Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy in the Evaluation of Feline Liver Disease

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) was performed in 10 cats with histologically documented hepatobiliary disease. The scintigraphic patterns were classified into one of 5 categories: normal, primary hepatocellular dysfunction, primary in-trahepatic cholestasis, mixed hepatocellular and intrahe-patic cholestasis, and extrahepatic obstructive patterns. Initial attempts were made to correlate specific disease entities with HBS patterns, but a consistent relationship could not be determined. A correlation between the histological severity of a given hepatic disease and the HBS pattern was made. All cats (n = 5) with a mixed hepatocellular and intra-hepatic cholestasis scintigraphic pattern with normal gallbladder function had a histologically severe form of their individual hepatic disease. Three of the 4 cats with an intra-hepatic cholestasis pattern and normal hepatocellular and gallbladder function had histologically mild or moderate forms of their individual hepatic disease. One cat had an extrahepatic obstructive pattern where no radiopharmaceu-tical was identified in the gallbladder or small intestine by 3 hours postinjection. This study suggests that HBS can be useful in cats with hepatobiliary disease to assess the severity of hepatic dysfunction, and to determine if extrahepatic biliary obstruction is present. Correlation between HBS patterns and specific disease entities such as hepatic lipidosis or cholangitis-cholangiohepatitis syndrome could not be made in this study.     

Hematologic and serum biochemical effects of long-term administration of anti-inflammatory doses of prednisone in dogs.

Results of routine hematologic and serum biochemical analyses from 12 healthy adult male dogs that were given prednisone (0.55 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 12 h) for 35 days were compared with those of a control group of 6 dogs that were given gelatin capsules. Analyses were performed at 2-week intervals during and after prednisone administration. Lymphocyte and eosinophil counts were significantly (P less than 0.005) decreased after 2 and 4 weeks of prednisone treatment, compared with controls. Two weeks after treatment, eosinophil counts in prednisone-treated dogs were similar to those of control dogs, whereas lymphocyte counts remained low 4 weeks after treatment in treated dogs (1,869 +/- 145 cells/microliters), compared with that in control dogs (3,662 +/- 548 cells/microliters). Neutrophil and monocyte counts did not significantly change during glucocorticoid administration. Mean platelet volume significantly (P less than 0.001) decreased after 4 weeks of prednisone treatment, but returned to pretreatment values by 2 weeks after treatment. Four weeks of prednisone treatment did not cause significant increased activity in serum alanine transaminase, total alkaline phosphatase or the steroid-induced isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase. Significant increases in serum albumin (P less than 0.001) and total protein (P less than 0.05) concentrations were detected after 4 weeks of treatment, but mean values were not significantly different from those of controls 2 weeks after treatment ended. Results of our study indicate that eosinophil and lymphocyte counts are the most sensitive indicators of long-term glucocorticoid administration at anti-inflammatory dosages of 1.1 mg/kg daily.     

Canine hemangiopericytoma: 23 cases (1967-1984)

The medical records of 23 histopathologically confirmed cases of canine hemangiopericytoma were reviewed. Ninety-one percent (21/23) of the dogs were 7 years old or older, and 70% (16/23) were female. Seventy-four percent (20/27) of the tumors developed on the extremities. Recurrence rates were 31% (5/16) with surgical excision only, and 60% (3/5) with surgical excision combined with radiotherapy. Tumor recurrence did not appear to be related to mitotic index. Metastasis was suspected in one of the dogs, but was not confirmed.     

Comparison of techniques for quantifying alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in canine serum

Three methods for quantifying the steroid-induced and liver isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase in canine serum were compared on a group of 29 canine serum samples with increased total alkaline phosphatase activity. Levamisole inhibition, heat inactivation, and affinity electrophoresis with densitometry yielded results that correlated strongly. The relationship between levamisole inhibition and heat inactivation test values was a simple linear one, whereas the relationship between their values and those of electrophoresis was better fitted to an exponential model. The levamisole inhibition and heat inactivation tests provided essentially the same information regarding the relative proportions of steroid-induced and hepatic isoenzymes in canine serum; either test was judged practical for routine clinical application.     

Effects of Short-term Hyper- and Hypoprolactinaemia on Hormones of the Pituitary, Gonad and -Thyroid Axis and on Semen Quality in Male Beagles

Effects of a short-term hyper- and hypoprolactinaemia on serum concentrations of LH, testosterone and semen quality in six male Beagles were investigated. Blood samples were collected at 3-day intervals for 12 weeks. The time span was divided into five 3-week periods: pre-treatment, metoclopramide (MCP) treatment (0.2 mg/kg orally three times daily), cabergoline (CAB) treatment (5 μg/kg orally once daily), post-treatment 1 and post-treatment 2. In the latter, only semen characteristics were evaluated. Semen parameters were analyzed once per week during the whole 15-week investigation time. At the end of each period, the effects of a single intravenous injection of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; 10 μg/kg) on the secretion of prolactin (PRL), LH, testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine (T4) were investigated. Pre-treatment serum PRL concentration increased under MCP (p < 0.05), followed by a decrease under CAB administration (p < 0.05). Luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations were not affected. Except for straight-line sperm velocity, semen quality did not differ between collection periods. A single iv TRH injection induced a significant PRL increase at 20 min in all experimental periods except during CAB treatment. Luteinizing hormone and testosterone did not show clear TRH-related changes. Basic T4 levels were significantly reduced after CAB treatment (p < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that MCP-induced short-term hyperprolactinaemia in male beagles does not seriously affect the hypothalamo-pituitary axis and semen quality.     

Quantitative Evaluation of Equine Deep Digital Flexor Tendon Morphology using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Injury of the distal aspect of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) is a recognized cause of lameness, but diagnosis is difficult. This study aimed to improve understanding of DDFT morphology and pathology using retrospective evaluation of magnetic resonance (MR) images. We hypothesized that: (1) The distal aspect of the DDFT in normal horses would have a repeatable proximal/distal pattern and symmetry between limbs and between lobes; (2) DDFT dimensions would be related to bodyweight, navicular bone dimensions and hoof size; (3) this symmetry and pattern would be lost in DDFT injury; and (4) DDFT size would increase with injury. MR images of 64 live horse limbs, 26 with no identified DDFT lesion and 38 with identified DDFT abnormalities, and 19 normal cadaver limbs were analyzed. Using standardized transverse images, measurements of DDFT cross-sectional area, medial-lateral (ML) width and dorsal-palmar depth were obtained at six preselected sites. A uniform distal to proximal shape pattern was identified in all horses. The flattened crescent shape at the insertion changed to a deeper bilobed shape more proximally, with the mid-navicular area having the greatest cross-sectional area. Strong ML (P < 0.0006) and left/right symmetry (P < 0.02) were observed. In addition, there was a strong association between DDFT cross-sectional area and horse weight (P = 0.005) and between DDFT and navicular bone ML width (P = 0.004). Symmetry between sides or between lobes was lost at sites with a unilateral lesion and correlation between horse weight and DDFT cross-sectional area was lost in the presence of lesions. DDFTs with core lesions had a consistent increase in cross-sectional area overall, but other lesion types had no significant increase in size. The shape and symmetry seen in normal tendons could be related to the mechanical demands placed upon individual lobes. The limited increase in cross-sectional area with injury may be explained by the restrictive structures of the hoof, possibly explaining the ongoing pain seen in such lesions.