Comparison of incisional gastropexy with and without addition of two full-thickness stomach to body wall sutures.

OBJECTIVE: To compare complications between a modified incisional gastropexy (MIG) technique and standard incisional gastropexy (SIG). ANIMALS: 347 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES: Dogs that had undergone SIG or MIG from March 2005 through April 2019 were identified through a medical record search of the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center. The MIG technique is identical to SIG except 2 additional simple interrupted sutures are added, 1 cranial and 1 caudal to the continuous suture line, going full thickness into the stomach to ensure engagement of submucosa. Medical record information was used to identify intraoperative, postoperative, and short-term complications, and telephone or email communication to pet owners and/or referring veterinarians was used to identify complications (short-term and long-term) after discontinuance of care at the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center. Intraoperative, postoperative, short-term, and long-term complications were analyzed in aggregate within 6 matched groupings: (1) gastropexy for gastric dilatation-volvulus, (2) prophylactic gastropexy without other procedures, (3) gastropexy with ovariohysterectomy, (4) gastropexy with castration, (5) gastropexy with splenectomy, and (6) gastropexy with celiotomy other than splenectomy. Overall rates of complications potentially attributed to gastropexy were compared between SIG and MIG using the Fisher exact test. Overall rates of complications not attributed to gastropexy were compared between SIG and MIG using the χ2 test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in overall complication rates between SIG and MIG. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Surgeons who feel that engagement of gastric submucosa is important for gastropexy success may use the MIG technique with minimal fear of complications. However, superiority of one technique over the other cannot be determined on the basis of this study.

Risk factors for intraoperative hemorrhage and perioperative complications and short- and long-term outcomes during surgical patent ductus arteriosus ligation in 417 dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of dogs undergoing surgical ligation for a left-to-right shunting patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), identify risk factors for intraoperative hemorrhage and intra- and postoperative complications, and report overall mortality rates. ANIMALS: 417 client-owned dogs undergoing surgical ligation for a left-to-right shunting PDA between January 2010 and January 2020. PROCEDURES: Data recorded included patient signalment, echocardiogram findings, intraoperative complications and mortality, postoperative complications, and short- and long-term outcomes. RESULTS: There was no association between age and risk of intraoperative hemorrhage (P = .7), weight and intraoperative hemorrhage (P = .96), or increasing left atrium-to-aortic (LA:Ao) ratio and intraoperative hemorrhage (P = .08). Intraoperative hemorrhage occurred in 10.8% of patients. Intraoperative mortality was 2%. Ninety-five percent of dogs experiencing intraoperative hemorrhage survived to discharge. Survival to discharge was 97%. One- and 5-year survival rates were 96.4% and 87%, respectively. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Surgical ligation for a left-to-right shunting PDA is recommended due to the good long-term prognosis. Certain preoperative factors such as age, weight, and the presence and degree of mitral valve regurgitation had no detectable association with risks of intraoperative hemorrhage and, therefore, should not preclude surgical treatment for a left-to-right shunting PDA. Future studies are needed to further assess the association between increasing LA:Ao ratio and risk of intraoperative hemorrhage.

Idiopathic anomalous congenital band causing small intestinal obstruction in a 5-month-old dog.

A 5-month-old, intact male, yellow Labrador retriever was presented with a 24-hour history of anorexia and vomiting. Abdominal imaging revealed the presence of a mechanical obstruction in the jejunum and peritoneal effusion. Cytologic evaluation and culture of the effusion prior to surgery identified a suppurative exudate with bacteria consistent with septic peritonitis and suspected to be related to the intestinal lesion. An exploratory laparotomy was performed, and a segment of jejunum was circumferentially severely constricted by an off-white, fibrous band of tissue. Resection and anastomosis of the strangulated segment of jejunum and excision of the constricting band provided resolution of the clinical signs. The dog made a complete recovery. Histologic evaluation revealed the band to be composed of fibrovascular and smooth muscle tissue, consistent with an idiopathic anomalous congenital band. No other gastrointestinal lesions were observed, either grossly at surgery or histologically in the resected segment of intestine. To our knowledge, a similar structure has not been reported in the veterinary literature. Key clinical message: Developmental abnormalities should be included in the differential list for younger patients with signs suggestive of gastrointestinal obstruction.

Anneau congénital anormal idiopathique provoquant une occlusion de l'intestin grêle chez un chien de 5 mois. Un Labrador retriever intact mâle âgé de 5 mois a été présenté avec une histoire de 24 heures d'anorexie et de vomissements. L'imagerie abdominale a révélé la présence d'une obstruction mécanique du jéjunum et d'un épanchement péritonéal. L'évaluation cytologique et la culture de l'épanchement avant la chirurgie ont identifié un exsudat suppuré avec des bactéries compatibles avec une péritonite septique et suspectées d'être liées à la lésion intestinale. Une laparotomie exploratoire a été réalisée et un segment de jéjunum était sévèrement resserré sur toute sa circonférence par une bande de tissu fibreux de couleur blanc-cassé. La résection et l'anastomose du segment étranglé du jéjunum et l'excision de la bande constrictive ont permis la résolution des signes cliniques. Le chien s'est complètement rétabli. L'évaluation histologique a révélé que la bande était composée de tissu musculaire fibrovasculaire et lisse, compatible avec une bande congénitale anormale idiopathique. Aucune autre lésion gastro-intestinale n'a été observée, ni grossièrement à la chirurgie ni histologiquement dans le segment réséqué de l'intestin. A notre connaissance, une structure similaire n'a pas été rapportée dans la littérature vétérinaire.Message clinique clé :Les anomalies du développement doivent être incluses dans la liste différentielle des patients plus jeunes présentant des signes évoquant une occlusion gastro-intestinale.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Werewolf, There Wolf: Variants in Hairless Associated with Hypotrichia and Roaning in the Lykoi Cat Breed.

A variety of cat breeds have been developed via novelty selection on aesthetic, dermatological traits, such as coat colors and fur types. A recently developed breed, the lykoi (a.k.a. werewolf cat), was bred from cats with a sparse hair coat with roaning, implying full color and all white hairs. The lykoi phenotype is a form of hypotrichia, presenting as a significant reduction in the average numbers of follicles per hair follicle group as compared to domestic shorthair cats, a mild to severe perifollicular to mural lymphocytic infiltration in 77% of observed hair follicle groups, and the follicles are often miniaturized, dilated, and dysplastic. Whole genome sequencing was conducted on a single lykoi cat that was a cross between two independently ascertained lineages. Comparison to the 99 Lives dataset of 194 non-lykoi cats suggested two variants in the cat homolog for Hairless (HR) (HR lysine demethylase and nuclear receptor corepressor) as candidate causal gene variants. The lykoi cat was a compound heterozygote for two loss of function variants in HR, an exon 3 c.1255_1256dupGT (chrB1:36040783), which should produce a stop codon at amino acid 420 (p.Gln420Serfs*100) and, an exon 18 c.3389insGACA (chrB1:36051555), which should produce a stop codon at amino acid position 1130 (p.Ser1130Argfs*29). Ascertainment of 14 additional cats from founder lineages from Canada, France and different areas of the USA identified four additional loss of function HR variants likely causing the highly similar phenotypic hair coat across the diverse cats. The novel variants in HR for cat hypotrichia can now be established between minor differences in the phenotypic presentations.