Necrosis of the collateral cartilage of the distal phalanx in horses: 16 cases (1970-1985)

The medical records of 16 horses with necrosis of the collateral cartilage of the distal phalanx were reviewed. Typical history included a laceration or puncture wound over the affected cartilage, resulting in persistent drainage proximal to the coronary band. All horses had signs of lameness. The duration of drainage prior to admission to the hospital ranged from 5 days to 5 months. The involved cartilages were left front lateral (n = 4), right front lateral (n = 5), left rear lateral (n = 1), right rear lateral (n = 4), left front medial (n = 1), and left rear medial (n = 1). The affected cartilage was curetted or resected in 13 horses, and conservative treatment was used in 3 horses. Follow-up information on 15 horses (2 to 72 months after discharge) revealed that 66% were sound and able to perform at their previous level. One horse was euthanatized 2 months after discharge from the hospital because it had septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint. The outcome of treatment for each horse was evaluated with respect to the duration of drainage and the method of treatment. Horses with drainage of less than 1 month's duration had a better prognosis for eventual soundness, compared with horses with drainage of greater than or equal to 1 month's duration prior to initiation of treatment. Nine of the 13 horses managed surgically and 1 of the 3 horses managed conservatively were sound at follow-up evaluation.     

Glenoid dysplasia and bicipital tenosynovitis in a Maine coon cat

This report describes a rare case of bicipital tenosynovitis in a Maine coon cat. The cat, a three-and-half-year-old neutered female, presented with chronic weightbearing lameness of the left forelimb. Flexion of the left glenohumeral joint and extension of the left cubital joint were resented, and palpation of the biceps brachii tendon in the bicipital groove elicited pain. A mild incongruity of the joint with mild degenerative changes was seen radiographically. Glenohumeral joint dysplasia was suspected. Ultrasound examination revealed marked thickening of the bicipital tendon and moderate effusion of the left bicipital tendon sheath. Positive contrast radiography of the joint confirmed dilation of the tendon sheath. A tentative diagnosis of bicipital tenosynovitis was made and confirmed on arthrotomy. Surgical removal of osteophytes resulted in the cat being free from pain but a mild lameness recurred six months after surgery.     

Vascular ring anomaly with coarctation of the aorta in a cat

A 13-week-old, entire male domestic shorthaired cat was presented with a nine-week history of regurgitation following the ingestion of food. A diagnosis of a vascular ring anomaly with coarctation of the aorta was based on clinical signs, angiography and echocardiography. Surgical exploration via a right lateral thoracotomy confirmed the existence of a persistent right aortic arch with right ligamentum arteriosum, aortic coarctation and an aberrant left subclavian artery. Following the surgical transection of the aberrant left subclavian artery, the cat made an uneventful recovery, showing normal swallowing function with no evidence of regurgitation. Twelve months after surgery, the cat had no special dietary requirements and remained clinically normal.     

A modified Maquet technique for management of cranial cruciate avulsion in a cat

This case report describes the management of cranial cruciate ligament avulsion from the femur of a four‐year‐old Norwegian Forest cat that presented with a history of lameness which had not improved with conservative treatment. During medial arthrotomy, avulsion of the cranial cruciate ligament from the caudomedial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle was suspected and the torn portion resected. A modified Maquet technique was performed on the left tibia resulting in a rapid improvement in lameness postoperatively. Histopathology of the resected cranial cruciate ligament confirmed avulsion. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first reported use of this technique in the cat, and the first of stifle instability due to cranial cruciate ligament avulsion from the femur in the cat.     

Osteochondritis dissecans of the humeral head of a cat

A one-year-neutered male cat was presented for veterinary examination because of a left forlimb lameness. A painful left shoulder joint was found on examination and radiology of this joint revealed an erosive lesion of the humeral head and a detached flap of articular cartilage. The detached cartilage was surgically removed after which the lameness resolved. The lesion in this cat resembled osteochondritis dessicans of other species but whether the pathogenesis of the condition in this cat was 115 similar also was not determined.     

