SEPTIC COXOFEMORAL ARTHRITIS AND OSTEOMYELITIS IN A DOG

An 8-year-old male Labrador retriever presented with a rear limb lameness cased by an osteolytic lesion of the left acetabulum and femoral head and neck. Initial bone biopsy study was nondiagnostic. Histopathologic study and culture of the subsequently excised femoral head and neck revealed a Staphyloccocus intermedial arthritis and osteomyelitis. Neoplash was ruled out on the basis of histopathologic analysis.     

ENLARGING BILATERAL FEMORAL CONDYLAR BONE CYSTS WITHOUT SCINTIGRAPHIC UPTAKE IN A YEARLING FOAL

Bilateral subchondral bone cysts of the femoral condyles were diagnosed by conventional radiography in a 14 month old Appaloosa colt. Surgical debridement was performed, and over the next 18 months the appearance of the cysts was evaluated with radiography and bone scintigraphy. On the preoperative scintigrams, increased radiopharmaceutical uptake was associated with the cysts. Despite continued radiographic enlargement, the cysts did not demonstrate increased radiopharmaceutical uptake post-operatively.     

Development of a Free Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Flap in Cats

Anatomic and experimental evaluation of the feline latissimus dorsi muscle was performed to assess its potential use as a free muscle flap. In the anatomic study, nonselective angiography of the subscapular artery was performed in nine heparinized feline cadavers. The muscle dimensions and vascular anatomy of the dissected latissimus dorsi muscle were recorded. In the experimental study four cats underwent heterotopic transplantation of a partial latissimus dorsi flap, and three cats underwent orthotopic transplantation of a complete latissimus dorsi flap. The mean length and width of the latissimus dorsi muscle was 19.0 and 5.4 cm, respectively. The dominant vascular pedicle was the thoracodorsal artery and vein. The average length and diameter of the thoracodorsal artery was 2.7 cm and 0.6 mm, respectively. Minor vascular pedicles were provided by branches of the intercostal arteries. Numerous choke anastomoses existed between the two pedicle systems. Viability of muscle flaps based on subjective evaluation, angiography, and histopathology, was 66% and 100% in the heterotopic and orthotopic studies, respectively. Flap failure seemed to be caused by both arterial and venous thrombosis. The latissimus dorsi muscle flap met criteria required for application in microvascular reconstruction. The vascular pattern was appropriate and consistent. Donor site morbidity was low, whereas surgical accessibility was high. The muscle satisfied the physical criteria of a free flap. Long-term anastomotic patency and flap viability was shown.     

Partial Carpal Arthrodesis for Third Degree Carpal Sprains: A Review of 45 Carpi

The efficacy of partial carpal arthrodesis was evaluated retrospectively in 39 dogs (45 carpi) with severe sprains of the middle carpal joints, the carpometacarpal joints, or both. The carpometacarpal joint was the most frequently injured joint. Jumping or falling from heights was the cause of injury in 49% of these animals. Of the 25 owners who responded to a mailed questionnaire (mean follow-up, 32 months), all stated their animal had improved or greatly improved after partial carpal arthrodesis and all were pleased or very pleased with the final surgical result. Hyperextension persisted in 11% of the cases and degenerative joint disease of the antebrachiocarpal joint was present in 15.5% of the cases. No dogs with partial carpal arthrodesis required panarthrodesis at a later date.     

Glomerular filtration rate after tramadol, parecoxib and pindolol following anaesthesia and analgesia in comparison with morphine in dogs

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of morphine, parecoxib, tramadol and a combination of parecoxib, tramadol and pindolol on nociceptive thresholds in awake animals and their effect on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in dogs subjected to 30 minutes of anesthesia.AnimalsEight adult mixed breed experimental dogs.Study designRandomized, controlled trial.MethodsDogs received 0.05 mg kg^?1 acepromazine subcutaneously (SC) as anaesthetic pre-medication. Thirty to sixty minutes later, they received either tramadol 3 mg kg^?1 intravenously, (IV), parecoxib (1 mg kg^?1 IV), a combination of tramadol 3 mg kg^?1 (IV), parecoxib 1 mg kg^?1 (IV) and pindolol 5 μg kg^?1 (SC), morphine (0.1 mg kg^?1 (IV) or 0.9% saline (2 mL). Anaesthesia was then induced with IV propofol to effect (2.9 ± 0.8 mg kg^?1) and maintained with halothane in oxygen for 30 minutes. Systolic arterial blood pressure was maintained above 90 mmHg with IV fluids and by adjusting the inspired halothane concentration. Post-treatment nociceptive thresholds to mechanical stimuli, expressed as percent of pre-treatment values, were compared between the treatments to assess the analgesic efficacy of the drugs. Plasma iohexol clearance (ICL), a measure of GFR, was estimated both before and 24 hours after induction of anaesthesia to study the drugs’ effects on renal perfusion. Nociceptive threshold and GFR data were compared using mixed model analysis in sas^®9.1.ResultsBoth tramadol and parecoxib produced similar analgesia, which was less than that of morphine. Their combination with pindolol produced analgesia comparable with morphine. None of the test drugs, either alone or in combination, reduced GFR.ConclusionTramadol and parecoxib (either alone or in combination) can increase nociceptive thresholds in awake dogs and have minimal effects on renal perfusion in normotensive dogs subjected to anaesthesia.     

ARTERIOGRAPHIC ANATOMY OF THE ABDOMINAL AORTA IN THE GOAT, DOG, PIG, AND RABBIT

Arteriographic anatomy of the major branches of the abdominal aorta of rabbits, dogs, pigs, and goats was investigated. The origin and location of the celiac, cranial mesenteric, right renal, left renal, caudal mesenteric, and external iliac arteries were demonstrated, and their placement was described in relation to the iliac bifurcation and lumbar vertebral bodies.     

Comparative morphometrical studies on the skull bones of barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)

The present study reports data on the skull bone morphometry of barking and sambar deer. The skulls of adult barking deer (n = 6) and sambar deer (n = 6) of either sex (n = 3 males and n = 3 females) were collected from the Aizawl Zoological Park, Aizawl, Mizoram, India, with official permission from the Government of Mizoram. Anatomically, barking and sambar deer's skulls were elongated, pyramid-like, dolichocephalic and consisted of thirty-two cranial and facial bones. The cranial bones were eleven (three single and four paired), comprising of occipital, sphenoid, ethmoid, frontal, interparietal, parietal and temporal. The facial bones were twenty-one (one single and ten were paired), consisting of the maxilla, premaxilla (incisive), palatine, pterygoid, nasal, lacrimal, zygomatic (malar), vomer, turbinates, mandible and hyoid. In the present study, altogether 41 different measurements were taken morphologically and 6 different indices were applied. The obtained morphometrical parameters were significantly (p < .01, p < .05) higher in males than females of both species. Species wise, all obtained parameters were higher in sambar deer than barking deer. The obtained 41 different skull parameters and 6 indices showed statistically significant differences (p < .01 and p < .05) between both sexes of barking and sambar deer; however, practically these differences were meagre. The present morphometrical study on the skull of both species can help the wildlife professionals and zoo veterinarians determine the sex of these animals and differentiate it from other domestic and wild small ruminants for solving veterolegal cases. This study's findings will also motivate and assist other comparative studies with various domestic and wild small ruminants.