Metastasized Leydig cell tumor in a dog.

We present the clinical findings, diagnosis and treatment of an 11-year old intact male Fox Terrier with a malignant Leydig cell tumor of the right testicle, which metastasized to the skeletal musculature of the left hind limb. The primary tumor and the metastasis were resected with narrow margins. The dog was treated with metronomic chemotherapy using thalidomid and dyclophosphamide. Local recurrence at the site of the metastasis and a pulmonary metastasis were present 30 months after surgery. The dog was euthanized.

Repair of a canine patellar ligament rupture using the ComPact UniLock 2.4/3.0 mm System.

An 11-year old, female, Mix Breed dog was presented after being hit by a car with a rupture of the left patellar ligament. Due to a suspected wound infection close to the stifle joint, surgical repair was delayed for 10 days. The ruptured ligament was sutured and augmented with fascia lata. Additionally, two ComPact UniLock 2.4/3.0 mm plates connected with 1.0 mm orthopaedic wire were used to protect the primary repair. No immobilization of the stifle joint was needed. The implants were removed after 7 weeks, because of suspected infection and loosening. The successful utilization of an alternative surgical technique for the repair of the patellar ligament rupture in the dog has also been documented by pre- and post-operative temporal-spatial gait analysis (GaitFour®).

Fracture of the anconeal process in two cats.

Two adult Domestic Shorthaired cats were presented with acute forelimb lameness. In one case, there was a history of trauma. A fracture of the anconeal process was diagnosed on the flexed mediolateral radiographs of the elbow in both cats. The fracture was accompanied by a bony avulsion of the tricipital tendon in one animal. Both cats underwent surgical removal of the fractured anconeal process. Follow-up radiographic evaluation was available for one cat six months after treatment; radiographs showed evidence of osteoarthritis. The long-term clinical outcome, based on owner telephone follow-up conducted four and nine years postoperatively, was considered to be satisfactory.

Revision of an unstable HELICA endoprosthesis with a Zurich cementless total hip replacement.

A six-year-old, female, spayed Labrador Retriever was evaluated for progressive lameness of one year duration, ending in non-weight-bearing of the right hindlimb. The dog had a history of severe coxarthrosis of both hip joints, and had a HELICA hip prosthesis implanted in the right hip 18 months before. On survey radiographs, the acetabular and femoral components appeared unstable, with a large void in the proximal femur and a lacy periosteal reaction on the trochanter. Arthrocentesis was performed to rule out septic loosening. As culture samples were negative, the dog underwent surgery. We report the successful revision of an unstable HELICA screw hip prosthesis with a Zurich cementless total hip replacement. The patient had a good clinical and radiological outcome seven months postoperatively.

Treatment of tibial fractures with plates using minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis in dogs and cats.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the here described case series was to develop and evaluate the minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis for the plate fixation of tibial fractures in dogs and cats. METHODS: Six dogs and four cats with shaft fractures of the tibia were treated using minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis. Follow-up radiographs four to six weeks after fracture fixation were evaluated for fracture healing. For the long-term follow-up (minimum 2.4 years), owners were contacted by phone to complete a questionnaire. RESULTS: All fractures healed without the need for a second procedure. Follow-up radiographs obtained after four to six weeks in seven cases showed advanced bony healing with callus formation and filling of the fracture gaps with calcified tissue in all seven. All the patients had a good to excellent long-term result with full limb function. The time needed for regaining full limb use was two to three months. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Minimally invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis seems to be a useful technique for the treatment of tibial shaft fractures in dogs and cats.

Measurements of C-reactive protein in serum and lactate dehydrogenase in serum and synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis.

Diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) is based upon the clinical orthopaedic examination and the radiographic assessment, both of which can be non-specific and insensitive in early joint disease. The aim of our study was to investigate if there is an increase in serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in degenerative joint disease (DJD) and if CRP could be used to help diagnose OA. We also wished to investigate whether it was possible to distinguish a joint with clinically and radiographically confirmed OA from a healthy joint by comparing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels within the synovial fluid and the serum. We have shown a difference in synovial LDH levels between diseased and healthy joints (P<0.0001). There was also a significant difference between LDH in arthritic synovial fluid and serum, with no correlation between the values. Despite the fact that the values of our clinical patients tended to be higher than the values of our control group (P=0.05) all measured values were within the normal limits of previous publications. From these data, we conclude that single measurements of serum CRP do not permit detection of OA in clinical patients and that serum LDH is not a reliable marker for osteoarthritis. LDH levels in the synovial fluid could be of diagnostic value for identifying osteoarthritis.

Enhancement of bone healing using non-glycosylated rhBMP-2 released from a fibrin matrix in dogs and cats.

OBJECTIVES: To test a non-glycosylated recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (ngly-rhBMP-2)/fibrin composite, which has been shown experimentally to enhance healing of bone defects in rodents, in a clinical case series of dogs and cats undergoing treatment for fracture non-unions and arthrodesis. METHODS: A ngly-rhBMP-2/fibrin composite was applied in 41 sites in 38 dogs and cats for which a cancellous bone autograft was indicated, replacing the graft. RESULTS: Bridging of the bone defect with functional bone healing was achieved in 90 per cent of the arthrodesis and fracture nonunions treated in this manner. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This prospective clinical study demonstrates the beneficial effects of ngly-rhBMP-2 in a specially designed fibrin matrix on the treatment of bone defects, and validates the use of this composite as an alternative to bone autografts in dogs and cats.

[Detection of infection with classical swine fever virus in wild boar: a comparison of different laboratory diagnostic methods]. / Nachweis der Infektion mit dem Virus der Klassischen Schweinepest bei Schwarzwild: ein Vergleich verschiedener labordiagnostischer Methoden.

The aim of this study was to evaluate two commercially available ELISAs for routine diagnosis of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) in wild boar. For this, 222 tissue samples from wild boar were tested in the ELISAs and the results were compared to those obtained using standard methods. First, frozen spleen sections were examined by direct immunofluorescence, and organ suspensions were prepared and tested for CSFV antigen samples were simultaneously examined with the Chekit-ELISA (Dr. Bommeli AG) and the Herd-Chek-ELISA (IDEXX). From the 222 organ suspensions examined in cell culture 102 were positive for CSFV, while no virus could be isolated from the remaining 120 samples. Taking virus isolation as a standard, the Chekit-ELISAs showed a sensitivity of 97%, and the Herd-Chek-ELISA of 72.5%. Both ELISAs revealed high specificities ranging between 99 and 100%. No correlation was found between false negative results obtained in one or in both of the ELISAs with the positive findings in the immunofluorescence test and in the PLA, nor with the clinical reports. Due to the fact that a big number of samples can be processed in a short time with accurate results, the Chekit-ELISA may be considered useful for routine testing of wild boar samples for CSFV.