Left principal bronchus rupture in a cat

A two-year-old neutered male domestic shorthaired cat was referred with respiratory compromise. Investigations included thoracic radiography and tracheal endoscopy. Findings were consistent with a traumatic avulsion injury to the left principal bronchus. Treatment involved the resection of the ruptured and stenosed left principal bronchus segment via a fifth right intercostal lateral thoracotomy. Once the damaged portion of bronchus had been removed, bronchial repair was achieved by end-to-end anastomosis. A full recovery was made and, at the time of writing (16 months postoperatively), the cat was clinically normal.     

Septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in a bovine digit: a mixed infection of Actinomyces pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum

A 4-year-old beefmaster cow was examined for a left hind leg lateral claw lameness due to septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint and associated osteomyelitis of the second and third phalanges. Actinomyces pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum, which have been demonstrated previously to act synergistically in ovine heel abscesses, were isolated from the affected digit. A claw amputation was performed because of the advanced destructive nature of the lesion.     

Chronic progressive polyarthritis in a domestic shorthair cat

A 6-year-old, neutered male, domestic shorthair cat was presented with shifting leg lameness and palpable effusion of the carpal and tarsal joints. Blood work, arthrocentesis, and radiographs identified an immune-mediated erosive polyarthritis. The cat was positive for feline syncytia-forming virus, and with his signalment, was diagnosed with feline chronic progressive polyarthritis.     

Distribution of lameness lesions in beef cattle: A retrospective analysis of 745 cases

The objective of this retrospective study was to characterize the relative prevalence of diagnoses and location of lameness lesions in beef cattle. Medical records from 2005 to 2012 were reviewed and 745 cases of beef cattle that had presented for lameness were identified. Information regarding signalment, lesion location, and cause of lameness was analyzed. The cause of lameness was localized to the foot in approximately 85% of cases; a hind limb was affected over 70% of the time. The lateral claw was most commonly affected in cases of both fore- and hind-limb lameness. The most common diagnoses of noninfectious etiology were screw claw, vertical fissure, and interdigital fibroma. Infectious foot disease accounted for only 20% of foot lameness. Routine foot trimming may be warranted in some herds to improve weight-bearing balance and alleviate lameness.     

Avascular necrosis of the femoral heads in a red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens): possible Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

A 17-mo-old captive-born female red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) presented with a sudden onset of lameness in its left hind leg was diagnosed radiographically as having possible severe, bilateral Legg-Calve-Perthes disease with fracture of the great trochanter of the left femur. Surgical repair of the fracture was performed using pins and a tension band wire through a lateral approach to the hip. This is the first case reported at Madrid Zoo-Aquarium, where 63 individuals have been bred over 15 yr.     

Lateral Patellar Luxation in Miniature Horses

Bilateral luxation of the patella in four Miniature Horses was corrected by a lateral release incision and medial imbrication of the parapatellar fascia to the tendon of the sartorius muscle. Before surgery, the four horses had a grade 3 to 4 lateral patellar luxation bilaterally and had difficulty walking. Trochlear ridge hypoplasia was evident on radiographs in each horse. Follow-up information varied from 11 months to 4 years after surgery. Three horses had no patellar luxation or lameness. The other horse had a normal right stifle, but patellar luxation (grade 3) had recurred on the left.     

Tarsocrural joint luxation in a horse.

A 14-year-old Quarter Horse x Thoroughbred gelding was admitted to the teaching hospital because of inability to bear weight on its right hind limb, associated with a severe deviation of the tarsus. The provisional diagnosis was tarsal joint luxation or fracture. Radiography revealed complete luxation of the tarsocrural joint. The luxation was reduced, using minimal force. The horse was confined to a box stall and was maintained in a full-length hind-limb cast for 33 days. Box stall confinement was continued for 3 months after removal of the cast. On reexamination 18 months after the injury, the horse had only mild lameness (grade 1 of 5), but had marked reduction in the range of motion of the tarsus. Radiography revealed extensive changes indicative of severe degenerative joint disease. The horse was still used occasionally as a light pleasure riding horse and maintained itself on pasture well.     

