Laryngeal silicone stent as a treatment option for laryngeal paralysis in dogs: a preliminary study of 6 cases.

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal paralysis is a common idiopathic degenerative neurological disease in older medium-to-large breed dogs, with surgical correction of the obstruction being the treatment of choice. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the use of laryngeal silicone stents to treat canine laryngeal paralysis in dogs where classic surgical treatment was not accepted by the owners. METHODS: Dogs diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis, for which the owners refused arytenoid lateralization surgery as a first-line treatment, were treated with laryngeal silicone stents. RESULTS: Six dogs with bilateral laryngeal paralysis were included in the study. All dogs showed improvement in clinical signs immediately after the procedure. No clinical signs or radiographic changes were noted in four out of six dogs in the follow-up visit performed 1 wk later. One dog was suspected of aspirating water while drinking, but the signs disappeared after repositioning the stent. Another dog had a relapse of stridor due to caudal migration of the stent. This dog underwent arytenoid lateralization surgery because larger stents are not commercially available. At the time of writing, between seven and 13 mon after stent placement, no significant incidents have occurred in four dogs, and all owners report a satisfactory quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Laryngeal silicone stenting is an interesting alternative for treating dogs with acquired laryngeal paralysis when the owners refuse classic arytenoid lateralization surgery. Furthermore, stent placement can be a temporary solution to stabilize these dogs until a permanent surgical treatment can be performed.

Autologous blood patch pleurodesis treatment for persistent pneumothorax: A case series of five dogs (2016-2020).

Background: Autologous blood patch pleurodesis (ABP) has been described as a treatment for persistent pneumothorax in the dogs and among humans. Although the treatment of persistent or recurring spontaneous pneumothorax is classically surgical, it cannot always be performed due to medical or financial constraints. This case series describes the clinical course, etiology, and outcome of five dogs with persistent pneumothorax treated with ABP. Case Description: Five client-owned dogs with persistent pneumothorax are presented. Two dogs had pneumothorax due to congenital pulmonary bullae, one due to thoracic trauma, another due to lungworm infection, and a fifth with unknown cause in the context of a relapsing subcutaneous haemangiosarcoma. Around 5 ml/kg of non-coagulated blood was aseptically collected from the jugular vein and injected via a thoracotomy tube immediately into the pleural cavity of dogs with persistent pneumothorax. The procedure was successful in four out of five dogs after one procedure, therefore a success rate of 80%. A repeat of the pleurodesis was attempted in the fifth dog, 12 hours after the first injection due to the recollection of the pneumothorax. Still, the dog died during anesthesia in preparation for the procedure. No complications that could be directly linked to ABP occurred. Conclusion: ABP is a simple, rapid, inexpensive, effective, and safe procedure that can be useful for treating persistent pneumothorax that does not respond to conservative treatment and where surgical exploration cannot be carried out. Pneumothorax secondary due to trauma and congenital pulmonary bullae seem to respond well to ABP.