Ureteral sarcoma in a dog.

A ureteral sarcoma was diagnosed in a nine-year-old Weimaraner dog with gross haematuria, severe unilateral hydronephrosis, and hydroureter. Treatment consisted of unilateral nephrectomy and ureterectomy. This case was compared with 14 other ureteral tumours reported in the veterinary literature. Only three previous reports concerned a malignant ureteral tumour. Urinary tract neoplasms mainly involve the bladder and the kidney, and more rarely the urethra. The purpose of this paper is to report a rare case of malignant ureteral tumour in a dog.

Persistent left cranial vena cava causing oesophageal obstruction and consequent megaoesophagus in a dog.

A 2-month-old Brittany spaniel dog was presented for persistent regurgitation, first observed soon after weaning. Clinical examination and diagnostic imaging suggested megaoesophagus associated with a vascular ring anomaly. The normal location of the trachea on the X-ray was not consistent with a persistent right aortic arch. Post-mortem examination revealed a persistent left cranial vena cava that formed a non-elastic fibrous band enclosing the oesophagus and trachea, and causing constriction of the oesophagus. This uncommon congenital vascular defect has never previously been associated with megaoesophagus in the dog.

Changes in anion permeability following hypotonic challenge in rat brain endothelial cells: different responses in primary cultures and in immortalised RBE4 cells.

Hypotonicity-induced anion permeability changes were investigated but not detected in immortalised (RBE4) rat brain endothelial cells using iodide efflux measurements. Large, rapid increases were however observed in primary cultured cells. Both cell types were reinvestigated following culture in a common growth factor-depleted medium. Responses were still undetectable in the immortalised RBE4 cells. Reduced responses were observed in the primary cultured cells that also showed altered morphology and decreased activity of another transporter, P-glycoprotein. Thus both immortalisation and different culture conditions may alter functional expression in these cells of transporters involved in hypotonicity-induced anion permeability changes.

Assessment of a blood preservation protocol for use in ferrets before transfusion.

Blood transfusion has been described in ferrets as a treatment for oestrus-associated anaemia and as a life-saving therapy following trauma, iatrogenic (usually surgery-induced) anaemia, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and pure red cell aplasia. Although blood banking is a common method for storage of feline and canine blood it is not currently done with ferret blood. The aim of this study was to determine the shelf-life of ferret blood using the anticoagulant citrate-phosphate-dextrose-solution with adenine (CPDA). Two male ferrets were used as blood donors. From each ferret, 6 ml of blood was taken from the cranial vena cava and stored in 10 ml polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blood tubes containing 1 ml of CPDA solution. Blood was taken from each ferret once per month for five months. These 10 blood samples were stored in a laboratory refrigerator at 4°C for four weeks. Biochemical (glucose, pH, lactate, potassium, sodium) and haematological (haematocrit, light microscopic blood smear examination) analyses were performed on the stored blood at days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Biochemical analyses revealed a progressive decrease from day seven in the stored blood pH, glucose and sodium, with a concomitant increase in lactate and potassium. These results are attributable to the ongoing metabolism and deterioration of the red blood cells (RBC) while in storage, and are more rapid than described for human or canine stored blood. Haematological analyses revealed a progressive elevation of the haematocrit due to the appearance of hypochromic red blood cells and echinocytes beginning at day 7. Haemolysis was observed in the microhaematocrit capillary tube sample by day 21, and microscopic clots were visible on the blood smear by day 28. The low blood pH and the appearance of many hypochromic RBCs and some echinocytes from day 7 in CPDA-stored ferret blood, suggest stored ferret blood has a short shelf-life when compared with stored human or canine blood. We recommend that ferret blood stored in CPDA should not be used for transfusion after seven days of storage at 4°C.