Successful management and recovery following severe prolonged starvation in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the successful management of a dog following a period of prolonged food deprivation. CASE SUMMARY: A 7-year-old, intact male Labrador Retriever presented with profound weakness and loss of nearly 50% of his body weight due to severe prolonged starvation after being trapped in a well for 27 days. Electrolyte concentrations were managed with intensive intravenous supplementation during refeeding. The dog's electrolyte abnormalities resolved, wounds healed, and strength returned during the first 3 weeks of treatment. During the next 3 months, body condition score normalized and muscle mass improved. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: This report describes the management of a severely malnourished dog during refeeding, and highlights treatment considerations that may be important in the prevention of refeeding syndrome in such cases.

Technique for Evaluation of Gravity-Assisted Esophageal Transit Characteristics in Dogs with Megaesophagus.

Movement of food material in the esophagus during upright feeding in dogs with megaesophagus (ME) is poorly characterized. A standardized contrast videofluoroscopy technique was used to evaluate esophageal transit characteristics in dogs with ME while in an upright position. Twelve dogs with ME (congenital, acquired idiopathic, or secondary to myasthenia gravis) were placed in an upright position using Bailey chairs and given liquid barium, canned food meatballs, and their normal diet consistency if different than meatballs. Passage of ingesta was videofluoroscopically evaluated by direct observation and change in ingesta area as determined by manual tracing or barium column product calculations. Significant individual variation was seen. Complete esophageal clearance of liquid was seen in four dogs, and complete clearance of meatballs in three dogs, with a median time of 5 min for both. Two of seven dogs fed a slurry diet had complete clearance by 10 min. No significant difference was found between area calculated via tracing or barium column product. Based on imaging results, alterations in food consistency, duration upright, or medication were recommended for nine dogs. In dogs with ME accustomed to a Bailey chair, contrast videofluoroscopy was technically straightforward and allowed for more specific physician-guided management recommendations.

Effect of three resuscitative fluid therapy strategies on NT-proBNP concentration in healthy dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if 3 resuscitative fluid therapy strategies increase N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP) levels in healthy dogs. DESIGN: Randomized crossover trial. SETTING: Veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Plasma NT proBNP concentrations were measured in 6 healthy purpose-bred dogs that received 3 resuscitative fluid therapy protocols. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Crystalloid, synthetic colloid, or hypertonic saline fluids were administered at resuscitative doses. Blood samples were collected via an indwelling catheter before, and at set time points between 0.5 and 36 h after fluid therapy and analyzed for NT-proBNP. A general linear mixed model was used to estimate the differences in NT-proBNP over time and among treatments. None of the resuscitative fluid therapy protocols caused increases of serum NT-proBNP beyond the previously reported cutoff concentration used to differentiate cardiac versus noncardiac causes of respiratory signs. Dogs receiving crystalloid fluid therapy had the most significant and prolonged increase in serum NT-proBNP concentration above baseline compared to dogs receiving either resuscitative doses of colloids or hypertonic saline. CONCLUSIONS: Serum NT-proBNP concentration in normal dogs was not increased beyond concentrations previously established to equate to cardiac disease after receiving resuscitative fluid therapy with either a balanced crystalloid solution, hypertonic saline, or a synthetic colloid solution in this study.

Intranasal mast cell tumor in the dog: A case series.

The medical records of 4 dogs with histologically confirmed intranasal mast cell tumors (MCTs) were retrospectively evaluated to determine their biological behavior. Information on signalment, presenting clinical signs, tumor grade, treatment administered, and survival times was obtained from the medical record. All 4 patients had high grade tumors and received chemotherapy. Survival times ranged from 27 to 134 days. All 4 dogs showed signs of local or distant disease progression, suggestive of an aggressive behavior of intranasal MCTs.

Tumeur mastocytaire intranasale chez le chien : une série de cas. Les dossiers médicaux de quatrechiens qui avaient eu des tumeurs mastocytaires intranasales confirmées par histologie ont été rétrospectivement évalués afin de déterminer leur comportement biologique. Des renseignements sur le signalement, les signes cliniques de présentation, le grade de la tumeur, le traitement administré et les temps de survie ont été obtenus dans le dossier médical. Les quatre patients avaient des tumeurs de grade élevé et ont reçu de la chimiothérapie. Les temps de survie ont varié de 27 à 134 jours. Les quatre chiens ont manifesté des signes de progression locale ou distante de la maladie, suggérant un comportement agressif des tumeurs mastocytaires intranasales.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).