Pleurovenous shunting technique for treatment of chylothorax in three dogs

The operative technique for placement of a pleurovenous shunt catheter is described. Pleurovenous shunting was used in the surgical treatment of 3 dogs with chylothorax refractory to medical management. Chylothorax in 2 of the dogs was palliated, but because of severe restrictive fibrous pleuritis, the third dog was euthanatized during follow-up surgery.     

alpha-Adrenoreceptor stimulation of the systemic circulation in dogs

The influence of phenylephrine (an alpha-adrenoreceptor agonist) on the arterial and venous systems of the systemic circulation was studied in 10 anesthetized dogs during a right ventricular bypass procedure. Phenylephrine (1 microgram X kg-1 of body weight X min-1) produced a significant (P less than 0.001) increase in arterial resistance, no change in venous resistance, and a mild decrease in venous compliance. Seemingly in the clinically normal dog, a dose of phenylephrine sufficient to double total peripheral resistance will redistribute a small amount of blood volume from the venous to arterial systems with a slight decrease in venous return and concomitant attenuation of cardiac output.     

Effects of ionic salts or acetylcholine, or both, on electrically induced ventricular fibrillation in dogs

A dose-response curve was delineated for an acetylcholine-potassium chloride cocktail previously found to be highly effective in chemically defibrillating electrical induced ventricular fibrillation of thoracotomized dogs. The cocktail dosage responsible for the greatest percentage of chemical defibrillations was transthoracically given to nonthoracotomized dogs subjected to ventricular fibrillation; this resulted in 33% chemical defibrillation. Two clinical canine patients were transthoracically administered the acetylcholine-potassium chloride cocktail because they failed to respond to external electrical defibrillation; both were chemically defibrillated. Potassium citrate when substituted for potassium chloride, in the cocktail, or alone appeared to be more efficacious for chemical defibrillation. Magnesium chloride with acetylcholine failed to chemically defibrillate any dog administered this cocktail.     

QUANTITATIVE HEPATIC SCINTIGRAPHY IN THE DOG

Quantitative hepatic scintigraphy is a noninvasive test for measurement of relative arterial and portal blood flow to the liver. This technique has been used to evaluate human patients with known or suspected liver tumors or diffuse hepatocellular disease. A computer program to assess the hepatic perfusion index (HPI) in the normal dog is described. Factors affecting study quality and accuracy include injection technique, cardiac function, patient position, respiration, gross patient motion, and user intervention during data processing. HPI for a group of 12 normal dogs was 0.9±0.4 (X±SD). Quantitative scintigraphy could be used to evaluate dogs with primary or secondary liver tumors, portacaval shunts, or chronic liver disease     

Variations in the canine thoracic duct system and the effects of surgical occlusion demonstrated by rapid aqueous lymphography, using an intestinal lymphatic trunk

An alternative method for lymphography was developed in an attempt to improve the outlining of the thoracic duct system. Lymphograms obtained on 20 normal dogs demonstrated a large extent of anatomic variation. A complete obstruction of the thoracic duct was created in six dogs through transpleural resection and ligation. The lymphatic system responded by opening lymphaticovenous anastomoses proximal to the site of obstruction.     

Chemical cardioversion of electrically induced ventricular fibrillation in dogs

An acetylcholine-potassium cocktail was used to defibrillate chemically the electrically induced ventricular fibrillating myocardium of thoracotomized dogs. This drug combination was highly effective (75%) in comparison with potassium alone (20%) and acetylcholine alone (zero %). Atropine prevented chemical defibrillation. On dogs which failed to defibrillate after the administration of the cocktail, high energies were required to defibrillate the ventricles electrically and not all could be electrically defibrillated. After the administration of the ionic-choline cocktail, increased ventilatory resistance, generalized skeletal muscle contraction, urination, and defecation were observed.     

Anatrichosoma infection in two white-handed gibbons.

Multiple nodular lesions of the nematode Anatrichosoma were observed on the ears, lips, nares, and eyelids of 2 adult gibbons (Hylobates lar). The lesions were 4 to 7 mm in diameter, gray to pink, and firm on palpation. Microscopically, the nodules consisted of thickened epidermis having intraepidermal cysts containing the nematode and eggs. Live female nematodes were recovered from fresh biopsy specimens. Because male specimens were not obtained, the species could not be identified.