A rapid and strong laparoscopic-assisted gastropexy in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To develop a technique for laparoscopic gastropexy in dogs and evaluate effects on stomach position and strength of the adhesion between the stomach and abdominal wall. ANIMALS: 8 healthy dogs. PROCEDURE: Dogs were anesthetized, and the abdomen was insufflated with carbon dioxide. A laparoscope was placed through a cannula inserted on the abdominal midline caudal to the umbilicus. Babcock forceps placed through a cannula inserted lateral to the right margin of the rectus abdominus muscle were used to exteriorize the pyloric antrum, a longitudinal incision was made through the serosa and muscular layer of the pyloric antrum, and the seromuscular layer of the pyloric antrum was sutured to the transversus abdominus muscle. After surgery, positive-contrast gastrography was used to evaluate stomach position and the onset of gastric emptying, and ultrasonography was used to assess stomach wall activity and mobility. Dogs were euthanatized 1 month after surgery, and tensile strength of the adhesion was tested. RESULTS: In all dogs, stomach position and the onset of gastric emptying were normal 25 days after surgery, and the pyloric antrum was firmly attached to the abdominal wall 30 days after surgery. Mean +/- SD ultimate load of the adhesion in tension was 106.5 +/- 45.6 N. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The laparoscopic gastropexy technique described in the present study could be performed quickly and easily by an experienced surgeon, resulted in a strong fibrous adhesion between the stomach and abdominal wall, and appeared to cause minimal stress to the dogs.     

Metabolic and structural abnormalities in dogs with early left ventricular dysfunction induced by incessant tachycardia

OBJECTIVE: To assess morphologic and metabolic abnormalities in dogs with early left ventricular dysfunction (ELVD) induced by rapid right ventricular pacing (RRVP). ANIMALS: 7 Beagles. PROCEDURE: Plasma carnitine concentrations were measured before and after development of ELVD induced by RRVP. At the same times, transvenous endomyocardial biopsy was performed, and specimens were submitted for determination of myocardial carnitine concentrations and histologic, morphometric, and ultrastructural examination. RESULTS: In 4 dogs in which baseline plasma total carnitine concentration was normal, RRVP induced a decrease in myocardial total and free carnitine concentrations and an increase in myocardial esterified carnitine concentration. In 3 dogs in which baseline plasma total carnitine concentration was low, plasma and myocardial carnitine concentrations were unchanged after pacing. Structural changes associated with pacing included perinuclear vacuolization in 3 dogs. Morphometric analyses indicated there was a decrease in myofiber cross-sectional diameter and area following pacing. Electron microscopy revealed changes in myofibrils and mitochondria following pacing. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that moderate to severe alterations in myocyte cytoarchitecture are present in dogs with ELVD induced by RRVP and that in dogs with normal plasma carnitine concentrations, myocardial carnitine deficiency may be a biochemical marker of ELVD. Results also indicated that transvenous endomyocardial biopsy can be used to evaluate biochemical and structural myocardial changes in dogs with cardiac disease.     

Risk factors associated with development of postoperative ileus in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors associated with development of postoperative ileus in horses undergoing surgery for colic. DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 69 horses that developed ileus after surgery for colic and 307 horses that did not develop postoperative ileus. PROCEDURE: Signalment, history, clinicopathologic data, treatment, lesions, and outcome were obtained from medical records. RESULTS: Variables associated with increased risk of postoperative ileus included age > 10 years, Arabian breed, PCV > or = 45%, high serum concentrations of protein and albumin, anesthesia > 2.5 hours' duration, surgery > 2 hours' duration, resection and anastomosis, and lesions in the small intestine. Enterotomy reduced the risk of postoperative ileus. After multivariate logistic regression, the final model included the variables Arabian breed, PCV > or = 45%, lesion type, duration of surgery (> 2 hours vs < or = 2 hours), and pelvic flexure enterotomy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that by evaluating certain factors, horses at increased risk of postoperative ileus may be recognized before the condition develops. Preventative treatment and early intervention may be instituted in these horses. Shortening surgery time and performing an enterotomy may decrease the probability of horses developing postoperative ileus.     

Osteitis of the axial border of the proximal sesamoid bones in horses: eight cases (1993-1999).

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical, radiographic, and scintigraphic abnormalities in and outcome of horses with septic or nonseptic osteitis of the axial border of the proximal sesamoid bones. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 8 horses. PROCEDURE: Data collected from medical records included signalment; history; horse use; severity and duration of lameness; results of perineural anesthesia, radiography, ultrasonography, and scintigraphy; and outcome following surgery. RESULTS: Five horses did not have any evidence of sepsis; the other 3 had sepsis of the metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joint or the digital synovial sheath. All horses had a history of chronic unilateral lameness. Three of 5 horses improved after diagnostic anesthesia of the metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joint; the other 2 improved only after diagnostic anesthesia of the digital synovial sheath. Nuclear scintigraphy was beneficial in localizing the source of the lameness to the proximal sesamoid bones in 4 horses. Arthroscopy of the palmar or plantar pouch of the joint or of the digital synovial sheath revealed intersesamoidean ligament damage and osteomalacia of the axial border of the proximal sesamoid bones in all horses. All 5 horses without sepsis and 1 horse with sepsis returned to their previous uses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that osteitis of the axial border of the proximal sesamoid bones is a distinct entity in horses that typically is associated with inflammation of the associated metacarpointersesamoidean or metatarsointersesamoidean ligament and may be a result of sepsis or nonseptic inflammation. Arthroscopic debridement may allow horses without evidence of sepsis to return to their previous level of performance.     

