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.     

Armillaria species in northern Britain

Five species of Armillaria, A. borealis, A. cepistipes, A. ostoyae. A. mellea and A. lutea , were identified among 145 isolates collected from sites in northern Britain. Most of the collection sites were in coniferous woodland containing dead or dying trees and A. ostoyae , a well-known pathogen of conifers, was the most frequently isolated species. Two species believed to be weakly pathogenic, A cepistipes and A. lutea , were also commonly found; the former has only rarely been recorded in Britain before. The significance of the records is discussed.     

Experience with Cyclosporin-A After Renal Allografting in Two Dogs Research Note

After renal allografting, cyclosporin-A was administered to one partially nonmatched dog that was followed for 79 days. Cyclosporin-A and prednisolone were administered to one nonmatched dog that was followed for 805 days. Side effects encountered with cyclosporin-A included lymphocytic dermatitis, papillomatosis, bacterial and fungal infections, and B lymphocyte hyperplasia.     

Biomechanical Comparison of Four Soft Tissue Replacement Materials: An In Vitro Evaluation of Single and Multilaminate Porcine Small Intestinal Submucosa, Canine Fascia Lata, and Polypropylene Mesh

Objective— To compare mechanical performance of 4 soft tissue replacement materials.
Study Design— Experimental.
Sample Population— Polypropylene mesh (PM), single-layer porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS), multilaminate (4-layer) porcine small intestinal submucosa (MLSIS), and canine fascia lata (FL).
Methods— The mechanical properties of each material were determined by testing to failure on a materials testing machine. Samples of each material (n=10) were tested in 3 different modes: resistance to suture pullout, tensile testing, and push-through testing. PM was tested both parallel (PMa) to and perpendicular (PMb) to its longitudinal cord orientation. SIS and FL were similarly tested in 2 orthogonal directions.
Results— With some exceptions, the following generalizations can be made regarding the mechanical performance of the materials tested:
Suture pullout— FL>PMa=PMb>MLSIS>SIS ( P ≤.04).
Tensile testing —FL>PMa>PMb>MLSIS>SIS ( P ≤.02).
Push-through testing— FL>PM>MLSIS>SIS ( P ≤.003).
Conclusions— PM accommodated a significantly higher load and energy to yield when its longitudinal cords were oriented parallel with the tension axis (PMa). FL performed similarly to the PM, with the exception of limited elongation in tension. MLSIS had biomechanical characteristics that were inferior to FL and PM but superior to SIS.
Clinical Relevance— PM's orientation may need to be considered when used clinically. FL is a biomechanically suitable soft tissue replacement material but its use may be limited by currently available sizes. SIS cannot be recommended in high-strain environments.     

TRANSSPLENIC PORTAL SCINTIGRAPHY USING 99MTC-MEBROFENIN IN NORMAL DOGS

Transsplenic portal scintigraphy using sodium pertechnetate is superior to per-rectal portal scintigraphy due to improved visualization of the portal vasculature with decreased patient and personnel exposure. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of 99mTc-mebrofenin, the radiopharmaceutical of choice for the evaluation of hepatic function, in place of pertechnetate for transsplenic portal scintigraphy in normal dogs. Sixteen juvenile dogs underwent transsplenic portal scintigraphy using 37-130 MBq 99mTc-mebrofenin in a 0.2-0.5 ml volume. After the initial dynamic acquisition obtained at 4 frames/s in right lateral recumbency, static right lateral, and ventral views were obtained at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min. A nuclear angiogram of the splenic and portal veins was visible in all dogs, followed by rapid distribution of the radiopharmaceutical in the liver. Hepatic morphology was more easily defined than with pertechnetate. Transit time could not be calculated due to the high hepatic extraction of 99mTc-mebrofenin. Mean +/- SD shunt fraction was 0.8 +/- 0.8%. Time to peak liver activity was 3.1 +/- 1.1 min, and hepatic excretion T1/2 was 19.4 +/- 6.3 min. No visible blood pool and cardiac activity was seen after 5 min. The mean +/- SD time to visualization of defined biliary activity was 8.8 +/- 2.9 min. Absorption from the spleen was significantly higher than that reported for pertechnetate (87.9 +/- 8.2%, vs. 52.5 +/- 19.1%). 99mTc-mebrofenin can be used in place of pertechnetate for transsplenic portal scintigraphy, with the advantage of combining quantitative parameters of liver function with the already known advantage of transsplenic portal scintigraphy.     

