Respiratory paralysis secondary to epidural anesthesia in a dog

Transient respiratory paralysis developed in a 12-year-old spayed female Cocker Spaniel that received an anesthetic epidurally for excisional biopsy of perianal masses. Paralysis developed almost immediately after injection of 2.5 ml of 2% lidocaine (1 ml/4.9 kg), and was managed by mechanical ventilation and appropriate fluid therapy IV until spontaneous respiration returned. The respiratory paralysis was attributed to the excessive cranial extent of the anesthetic block.     

Solitary osteochondroma of the radius in three horses

Osteochondroma of the distal portion of the radius was diagnosed in 3 horses with a history of lameness and distention of the common tendon sheath of the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons at the level of the carpal canal. In 2 horses, the exostosis was removed through an incision at the caudal border of the lateral digital extensor muscle above the carpal ligament.     

Laser therapy in the horse: histopathologic response

Surgical incisions were made in the skin and superficial digital flexor tendons in horses. A low intensity laser therapy device was used to treat the limbs. After laser therapy was completed, skin and superficial digital flexor tendons from incised laser-irradiated, incised-control, and nonincised-control limbs were compared microscopically. Qualitative differences between laser irradiated and nonirradiated tissues were not found. The laser therapy device used in this study may be of insufficient power to affect wound healing.     

Endoscopic-assisted lumbosacral foraminotomy in the dog

OBJECTIVE: To determine if endoscopic-assisted foraminotomy significantly increased the area of the L7-S1 intervertebral foramen and if, over 12 weeks, stenosis would occur. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, experimental study. ANIMAL POPULATION: Six clinically normal, 22-29 kg, adult dogs. METHODS: Using endoscopic assistance, unilateral L7-S1 foraminotomy was performed. Computed tomography of L7-S1 was performed preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at 12 weeks. Parasagittal foramen area (PFA) measurements were obtained at the entry, middle, and exit zones of the treated and control foramen for each period. Objective and subjective data were compared among dogs by time period and treatment status. RESULTS: Endoscopic-assisted foraminotomy resulted in a significant increase in the mean PFA of the entry and middle zones immediately postoperatively. The exit zone was not significantly larger at any time. The foramen remained significantly larger at 12 weeks only in the middle zone; however, some decrease in the surgically created foramen enlargement occurred at all 3 levels. The procedure was well tolerated but dogs did have transient, mild delay of functional return postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic-assisted foraminotomy in dogs can be performed for certain foraminal regions, allowing enhanced visibility of the spinal canal. The foramen can be surgically enlarged at the entry and middle zones using this technique; however, some reduction of the foraminal enlargement occurs by 12 weeks. The clinical implications of this reduction cannot be determined from this study. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Endoscopic-assisted foraminotomy could be used to improve intraoperative visualization in dogs with foraminal stenosis as a component of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis.     

A comparison of the effects of cypermethrin,parathion-methyl and DDT on cereal aphids,predatory beetles,earthworms and litter decomposition in spring wheat

Cypermethrin (Ripcord 100 g a.i./ha), parathion-methyl (1000 g a.i./ha) and DDT (1000 g a.i./ha) were each applied to small replicated barriered plots of spring wheat. Residues of cypermethrin in soil declined to half their initial value within 6 weeks compared with 3 weeks for parathion-methyl and 22 weeks for DDT. No effects attributable to any of the three treatments were observed on earthworm populations or leaf litter decomposition. DDT was the only compound found to accumulate in the body tissues of earthworms. After application few cereal aphids were found in parathion-methyl- and cypermethrin-treated plots, whereas heavy infestations quickly built up in both the control and DDT-treated plots. One week after application the number of predatory beetles (mainly four species of Carabidae and three genera of Staphylinidae) in parathion-methyl-treated plots fell to about 10% of that found in the untreated control. A decrease in predatory beetles to about 50% of that in the control was observed in both cypermethrin and DDT-treated plots. A substantial recovery in the numbers of predatory beetles occurred in all treated plots between 4 and 6 weeks after application. A further fall in numbers of predatory beetles was observed 8–12 weeks after application in plots treated with cypermethrin and parathion-methyl. This reduction was attributed to an indirect effect of the treatments, operating via a removal of the predators' food supply (mainly cereal aphids).     