Spinal cord astrocytoma in a cat

A nine-year-old neutered male domestic shorthaired cat with a history of spinal pain and progressive hindlimb dysfunction was presented to the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science. Following neurological and myelographic examination, an intramedullary mass affecting several lumbar spinal cord segments was diagnosed. A neoplastic lesion was suspected and a poor prognosis was given. On postmortem examination, the spinal cord was found to be dorsally flattened from the 12th thoracic vertebra to the fifth lumbar vertebra and severely thickened with a dorsal cleft from the fifth to the seventh lumbar vertebra. Histologically, the tumour was diagnosed as an anaplastic astrocytoma.     

Applied anatomy of the distal "vinculum tendinis" in the fetlock tendon sheath of the hindlimb in cattle]

A relatively thick (diameter approximately 2 mm), ropelike (length ca. 20 mm) and elastic "Vinculum tendinis" connects--within the fetlock tendon sheath--the dorsal side of the deep digital flexor tendon with the dorsal part of the Manica flexoria (the communicating band of the Musculus interosseous medius to the superficial digital flexor tendon). The extensive fetlock tendon sheath can be involved in diseases such as aseptic and septic inflammations. Spreading of these inflammations makes in some of these cases the partial resection of the tendon of the deep digital flexor muscle and the cutting of these Vincula necessary. The results of this contribution, collected from 60 hindlimbs of adult bovines show variations in number, length, diameter and extent and the inner structure with blood vessels and nerves.     

Effect of GnRH pretreatment on reproductive performance of postpartum suckled beef cows following synchronization of estrus using GnRH and PGF2alpha

The effect of GnRH pretreatment on estrus detection rate, precision of estrus, and reproductive performance of postpartum beef cows synchronized to estrus using GnRH and PGF2alpha was evaluated. In Exp. 1, Angus cows (n = 87) were randomly assigned by parity, postpartum interval, and body condition score (BCS) to receive either 1) GnRH on d -7 and PGF2alpha on d 0 (GP) or 2) the GP treatment and an additional injection of GnRH on d -16 (GGP). Estrus detection and AI were conducted twice daily from d -3 to d 3. At 72 h after PGF2alpha, all animals not previously detected in estrus were bred by AI and received a concurrent injection of GnRH (TAI). Synchronized pregnancy rates were numerically increased (P = 0.15) in cows treated with GGP (55%) compared with those on the GP treatment (44%). In Exp. 2, 1,276 spring-calving, suckled beef cows in nine herds were randomized to treatments as described for Exp. 1, except that the initial GnRH injection for the GGP treatment was administered on d -14. Herd affected all indicators of reproductive performance (P < 0.05). The percentage of animals detected in estrus prematurely (d -3 to d 0; 7%) was not affected by treatment. Estrus response rate was influenced by postpartum interval (< 60 vs > or = 60; 61 vs 73%; P < 0.01) and a three-way interaction of parity, BCS, and treatment (P < 0.01). Within animals with a BCS > or = 5.5, the GGP treatment tended to increase the detection of estrus in primiparous cows (GP vs GGP; 76 vs 91%; P = 0.11) and decrease detection in multiparous cows (GP vs GGP; 78 vs 72%; P < 0.10). However, because conception rate to TAI in animals with a BCS > or = 5.5 was greater (P < 0.05) in the GGP than in the GP group (28 vs 8%, respectively), this interaction was interpreted to represent a shift in interval to estrus induced by the GGP treatment, rather than a reduction in the synchronization of ovarian function. Conception rates of animals inseminated to an observed estrus did not differ among treatments (P = 0.15). Synchronized pregnancy rate tended (P = 0.06) to be greater in GGP- (53%) than in GP-treated animals (47%). In conclusion, pretreatment with GnRH tended to increase pregnancy rates during a 6-d synchronization period, primarily through enhanced conception rates of cows bred by TAI. In contrast to our hypothesis, GnRH pretreatment did not increase the percentage of animals detected in estrus or the precision of estrus expression.     

Aortic root disease in four horses

Clinical findings in 4 horses with aortic root disease are described. Three of the horses had aneurysms of the right aortic sinus, and in 2 of the 3, the aneurysm ruptured, creating a fistula between the aorta and right ventricle. One of these horses had had a murmur since birth, and the aortic sinus aneurysm may have been a congenital anomaly. In a second horse, the aneurysm may have been an acquired condition that developed secondary to chronic aortic regurgitation. Another horse had a large subendocardial hematoma associated with dissection of blood from the aorta to the interventricular septum because of a tear in the aortic root near the right aortic sinus. Ventricular ectopy and signs of abdominal pain were the most common initial signs in these horses.     

Porcine circovirus 2 infection in swine foetuses inoculated at different stages of gestation

The ability of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) to replicate and cause pathologic abnormalities in foetuses at selected time points of gestation was examined in this study. Two foetuses were inoculated in utero in each of two sows at 57, 75 and 92 days of gestation, respectively, with PCV2 (1121). The remaining foetuses were left uninoculated to assess whether intra-uterine spread occurred. Twenty-one days after inoculation, the foetuses were collected and examined for gross lesions and for virus and infected cells in different organs. Serum samples from all foetuses were tested for PCV2 antibodies. Virus replication was detected in all inoculated foetuses. Spread to non-inoculated foetuses did not occur. Virus replication was significantly higher in foetuses inoculated at 57 days compared to that inoculated at 75 and 92 days. The heart contained the highest virus titre and highest number of viral antigen positive cells. Gross lesions were observed only in foetuses inoculated at 57 days of age. PCV2 antibodies were detected only in foetuses inoculated at 75 and 92 days. This study shows the ability of PCV2 to replicate in foetuses at different stages of gestation and to cause pathologic abnormalities in foetuses inoculated at 57 gestational days.