Tonsillar polyps in the dog

The clinicopathological features of tonsillar polyps in eight dogs are described. They occurred in aged animals (mean 12.5 years) and caused gagging and retching in two. In the other six the polyps were an incidental finding during anaesthesia for unrelated surgical procedures. Seven of the polyps were considered to be of inflammatory origin, consisting of a fibrous tissue core containing dilated lymphatics and veins and a variable lymphocytic component. The eighth had microscopic features suggestive of a developmental vascular anomaly (hamartoma).     

有机铬对舍饲阉牛生产性能和胴体品质的影响

舍饲牛的生长速度和饲料效率受采食量和能量利用效率的影响很大 ( NRC,1 996)。在调节人和实验动物的血糖和免疫反应方面。铬是起重要作用的微量元素 ( NRC,1 997)。有机铬能改善猪的繁殖、生长和胴体指标 ( Boleman等 ,1 995;L in-demann等 ,1 995;Komegay等 ,1 997;Mooney和Cromwell,1 997)。对牛补铬可加强细胞免疫 ,降低血液皮质醇水平 ,提高抗体的效价 ( Chang等 ,1 992 ;Kegley等 ,1 996;Mallard等 ,1 997)。 Moon-sie- Shageer等 ( 1 993)报道补充铬可减少受应激架子牛的发病率。但在肉牛日粮中添加铬对生产性能影响不一致。…     

Suspensory Apparatus Prosthesis in the Horse Part 1: In Vitro Mechanical Properties

Mechanical properties of equine suspensory apparatus preparations and three braided synthetic prostheses were evaluated in vitro. Force versus displacement plots and failure modes were recorded from single load-to-failure testing in 18 cadaver limbs before and after replacement of each suspensory apparatus with a prosthesis. Mean load at failure, energy to failure, and stiffness values of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prostheses were lower than those of the suspensory apparatus and aramid prosthesis. The PTFE prosthesis failed by elongation or rupture of the prosthesis. Mechanical properties of the aramid prosthesis with collar augmentation were not significantly different from the suspensory apparatus. The main site of failure in both aramid prostheses was at the screw fixation to bone.     

The Development of Stain in Wounded Sitka Spruce Stems

In order to investigate the severity of staining in woundedSitka spruce stems, the vertical extent of two categories ofstain (based on colour and termed ‘light’ and ‘heavy’)was measured in stems at two sites in south Scotland. Data wereobtained from 98 wounds most of which were between 8 and 14years old and most of which had been caused by Red deer. Theupward extent of stain and its rate of upward spread were positivelycorrelated with wound surface area and length. Most stain wasof the light type which, although it was associated with nearlyall wounds, usually constituted an insignificant defect anddid not commonly extend for more than 1 m ahve wounds. Heavystain occurred above less than half of all wounds studied butwas common above wounds exceeding 300 cm² surface area. Forall wounds, the mean value for the upward extent of heavy stainwas 16.1 cm with a mean rate of spread of 1.9 cm y^–1.However, for wounds exceeding 300 cm² surface area, the valueswere 51.7 cm and 5.5 cm y^–1. These results suggest that,although there is an important effect of wound size on the typeand extent of stain, wounds of the type studied are unlikelyto lead to severe stain and decay in Sitka spruce over a periodof 8–14 years. The results are discussed in relation toother studies on wound staining in conifers.