Objective determination of pelvic movement during hind limb lameness by use of a signal decomposition method and pelvic height differences

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pelvic movement over a large number of strides in sound horses and in horses with induced hind limb lameness by applying methods to the pelvis that have been described for evaluating vertical head movement in horses with induced forelimb lameness. ANIMALS: 17 adult horses. PROCEDURE: Horses were filmed while trotting on a treadmill before and after induction of transient mild and moderate hind limb lamenesses. Vertical pelvic movement was measured by a signal decomposition method. The vertical pelvic signal was decomposed into a periodic component (A1) that occurred at half the stride frequency (representing vertical pelvic movement caused by lameness) and another periodic component (A2) that occurred at stride frequency (representing normal vertical pelvic movement of a trotting horse). Vertical pelvic and foot positions were correlated for each stride to compare the difference between the minimum and maximum heights of the pelvis during and after stance of the right hind limb to the minimum and maximum heights of the pelvis during and after stance of the left hind limb. RESULTS: Maximum pelvic height difference and lameness amplitude (A1) differed significantly between sound and mild or moderate hind limb lameness conditions. Mean A1 value for vertical pelvic movement in sound horses was less than that previously reported for vertical head movement. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pelvic height differences and signal decomposition of pelvic movement can be used to objectively evaluate hind limb lameness in horses over a large number of strides in clinical and research settings.     

Hypertrophic osteopathy secondary to pulmonary sarcoma in a cat

A case of hypertrophic osteopathy secondary to a pulmonary spindle cell sarcoma is described. The 9‐year‐old male cat presented with a 1‐month history of decreased appetite, decreased activity and progressive lameness with swelling and pain of all four limbs. Thoracic radiographs showed a soft tissue opaque mass in the left caudal lung lobe. Radiographs of all limbs showed extensive periosteal new bone formation of uniform opacity demonstrating a ‘palisading’ pattern. The lung mass was removed at exploratory thoracotomy; histopathological examination diagnosed a low‐grade spindle cell sarcoma. Prior to surgery, the cat had a non‐specific conjunctivitis that resolved spontaneously following lobectomy raising the possibility of a paraneoplastic association. The lameness also resolved; six months after surgery, the periosteal palisading of new bone on the long bones had remodelled, and there was no evidence of pulmonary metastases.     

Unusual presentation of a metastatic uveal melanoma in a cat

A 10 year-old, spayed female Domestic Short-Haired (DSH) cat was diagnosed with a large primary uveal melanoma and exenteration was recommended. Thoracic radiographs, abdominal ultrasonography, and complete blood count and serum biochemistry panel did not reveal any abnormality compatible with metastatic disease and surgery was performed. Histopathologic study of the eye confirmed a diffuse iris melanoma. Five months later, the cat presented with a lameness of the right anterior extremity. On physical exam the right elbow was swollen and painful. Radiographs showed a severe osteolysis of the radial head and proximal diaphysis. Fine needle aspiration of the radius head identified a round cell neoplasm with scattered cells containing intracytoplasmatic pigmented granules, compatible with metastatic melanoma. The owners decided not to treat the patient with chemotherapy and declined a biopsy. Two months later, the cat died and necropsy was performed confirming bone metastasis of the uveal melanoma. A diagnosis of generalized metastasis from primary diffuse iris melanoma was made. This report describes, for the first time, long bone metastasis from an uveal melanoma in a cat.     

