Treatment of Trochanteric Ulcers with Cranial Sartorius and Rectus Femoris Muscle Flaps

Five dogs with pressure ulcers over the greater trochanter were treated by debridement and transposition of the cranial part of the sartorius or the rectus femoris muscle. Both muscles had vascular anatomy that allowed transposition based on a major vascular pedicle. All wounds healed promptly by primary intention and no ulcer recurred. The cranial sartorius flap technique was easier to perform than the rectus femoris technique.     

Evaluation of Percutaneous Gastrostomy as a Technique for Permanent Gastropexy

Objective- This study was designed to evaluate right-sided percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) as a method for creation of a permanent gastropexy.
Study Design- Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy adhesions were evaluated by gross examination and by mechanical testing and the results were compared with those obtained by conventional incisional gastropexy.
Animals or Sample Population- Fourteen mixed-breed dogs.
Methods- Incisional gastropexies were performed on the dogs of group one (N = 7) and PEG tubes were placed in the dogs of group 2 (N = 7). All skin sutures (group 1) and PEG tubes (group 2) were removed on day 14. The animals were maintained for an additional 44 days before euthanasia and immediate necropsy. Gastropexy adhesions were evaluated and collected for biomechanical evaluation using a materials testing machine.
Results- The duration of the procedure for group 2 was less (32.86 min ±7.65) than for group 1 (56.29 min ±8.28). The number of complications was not significantly different between group 1 and group 2 ( P =.103). Gastroperitoneal adhesions were present in 7 of 7 dogs in group 1 and 4 of 7 dogs in group 2. The adhesion lengths and widths were significantly larger in dogs in group 1 compared with those in group 2. The adhesions present in group 1 dogs sustained significantly greater tensile loads to failure (61.98 ±14.65 N), compared with the adhesions present in group 2 dogs (22.31 ±26.87 N).
Conclusions- Right-sided PEG inconsistently formed a weak gastropexy and the procedure was associated with a trend toward greater morbidity than incisional gastropexy.
Clinical Relevance- Right-sided PEG is not recommended as a means of prophylactic gastropexy.     

Signs of Sympathetic Denervation Associated With a Thoracic Melanoma in a Horse

Sympathetic denervation in a 20-year-old, gray, Thorough-bred-Percheron gelding was manifested by cutaneous hyperthermia and sweating over the right side of the body, demarcated by a line from the withers to the elbow and extending cranially. There was cutaneous hyperthermia over the right side of the head, but other signs of Horner's syndrome (sweating, ptosis, miosis, enophthalmos) were not present. The pattern of cutaneous hyperthermia and sweating was consistent with sympathetic denervation localized to the cervicothoracic ganglion, and thoracic radiographs revealed increased density in the craniodorsal thorax. Cytologic evaluation of a sample of pleural effusion revealed mesothelial cells containing melanin and cells suggestive of melanocytes or melanoblasts. Treatment with oral cimetidine and intrapleural cisplatin was not successful. A necropsy was not performed, but the clinical findings supported a diagnosis of thoracic melanoma involving the cervicothoracic ganglion.     

Determination of Safe Depth of Pin Penetration for Repair of Distal Femoral Physeal Fractures in Immature Dogs: A Comparison of Normograde and Retrograde Pin Placement

Objective —The purpose of this study was to determine the depth that implants may be safely placed into the distal femoral epiphysis (DFE) for the repair of distal femoral physeal fractures.
Study Design —The depth of the DFE was related to the radiographic thickness of the patella in this experimental study.
Animals or Sample Population —Twenty immature canine cadavers.
Methods —Patella thicknesses were measured from lateral radiographs. Actual DFE depths were determined for pins driven in normograde fashion and for pins driven retrograde from the central depression between the metaphyseal pegs and from the cranial pegs. The association of DFE depth and patella thickness was evaluated using linear regression analysis. Using 95% confidence intervals, rules for estimating the safe depth of implant placement into the DFE were determined.
Results —DFE depth had significant correlation with patella thickness for pins placed in retrograde fashion from the central depression between the metaphyseal pegs (r²= .83) and from the cranial pegs (r²= .82) and for pins placed in normograde fashion (r²= .65).
Conclusions —Based on 95% confidence intervals, pins placed in retrograde fashion from the central depression between the metaphyseal pegs may be safely driven into the DFE a distance equal to 140% of patella thickness. Pins placed from the cranial metaphyseal pegs may be driven to a depth equal to 80% of patella thickness, and pins placed in normograde fashion may be driven to a depth equal to 30% of patella thickness.
Clinical Relevance —Measurement of patella thickness assists the surgeon in determining the approximate depth that pins may be driven into the DFE without penetrating the articular surface of the stifle joint.     

Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair in Three Young Horses

Objective- This clinical report describes surgical correction of diaphragmatic hernia in three young horses.
Study Design- Retrospective investigation of medical records and subsequent racing performance.
Animals- Three young horses with diaphragmatic hernia.
Results- Three young horses with signs of abdominal pain had diaphragmatic hernia causing small intestinal strangulation. The strangulated small intestine was resected and an end-to-end jejuno-jejunal (two horses) or a side-to-side jejuno-cecal anastomosis (one horse) was performed. Diaphragmatic hernias were closed with a continuous suture pattern. All horses recovered and raced. No difference in race records was found between the subject horses and their siblings. One subject horse died of colic at 5 years of age, but the cause of the colic was undetermined. The remaining two horses are in use as broodmares and have produced multiple foals without recurrence of signs of diaphragmatic hernia
Conclusions- Diaphragmatic hernias can be repaired in horses. These horses can achieve race records similar to their siblings and can produce foals without recurrence of signs of diaphragmatic hernia.     

Evaluation of Canine Red Blood Cells Stored in a Saline, Adenine, and Glucose Solution for 35 Days

An additive solution for the storage of red blood cells was evaluated for use in dogs. Blood collected from 6 dogs was processed into packed red blood cells and stored for 35 days in the additive solution Nutricel (Miles, Inc, Pharmaceutical Division, West Haven, CT). Packed red blood cells stored in citrate-phosphate-dextrose-adenine (CPDA-1; Fenwal Laboratories, Baxter Health Care Corp, Deerfield, IL) also were evaluated for comparison. Red blood cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) concentration, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration, percentage hemolysis, and pH were determined. The red blood cell post-transfusion viability (PTV) after 35 days of storage was assessed with both single-labeled chromium 51 (⁵¹Cr) and double-labeled technetium 99m/chromium 51 (^99mTc/⁵¹Cr) techniques. Mean ATP concentration and percentage hemolysis of the cells stored in Nutricel were 1.1 μmol/g hemoglobin (Hb) and 0.28% respectively and did not differ significantly (P < .05) from the values of 1.0 μmol/g Hb and 0.33% from the CPDA-1-stored red blood cells. The mean pH of red blood cells stored in Nutricel was 6.19, which was significantly lower than the pH of 6.47 for cells stored in CPDA-1. The mean 2,3-DPG concentration of red blood cells stored in Nutricel was significantly higher at 10.1 μmol/g Hb than the 2,3-DPG concentration of 3.4μmol/g Hb for cells stored in CPDA-1. The mean PTV of canine red blood cells stored in Nutricel for 35 days was 85% with ⁵¹Cr and 90% with ^99mTc/⁵¹Cr. This was significantly higher than the mean PTVs of 38% and 36% for the CPDA-1 stored cells as assessed with ⁵¹Cr and ^99mTc/⁵¹Cr techniques, respectively. It was concluded that 35-day-old canine red blood cells stored in Nutricel are of acceptable quality for transfusion purposes.     

Detection of Bacteria in Equine Synovial Fluid by Use of the Polymerase Chain Reaction

Equine synovial fluid aliquots were inoculated with Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Actinobacillus equuli, Staphylococcus aureus , and Streptococcus zooepidemicus to obtain approximate concentrations of 1000, 100, 10, and 1 colony forming U/mL. Synovial fluid aliquots were also inoculated with an unquantitated inoculum of Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium perfringens. Inoculated synovial fluid was incubated in trypticase-soy broth or Columbia broth for approximately 12 hours. Then aliquots were removed for DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for detection of a 531 base-pair segment of bacterial DNA corresponding to a region of the 16S ribosomal gene. Duplicate samples of inoculated synovial fluid were prepared for microbial culture. Bacteria were detected in all samples inoculated with bacteria but not in control synovial fluid samples. Under experimental conditions there was no difference between microbial culture and PCR analyses for detection of bacteria. Experimentally, PCR was able to detect bacteria in synovial fluid within 24 hours of inoculation.     

EFFECT OF METHYLCELLULOSE ON UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL QUALITY IN DOGS

This study was performed to evaluate and optimize a small bowel contrast technique using barium and methylcellulose in dogs. Ten healthy dogs underwent both a conventional upper gastrointestinal study that used only barium and a modified study that used barium and methylcellulose. The control group received 10 mL/kg of 40% barium suspension. Experimental groups were divided into three subgroups given 15 mL/kg of different viscosities (low, moderate, and high viscosity) of 0.5% methylcellulose after 4 mL/kg of 40% barium suspension. Compared with the control group, dogs receiving methylcellulose had higher-quality upper gastrointestinal studies. Moderate viscosity of methylcellulose was superior to the other methylcellulose groups. In conclusion, the use of methylcellulose is a simple and effective method for improving the image quality in an upper GI examination.