported in the dog.     

A rhabdomyosarcoma arising in the larynx of a dog

A neoplastic nodular lesion, 2 × 3 cm in diameter, was found in the larynx of a 6-year-old spayed female dog. The tumor was ill-circumscribed, consisting histologically of large round cells with abundant cytoplasm interspersed with small round cells with less cytoplasm and occasional multinucleated cells (myotubes). Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for myoglobin, desmin and vimentin in varying degrees, but negative for S-100 protein, GFAP or cytokeratin. Cytoplasmic myofilaments/myofibrils with a dense Z-line-like structure were seen, the fine structures of which were complemented by PTAH stain. Based on these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare tumor in the larynx of dogs.     

Completeness of the dog registry and estimation of the dog population size in a densely populated area of Rome

In most European countries, registration and identification of dogs is compulsory. In Italy, the national dog registry is composed of regional dog registries. Although dog registries have been established for many years, the issue related to completeness of data has not been addressed so far. The objective of this study was twofold: first to assess the completeness of data of the dog registry through telephone interview of a sample of dog owners drawn from the dog registry, then to estimate the total owned dog population in 4 boroughs of Rome. For the second objective, a capture–recapture method was applied using data from the dog registry and data from a face-to-face questionnaire submitted to people waiting in the sitting room of 5 points of access for booking and payment of primary and specialist care. Different scenarios are proposed to verify the assumptions of the estimation procedure and potential biases are discussed. The completeness of data of the dog registry was 88.9% (95% CI: 85.8–91.9%) and the owned-dog population was estimated at 26,244 dogs (95% CI: 24,110–28,383). The dog registry is an important source of information especially when it is properly updated and completeness of data is known.     

Nasal and ocular amyloidosis in a 15-year-old horse

Localized nasal, conjunctival and corneal amyloidosis was diagnosed in a 15-year-old pony with nasal and conjunctival masses and severe dyspnoea. Multiple swellings had been evident in the nostrils for at least two years and had gradually increased in size before presentation due to dyspnoea and exercise intolerance. Surgical debulking of the masses was performed and histological examination revealed large amounts of extracellular, hyaline, eosinophilic, Congo red positive material in the lamina propria of the nasal mucosa. A tentative diagnosis of localized nasal amyloidosis was made. The treatment relieved the clinical signs, however, the nasal masses recurred and bilateral conjunctival, papillary masses developed. The horse was euthanized. Nodular nasal and papillary conjunctival masses consisting of rubbery, grey to yellow tissue were found at necropsy. At the limbus this tissue infiltrated and expanded the cornea. The masses consisted of amyloid and moderate infiltrates of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes were present in the tissue. No predominance of either cell type was observed and no distinct neoplastic mass could be identified. Ultrastructural examination of the nasal mucosa and cornea confirmed the presence of abundant extracellular deposits of non-branching fibrils ranging from 9–11 nm in diameter consistent with amyloid. Immunohistochemistry of amyloid revealed no labelling for AA amyloid, and no peptides representing serum amyloid A (SAA) were detected by microscopic laser dissection and subsequent mass spectrometry. Peptides from immunoglobulin kappa-like light chains were detected and are suggestive of AL amyloidosis, however the results were inconclusive and a final identification of the amyloid protein could not be made.Nasal amyloidosis is a clinical entity of localized amyloid deposits in the horse. Localized amyloidosis involving the conjunctiva of the horse is previously described in only seven cases and the present case is the first case of combined, localized nasal and corneal amyloidosis in the horse. In several reported cases surgical excision has provided clinical improvement and return to normal levels of exercise, while medical treatment has had no effect. The present case however, shows that rapid recurrence and progression of nasal amyloidosis to involve ocular tissues can occur and lead to recurrent respiratory obstruction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13028-014-0050-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Creatinine in the dog: a review