Primary intraosseous fibrosarcoma in a cat

A primary intraosseous fibrosarcoma was diagnosed in a 1.5-year-old cat. Clinical signs included nonweight-bearing lameness of the right forelimb and signs of pain on palpation of the right elbow. Radiography of the right elbow revealed a well-circumscribed osteolytic lesion of the olecranon. The right fore-limb was amputated, and histologic examination revealed tumor invasion into local veins and metastasis to the axillary lymph nodes. The cat had no signs of tumor redevelopment or pulmonary metastatic disease one year after amputation.     

Presumed acquired dynamic pectus excavatum in a cat

An 11-year-old, spayed female American domestic shorthair cat was presented with open-mouth breathing and dyspnea due to respiratory tract disease. Radiographically, there was thickening of the retropharyngeal soft tissue and soft palate, focal pulmonary change, and severe pectus excavatum (PE), best seen on the left lateral view. Repeat thoracic radiographs 4 months later showed persistent PE, but only on the right lateral view; PE was absent on the left lateral view. The dynamic component of the observed PE was presumably acquired secondary to chronic upper respiratory disease and/or concurrent increased pliability of the thoracic wall from prolonged prednisolone treatment.     

Synovial T-cell lymphoma of the stifle in a dog

A 6-year-old, 43-kg, spayed female rottweiler was presented for a 1-month history of progressive, left hind-limb lameness. Upon physical examination, a cranial drawer sign and joint distention were present in the left stifle. Radiographically, the stifle had evidence of effusion, remodeling of the patella, and an enlarged popliteal lymph node. Marked synovial thickening and an intact cranial cruciate ligament were noted during surgery. Despite finding a nonspecific, mixed inflammatory response on joint fluid cytopathology, histopathology demonstrated T-cell lymphoma of the synovium. Lameness may be the sole presenting clinical sign in canine lymphoma.     

Sub‐acute and chronic MRI findings in bilateral canine fibrotic contracture of the infraspinatus muscle

A six‐year‐old, 30‐kg female German pointer dog was presented for examination with a history of pre‐existing right‐forelimb lameness and more recent (3 months) persistent lameness in the left‐forelimb. Physical examination revealed mild left‐forelimb lameness and a mild circumduction movement. There were no signs of pain or crepitation detected during manipulation of the shoulders, but the animal was unable to fully flex both glenohumeral joints. Magnetic resonance imaging, using fast recovery fast spin echo T2‐weighted and fat saturated proton density sequences, revealed abnormal heterogeneous hypointensity in the right infraspinatus muscle and a heterogeneous hyperintense area in the left infraspinatus muscle. Surgical treatment consisting of a bilateral infraspinatus tenectomy resulted in improved limb function. Histopathological examination demonstrated tissue changes in the right infraspinatus, characterised by myofibre degeneration and fibrosis, compatible with a chronic degenerative process, while changes in the left infraspinatus muscle were characterised by variable degrees of fibre degeneration, haemorrhage and interstitial oedema.     

Alternative surgical treatment for synovial ganglion cyst of the digital tendon sheath in one horse

A 6-year-old Highland pony gelding was presented with severe left fore (LF) limb lameness of acute onset. The lameness occurred concomitantly with mild digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) effusion and focal painful swelling on the lateral aspect of the LF fetlock region. Clinical examination and diagnostic analgesia localised the lameness to the fetlock region and on ultrasound, a cyst-like structure filled with anaechoic fluid was detected just proximal to the lateral sesamoid bone, at the proximo-lateral aspect of the DFTS and adjacent to the lateral neurovascular bundle. Communication between the cyst-like structure and the DFTS was suspected ultrasonographically and then confirmed with contrast tenography. Tenoscopic examination of the LF DFTS was performed and the communication between the fluid-filled structure and the synovial cavity was detected. The defect in the DFTS wall was enlarged tenoscopically and the lining of the cyst-like structure was debrided. The horse recovered well post-operatively and was back in work with no evident lameness 8 months after surgery. This alternative minimally invasive surgical treatment had an excellent outcome and has the advantage of reducing the risk associated with en bloc resection.