Presentation,clinical pathological and post‐mortem findings in three related Scottish terriers with ligneous membranitis

Ligneous conjunctivitis and gingivitis were diagnosed in three related Scottish terrier dogs presented for investigation of severe conjunctivitis and respiratory signs. Hypoplasminogenaemia was confirmed in one of the three affected dogs. Supportive treatment was not effective, and the dogs died or were euthanased because of the disease. Post‐mortem analysis of two of the dogs revealed multiple abnormalities including severe proliferative fibrinous lesions affecting the conjunctiva, gingiva, trachea, larynx and epicardium and multiple fibrous adhesions throughout the thoracic and abdominal cavities. One dog had internal hydrocephalus and lacked a cerebellar vermis. Ligneous membranitis was confirmed on histopathology. This is a rare condition in dogs but an important differential diagnosis for severe conjunctivitis and gingivitis.     

Use of Non‐invasive Methods for Evaluating the Testicular Biometry in Collared Peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758)

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of two methods used to estimate testicular volume in the collared peccary. Calliper and ultrasonographic measurements of testicular dimensions (length, width and height) of both testes were taken on five adult collared peccaries. The testicular volume was calculated by Lambert's empiric formula: length (L) × width (W) × height (H) × 0.71, the formula of an ellipsoid L × W × H × 0.52, and Hansen's formula: L × W² × 0.52. The calculated volumes were then compared with the actual ones, which were estimated by water displacement. The mean of true testicular volume was 22.65 ± 1.52 ml. Lambert's formula estimated testicular volume more accurately when ultrasound measurements were taken. However, when the calliper was the methodology used, the results were closest to the true volume, especially when Ellipsoid formula and Hansen's formula were applied, and underestimated the true volumes by 1.53 ± 1.75 ml and 1.53 ± 1.65 ml, respectively. This specific application of technologies in wild animals has the potential to revolutionize the selection process for the collared peccary entering artificial insemination or natural breeding programmes.     

Anatomical Variations of the Blood Vascular System in Veterinary Medicine. The Internal Iliac Artery of the Dog. Part Two

The aim of this study was to investigate the variability of the internal pudendal artery. Two hundred and thirty‐two pelvic halves from 116 adult dogs were examined. Twenty‐six anatomical variations were found, thirteen occurring in more than 5% of the dogs. Anatomical variations were grouped in relation to the origin of the prostatic/vaginal arteries, middle rectal artery, urethral artery, ventral perineal and caudal rectal arteries. The chi‐squared test was used to analyse differences in sex, side of the body, profile and size, and the results were considered statistically significant when P ≤ 0.05. An identical vascular pattern in both hemipelvises was found for most of the anatomical variations described.