Long-term outcome of 56 dogs with nasal tumours treated with four doses of radiation at intervals of seven days

A retrospective study was undertaken on 56 dogs treated for nasal tumours by megavoltage radiotherapy with a hypofractionated schedule consisting of four doses of 9 Gy given at intervals of seven days. The dogs were followed until they died or were euthanased. The clinical signs had improved in 53 of the 56 dogs by the end of the treatment schedule. Mild acute radiation side effects were observed in the majority of the dogs but late radiation side effects were rare. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a median survival time after the final dose of radiation of 212 days. The one- and two-year survival rates were 45 per cent and 15 per cent. Fifty of the dogs were euthanased because the initial clinical signs recurred.     

Antihistamines in the management of canine atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study of 171 dogs (1992-1998)

Antihistamines were prescribed for 178 of 271 dogs with a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of the University of California, Davis from 1992 to 1998. Fifty-four percent of 166 dogs given antihistamines responded favorably to these treatments, with 27% of the responses rated as good and 27% rated as moderate. Diphenhydramine and hydroxyzine were the most commonly used antihistamines and were the most frequently effective. Chlorpheniramine and clemastine were administered less frequently and had much lower positive response rates. Responses to antihistamines as a group were significantly better in dogs having onset of clinical signs at younger ages (odds ratios for 1-year increase in age = 0.72, 95% confidence interval = 0.57 to 0.91, P =.005).     

Canine atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study of 169 cases examined at the University of California, Davis, 1992-1998. Part II. Response to hyposensitization

One hundred and sixty-nine dogs were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, and treated with hyposensitization for at least 1 year based on the results of either intradermal skin tests (IDST) or enzyme-linked immunosorbant serum assays (ELISA). Excellent (i.e. hyposensitization alone controlled clinical signs), good (> 50% improvement), moderate (< 50% improvement) and no (clinical signs were unchanged) responses were seen in 19.5, 32.5, 20.1 and 27.8%, respectively. Age of onset, age when treatment was initiated or the duration of clinical signs had no influence on response to hyposensitization. Dogs having concurrent flea allergy dermatitis were statistically more likely to respond better than dogs with concurrent food allergies. Although not statistically significant, there were trends for Golden Retriever and male dogs to respond better than other breeds and female dogs, respectively. Dogs having more than 21 positive reactions in allergy tests and treated with more than 21 allergens had lower response scores, and a longer time course before achieving beneficial response. Lower response scores were seen in dogs having positive reactions to cultivated plants, grasses, trees or insects. There was no difference in response to hyposensitization whether based on IDST or ELISA results.     

Concurrent torsion of the right cranial and right middle lung lobes in a whippet

A four-year-old, entire male whippet was presented with a three-day history of lethargy, inappetence, occasional retching, a soft cough and intermittent episodes of haemoptysis. Clinical and laboratory findings, and thoracic radiographic and ultrasonographic studies suggested a diagnosis of lung lobe torsion. A concurrent lung lobe torsion of the right cranial and right middle lung lobes was confirmed at exploratory thoracotomy. Management included resection of both the affected lung lobes. No obvious underlying aetiology for the condition was apparent. The dog made a full recovery from the procedure and at the time of writing (11 months postoperatively) was reported to be well, exercising normally and showing no breathing abnormalities.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum in 17 dogs

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum was diagnosed in 17 dogs over a period of 11 years. Ulceration, bleeding and sneezing were the most common clinical signs. One dog had cytological evidence of metastasis to the local lymph node. The dogs were treated by surgical resection, fractionated megavoltage irradiation, or a combination of the two. Surgical resection gave the most favourable results; four of six dogs were cured but a recurrence of the tumour was predicted in the other two on the basis of incomplete or marginal resection. Radiotherapy alone was not as effective; one of four dogs was cured, and the tumour recurred in the others within 24 weeks (median eight weeks). Combined surgical resection and radiotherapy did not produce a cure in any of the seven remaining dogs, and the tumour recurred within 12 weeks (median nine weeks). Three dogs had cytological evidence of lymph node metastasis when the tumour recurred. The dogs' prognosis was adversely affected by the interval between their initial examination and treatment, but there was no apparent association between the histological grade of the tumour and the clinical outcome.     

Management of inflammatory polyps in 37 cats

The case records of 37 cats treated for nasopharyngeal or aural inflammatory polyps were reviewed. Thirty of them were managed conservatively with the polyp being removed by traction alone. Long-term follow-up information was available for 22 cats, of which 13 (59 per cent) had no recurrence of clinical signs. The remaining nine cats required recurrent polyps to be removed surgically. Cats with only nasopharyngeal polyps were nearly four times more likely to be cured by traction alone than cats with aural polyps, and none of the cats that was treated with prednisolone after traction suffered a recurrence. Cats with more severe aural signs were more likely to require surgery.     

