Cervical vertebral fractures in 56 dogs: a retrospective study

The clinicopathological features of cervical fractures in 56 dogs were reviewed. "Hit by car" (HBC) was the most common inciting cause, and the axis and atlas were the vertebrae most frequently affected. Surgical treatment was associated with high (36%) perioperative mortality. However, all dogs that survived the perioperative period achieved functional recovery. Functional recovery was achieved in 25 (89%) of 28 nonsurgically treated dogs with adequate follow-up. Overall, severity of neurological deficits (nonambulatory status) and prolonged interval (five days or longer) from trauma to referral were associated with poorer outcome. Nonsurgical treatment is a viable therapeutic approach for many dogs with cervical fractures. Early neck immobilization and prompt referral are recommended, because delay in referral decreases the likelihood of functional recovery.     

Cerebrospinal fluid response following metrizamide myelography in normal dogs: effects of routine myelography and postmyelographic removal of contrast medium

The effect of metrizamide myelography on 90-minute postmyelographic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples was evaluated in a paired crossover study in 16 normal dogs. Each dog received a routine cervical myelogram (nonwithdrawal myelography) and a myelogram followed by contrast medium removal via aspiration from the subarachnoid space (withdrawal myelogram). Following nonwithdrawal myelography, the CSF was characterized by mild inflammation with a mixed pleocytosis and increased protein concentration. Compared with the nonwithdrawal CSF samples, the postmyelographic CSF of the withdrawal dogs had a more severe inflammatory response with significant increases (p < 0.05) in absolute numbers of neutrophils, monocytoid cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and protein concentration. The withdrawal procedure may have contributed an additional mechanical effect on the leptomeninges producing the more severe inflammatory response in the withdrawal dogs. Although seizure data are not reported here, postmyelographic seizures were more frequent following non-withdrawal myelography as compared with withdrawal myelography (p < 0.05), suggesting a decrease in metrizamide-induced neurotoxicity for the withdrawal dogs.     

Comparison of survey radiography with ultrasonography and x-ray computed tomography for clinical staging of subcutaneous neoplasms in dogs

A study of 26 dogs (examined consecutively) with infiltrative subcutaneous neoplasms (mastocytoma, n = 11; soft tissue sarcoma, n = 13; and adenocarcinoma, n = 2) was conducted. Dogs were evaluated by physical examination, survey radiography, ultrasonography (US), and x-ray computed tomography (CT) prior to surgical excision of the tumor. The purpose of the evaluation was to accurately define gross neoplastic margins before surgical excision and to determine whether a difference could be observed between routine clinical staging (physical examination and survey radiography) and more detailed clinical staging (US and CT imaging). The clinical stage of 5 of 26 neoplasms assessed by US and of 17 of 26 neoplasms assessed by CT was determined to be more advanced because of previously undetected neoplasia, greater neoplastic size, or greater tissue invasiveness. Preoperative imaging of infiltrative subcutaneous neoplasms, using US and CT, is highly recommended to accurately determine gross neoplastic margins.     

Cisplatin Toxicity in Cats

Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum; Platinol, Bristol, Syracuse, NY) was administered to 11 cats, divided into three groups of experimental and clinical patients. In group 1, cisplatin was administered at a dose of 60 mg/m2 to four cats. In an attempt to avoid renal toxicity, saline diuresis was induced by administering 0.9% saline solution intravenously at a rate of 20 ml/kg/hr for 4 hours before and 2 hours after cisplatin administration. All four cats became dyspneic and died 48-96 hours after cisplatin administration. Postmortem findings included severe hydrothorax, pulmonary edema, and mediastinal edema. In group 2, four experimental cats entered a trial comparing the effects of saline diuresis and cisplatin (60 mg/m2) with the effects of saline diuresis and placebo (0.9% saline solution). The cats in the saline control group remained completely normal, while the cats that received cisplatin developed clinical signs and gross postmortem pulmonary changes identical to those in the first group of cats. Histopathologic examination showed that the alveolar septa were thickened and congested, and contained macrophages, occasional neutrophils, thrombi, and small foci of necrosis and fibrin. Microangiopathic changes were seen in the alveolar capillaries. In the third group, three additional cats were treated with a lower dose of cisplatin. Two cats that received 40 mg/m2 of cisplatin developed pulmonary changes similar to, but less severe than, those seen in the cats that received the higher dose of cisplatin. One cat treated with 20 mg/m2 of cisplatin showed no pulmonary changes ante mortem or post mortem. This series of 11 clinical and experimental cases identifies an apparent species-specific, dose-related, primary pulmonary toxicity of cisplatin in cats.     

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma associated with retained surgical sponge in a dog.

Retained surgical sponges are usually discovered in the abdominal cavity, sometimes years after the surgical procedure, and the typical reaction is formation of a foreign-body granuloma, often called gossypiboma or textiloma. In this instance, an extraskeletal osteosarcoma, associated with the granulomatous reaction to a retained surgical sponge adjacent to the stifle, was diagnosed in an 11-year-old Labrador Retriever 9 years after repair of a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament. Radiographic detection of linear foreign material in the soft tissue mass was the basis for a diagnosis of gossypiboma. The mass was surgically excised. Histologically, fibers consistent with those of cotton gauze were associated with the granulomatous inflammation and the osteosarcoma. Amputation or radiation therapy was declined; the dog was treated conservatively with doxycycline and deracoxib. Three months after surgical excision, the dog was euthanized because of local recurrence of the mass along with lameness and decreased appetite.     

Gonadal Activity in Male and Female Captive Fossas (Cryptoprocta ferox) During the Mating Season

The fossa is an endangered, mongoose-like carnivore species endemic to Madagascar with a breeding season (BS) in the southern hemisphere spring. For the present study, faecal samples of captive fossas were collected for over 1 year for five males and four non-pregnant females, and for two pregnant animals during the reproductive period. The goal was to assess gonadal activity using non-invasive hormone measurements of faecal testosterone (T) and gestagen metabolites using assays previously established in our laboratory and further validated in this study. All study animals were housed in northern hemisphere zoos. In males, the seasonal T metabolite profile revealed a peak in spring (March). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to characterize the faecal hormone metabolite composition. The highest immunoreactivity was detected in the position of dihydrotestosterone, whereas native T was not detected. In the two pregnant females, gestagen metabolite concentrations increased 4–9 days after the initial matings and remained elevated throughout gestation with concentrations dramatically higher than those of the non-pregnant females during the BS. In these females, gestagen metabolite analyses did not reveal a seasonal pattern similar to the males. The HPLC-analysis revealed that the major proportion of immunoreactivity was associated with an unknown metabolite, whereas native progesterone was undetectable. The seasonal hormone pattern of male fossas gives proof of the reproductive seasonality of this species.
The elevated 5α-pregnan-3β-ol-20-one levels in pregnant animals allows for the characterization of pregnancy in the fossa based on analysis of faecal steroid metabolite concentrations.