Creatinine is the analyte most frequently measured in human and veterinary clinical chemistry laboratories as an indirect measure of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Although creatinine metabolism and the difficulties of creatinine measurement have been reviewed in human medicine, similar reviews are lacking in veterinary medicine. The aim of this review is to summarize information and data about creatinine metabolism, measurement, and diagnostic significance in the dog. Plasma creatinine originates from the degradation of creatine and creatine phosphate, which are present mainly in muscle and in food. Creatinine is cleared by glomerular filtration with negligible renal secretion and extrarenal metabolism, and its clearance is a good estimate of GFR. Plasma and urine creatinine measurements are based on the nonspecific Jaffé reaction or specific enzymatic reactions; lack of assay accuracy precludes proper interlaboratory comparison of results. Preanalytical factors such as age and breed can have an impact on plasma creatinine (P-creatinine) concentration, while many intraindividual factors of variation have little effect. Dehydration and drugs mainly affect P-creatinine concentration in dogs by decreasing GFR. P-creatinine is increased in renal failure, whatever its cause, and correlates with a decrease in GFR according to a curvilinear relationship, such that P-creatinine is insensitive for detecting moderate decreases of GFR or for monitoring progression of GFR in dogs with severely reduced kidney function. Low sensitivity can be obviated by determining endogenous or exogenous clearance rates of creatinine. A technique for determining plasma clearance following IV bolus injection of exogenous creatinine and subsequent serial measurement of P-creatinine does not require urine collection and with additional studies may become an established technique for creatinine clearance in dogs.     

Malignant ocular melanoma in a dog

A mongrel male dog of three years old was referred to the Seoul National University Veterinary Teaching Hospital following a one month history of glaucoma. On ophthalmic examination, hyphema, glaucoma, uveitis, iridal mass, and loss of vision were noted in the right eye. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a mass with involvement of the entire uvea. Radiographic evaluation did not reveal any evidence of distant metastasis. The right eye was surgically removed because of the high likelihood of neoplasia. A histologic diagnosis of malignant uveal melanoma was made.     

Prevalence of amyloid deposition in mature healthy chickens in the flock that previously had outbreaks of vaccine-associated amyloidosis

Avian amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is commonly observed in adult birds with chronic inflammation, such as that caused by bacterial infection. We previously described vaccine-associated AA amyloidosis in juvenile chickens. In this study, the prevalence of amyloid deposition was measured in mature healthy chickens that survived a previous outbreak of avian AA amyloidosis while they were juveniles. Herein, we analyzed the amyloid deposition in mature chickens and compared the prevalence of amyloid deposition with juvenile chickens obtained in our previous study (Murakami et al., 2013). We found that: 1) amyloid deposition in the liver was absent in mature chickens, while juvenile chickens had a rate of 24%; 2) amyloid deposition in the spleen was observed in 36% of juvenile chickens and in 40% of mature chickens; 3) amyloid deposition in the pectoral muscle of mature chickens (43.75%) was approximately half that of juvenile chickens (88%). These results suggest that additional amyloid deposition in chickens previously exposed to AA amyloidosis may not worsen with age. Further, amyloid deposition in chickens may tend to regress when causative factors, such as vaccinations and/or chronic inflammation, are absent.     

Anatomical variations of the thoracic duct in the dog

Anatomical variations can be frequently found in the lymphatic system, which is also true for the shape and course of the thoracic duct (ductus thoracicus), the biggest lymph vessel in the body. From 2012 to 2019, the thoracic duct was successfully dissected in 43 dog carcasses that were used in the anatomy course at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. The thoracic duct originated from the cranial border of the cisterna chyli as one lymph vessel in 36 dogs (83.7%), as two vessels in six dogs (14%) and as three vessels in one dog (2.3%). We divided the observed thoracic duct variations into six groups according to their anatomical similarities. Considering the specific embryonic development, we can conclude that all observed variations are the result of minor deviations from the standard ontogenesis. However, the importance of thoracic duct variations is significant in surgical procedures done in the thoracic cavity to prevent or cure the chylothorax. Since this research showed variations in 39 out of 43 dogs (90.7%) throughout the whole course of the thoracic duct, great care must be taken while performing the ligation or embolization of the thoracic duct.