Abdominal pythiosis in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris).

An adult Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) housed in an outdoor sanctuary in Florida exhibited vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. A clinical workup did not reveal the source of the clinical signs and antibiotic therapy was unrewarding. Radiographs revealed the presence of an abdominal mass. The tiger died during an immobilization for a follow-up clinical examination. A necropsy was performed and tissue samples of intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes were submitted for histopathologic diagnosis. A pyogranulomatous panenteritis and lymphadenitis with intralesional hyphae led to a presumptive etiologic diagnosis of intestinal/abdominal pythiosis. The diagnosis of pythiosis was confirmed by serology and immunoblotting.     

Effect of Prophylactic Intramuscular Administration of Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan on Developmental and Traumatic Joint Injuries in Thoroughbred Foals

The objective of this study was to determine whether a prophylactic regimen of intramuscular polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAG), administered to growing Thoroughbred foals, would significantly reduce the incidence or severity of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) or traumatic joint lesions that had been found in untreated foals (historical controls) from the same farm during the preceding 3 years. The number of PSGAG-treated foals with clinically significant joint lesions was 44.1% lower than the number of foals with OCD/joint injuries that had been found in the untreated historical controls. Surgical intervention of the treated foals declined 87.7% from the incidence on the farm during the preceding 3 years. Although the incidence of OCD lesions of the hock, stifle, and fetlocks in treated foals was not significantly different from that found in the matched controls, the lesions in the PSGAG-treated foals resolved without surgery. These results suggest that PSGAG has the potential to improve the clinical course of osteochondrosis (OC) and OCD. Additional studies are underway to determine whether a shorter or more targeted prophylactic regimen will provide a similar benefit.     

DETECTION OF PORTAL BLOOD FLOW USING PER-RECTAL 99mTc-PERTECHNETATE SCINTIGRAPHY IN NORMAL CATS

This study reports data obtained from per-rectal ^99mTc-pertechnetate portal scintigraphy in normal cats. It examines the effects of chemical restraint and the methods employed in defining regions of interest (ROIs) on the shunt index derived from this data. Six normal cats were used for the study; all six were chemically restrained for imaging using propofol and later four of them were manually restrained for comparison. Portal blood flow was studied and the mean shunt index was found to be 5.9%± 3.9 when ROIs were operator defined and 9.2%± 4.4 when ROIs were defined using an isocontour program. In cats that were restrained using propofol and operator defined ROIs, the mean value for the time between detection of radioactivity in the liver and in the heart was 14 ± 1 seconds.     

Time course of changes in growth factor mRNA levels in muscle of steroid-implanted and nonimplanted steers

We used a muscle biopsy technique in conjunction with real-time PCR analysis to examine the time course of changes in muscle IGF-I, IGFBP-3, myostatin, and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA in the longissimus muscles of Revalor-S-implanted and nonimplanted steers on d 0, 7, 12, and 26 after implantation (nine steers/treatment group). Administration of a Revalor-S implant increased (P < 0.01) ADG and improved (P < 0.05) feed efficiency, 36 and 34%, respectively, compared with steers that received no implant during the 26-d trial. Daily dry matter intake did not differ (P > 0.15) between nonimplanted and implanted steers. Steers receiving the Revalor-S implant had increased (P < 0.001) circulating IGF-I concentrations compared with nonimplanted steers. The longissimus muscles of steers receiving the Revalor-S implant contained increased (P < 0.001) IGF-I mRNA levels compared with longissimus muscles of nonimplanted steers over the 26-d duration of the study. Longissimus muscle IGF-I mRNA levels in implanted steers were increased (P < 0.003) relative to d-0 concentrations on d 7 and 12 (101% and 128%, respectively), and byd 26, longissimus muscle mRNA levels were more than three times (P < 0.0001) those in the longissimus muscles of the same steers on d 0. There was no treatment effect on the level of IGFBP-3, myostatin, or HGF mRNA in the longissimus muscle at any time point; however, levels of IGFBP-3, myostatin, and HGF mRNA increased with time on feed. Based on current and previous studies, we hypothesize that the increased IGF-I level in muscle of implanted steers by d 7 of implantation stimulates satellite cell proliferation and maintains a high number of proliferating satellite cells at a point in the growth curve where satellite cell numbers and activity are normally dropping off. This would prolong the period of rapid muscle growth, resulting in the observed increased rate and efficiency of muscle deposition in implanted steers.