Multicentric lymphosarcoma with ovarian involvement in a Nubian goat.

Multiple lymph node enlargement and an intra-abdominal mass were diagnosed in a 6-year-old doe. Necropsy revealed lymphosarcoma involving multiple organs, including the ovaries. Lymphosarcoma is rare in goats; ovarian involvement has not previously been reported.     

Persistent vulvar hemorrhage secondary to vaginal hemangioma in dogs

Two young female dogs were presented with a chronic history of persistent vulvar hemorrhage. Vaginoscopy was ultimately used to locate bleeding vaginal masses near the urethral papilla. In both cases, episiotomy was performed to resect the mass, and hemangioma was diagnosed histologically. These tumors caused persistent vaginal bleeding; they were difficult to diagnose without vaginoscopy and lavage; and surgical excision was curative in at least one case.     

Part I: twenty-year literature overview of veterinary and allopathic medicine

Over the last 20 years, numerous reports, symposia, and workshops have focused on the challenges and changes facing veterinary and allopathic medicine. Many of these have specifically considered the changing economic and demographic profiles of the health professions, the specific roles of health professionals in society, and the importance of professional curricula in meeting changing professional and societal needs. Changing curricula to address future demands is a common thread that runs through all of these reports. Future demands most consistently noted include the fact that modern veterinary curricula must emphasize the acquisition of skills, values, and attitudes in addition to the acquisition of knowledge. Skills relating to business management, strong interpersonal communication, and problem solving have often been noted as lacking in current curricula. Furthermore, future curricula must allow for greater diversification and "specialization" among veterinary students; should promote greater opportunities for an emphasis on public health and population medicine, including food safety, food security, and bio- and agro-terrorism; and should motivate students to be active learners who possess strong lifelong learning skills and attitudes.     

Part II: directions and objectives of curriculum structure at veterinary medical and other health professions schools

This article surveys reports on various models and methods of curriculum structure and directions of health professions schools in North America over the past 20 years, with particular emphasis on veterinary and allopathic medical schools. The importance of administrative and faculty leadership, a clear sense of vision, recognition that curricula must change to meet societal needs, and continual, extensive communication and collaboration are discussed as important keys to successfully navigating curriculum reform. The advantages of central versus departmental management of the curriculum are noted with respect to implementing curricular change. Investment in faculty development is essential to ensure sustained cultural and curricular change. As instructional methodology changes, new and better methods of assessing student performance must be developed, with timely and appropriate feedback. Barriers to curriculum change are inevitable; effective strategies must be designed and implemented to navigate these barriers. The future of education in the health professions is clearly in the hands of the educators who prepare future health professionals.     

CT and gross pathology are comparable methods for detecting some degenerative sacroiliac joint lesions in dogs

Degenerative sacroiliac joint disease is a cause of lumbosacral pain in dogs; however, published information on cross‐sectional imaging characteristics is limited. Objectives of this retrospective, secondary analysis, methods‐comparison study were to test hypotheses that CT lesions reported in humans with degenerative sacroiliac joint disease are also present in dogs, and that CT is comparable to gross pathology for detecting these lesions. Matched CT and gross pathology slice images of 30 sacroiliac joints were retrieved from a previous prospective, canine cadaver study. A veterinary radiologist interpreted randomized CT images for each joint based on previously published CT characteristics of lesions in humans with degenerative sacroiliac joint disease. A veterinary pathologist independently interpreted randomized gross pathology images using the same criteria. All joints had at least one CT lesion consistent with degenerative sacroiliac joint disease. A new CT lesion was also identified and termed “subarticular cleft.” The CT and gross pathology methods agreed for detecting joints with subchondral sclerosis, subchondral erosion, and intra‐articular ankylosis lesions (P > .05, McNemar's test), but disagreed for detection of joints with subchondral cyst, para‐articular ankylosis, and subarticular cleft lesions (P ≤ .05). Using gross pathology as the reference standard, CT had 100% sensitivity for detection of subarticular cleft and subchondral cyst lesions, with 56% and 22% specificity, respectively. Para‐articular ankylosis lesions were detected by CT but not by gross pathology. Findings supported the hypothesis that CT lesions reported in humans with degenerative sacroiliac joint disease are also present in dogs, and partially supported the hypothesis that CT is comparable to gross pathology for detecting joints with these lesions.