Management of acquired flexural deformity of the metacarpophalangeal joint in Equidae

Fifteen horses with flexural deformity of the metacarpophalangeal joint were evaluated and their conditions were designated as mild, moderate, or severe. Evaluations were made on the basis of clinical signs and lesions seen on radiography. Horses with mild deformities were treated with corrective trimming and shoeing; those with moderate deformities were treated with desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon and corrective shoeing. Desmotomies of the accessory ligaments of both deep and superficial digital flexor tendons were performed on horses severely affected, followed by corrective shoeing. In this long-term study, 4 horses with mild lesions and 4 horses with moderate lesions returned to useful work. None of the horses with severe disease responded enough to withstand strenuous athletic training.     

Effect of ammoniation of rapeseed meal on the sinapine content of the meal

1. Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of ammoni‐ation of rapeseed meal on its sinapine content.

2. In the first experiment, five samples of a low‐glucosinolate meal (produced from Regent, Candle or Tower cultivars) and one sample of a high‐glucosinolate meal were eluted by one passage of ethanol ammoniated to concentrations of 0.2, 0.5 or 1.0 M NH₃ at the ratio of 2 1 ammoniated ethanol/kg meal. Elution with 1.0M ammoniated ethanol decreased the sinapine content of the meals by as much as 80%.

3. In the second experiment, four low‐glucosinolate meals (from Candle cultivar) from a pilot processing plant were used. Two of the meals were obtained by sparging during desolventising with or without anhydrous ammonia (50 g anhydrous ammonia/kg meal) and two of the meals were produced by sparging during desolventising with or without hydrous ammonia (50 g anhydrous ammonia and 50 g steam/kg meal). Ammonia with steam caused the greatest decrease (65%) in sinapine content.

4. Total glucosinolate and 5‐vinyl‐2‐oxazolidinethione concentrations in the meals were also decreased (17 to 35%) by the ammoniation treatments in experiment 2.     

EVALUATION OF CANINE LUMBOSACRAL STENOSIS USING INTRAVENOUS CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

The objective of this study was to evaluate intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography as a technique for predicting the within-level location(s) of compressive soft tissues in the canine lumbosacral spine. Pre-operative intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the L5-S3 vertebral levels was performed in 12 consecutive large breed dogs with lumbosacral stenosis. The images were evaluated for enhancement of soft tissues by two radiologists who were unaware of the surgical findings. For each within-level location (dorsal canal, ventral canal, right lateral recess, left lateral recess) enhancement was classified as present, absent or equivocal. The results were compared with the results of surgical exploration and histopathology of excised tissues. The positive predictive values of intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography for compressive soft tissues involving the dorsal canal, ventral canal and lateral recesses were 83%, 100%, and 81% respectively. Negative predictive values for compressive soft tissues involving these locations were 29%, 50%, and 40% respectively.     

Laminar microvascular flow, measured by means of laser Doppler flowmetry, during the prodromal stages of black walnut-induced laminitis in horses

OBJECTIVE: To measure changes in laminar microvascular blood flow (LMBF) over time in healthy horses and horses in the prodromal stage of black walnut-induced laminitis and to determine the effects of glyceryl trinitrate application on LMBF in horses with acute laminitis. ANIMALS: 10 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURE: Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to measure LMBF Baseline measurements were obtained, horses were given deionized water via a nasogastric tube, and measurements were obtained hourly for 12 hours. Twenty-four hours later, baseline measurements were again obtained, and horses were given black walnut extract. Measurements were obtained hourly for 12 hours or until development of Obel grade-3 laminitis. At this time, 5 horses were treated with phenylbutazone, and the other 5 were treated with phenylbutazone and glyceryl trinitrate, and measurements were obtained hourly for an additional 12 hours. RESULTS: LMBF was significantly decreased 1 and 2 hours after administration of the black walnut extract but then returned to near-baseline values for the next 6 hours. Eight hours after extract administration, there was a second significant decrease in LMBF that persisted until the end of the study. Glyceryl trinitrate had no effect on LMBF. Clinical signs of laminitis developed 8 to 12 hours after extract administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that in horses with black walnut-induced laminitis, there is an early decrease in LMBF followed by reperfusion prior to onset of clinical signs. Treatment with glyceryl trinitrate after development of clinical signs of laminitis did not have a significant effect on LMBF.