Pyogranulomatous swellings in the submandibular region of the dog, caused by Actinomyces spp.

Seven dogs with actinomycotic submandibular abscess, probably caused by penetrating wounds in the oral cavity, are described. Antibiotic treatment alone, or in combination with paracentesis, failed in all cases. Recurrences and dissemination were avoided in five of the seven cases by complete removal of the abscess, long-term drainage, flushing with 1% Polyvidon iodine and long-term antibiotic treatment. The main difficulty was a poorly defined margin of the abscess; this made complete removal impossible in three cases. In two of these there were recurrences, but in the third there was complete healing after the second treatment.

[Developments in veterinary medicine and possible impact on veterinary practice and education]. / De ontwikkelingen in de diergeneeskunde en de mogelijke gevolgen voor de beroepsuitoefening en de opleiding.

What are the recent developments in the various fields of the veterinary profession and which adjustments in veterinary medicine are required for successful anticipation to these new conditions? Efforts are made to answer these questions from the point of view of each of the authors' professional disciplines. The authors all specialised in different fields of veterinary medicine. The present paper is a summary of each of the authors' editorial contributions on this subject as published in Fakulteitsnieuws (magazine of the Utrecht Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) in 1984 and 1985. Veterinary practice is found to be developing into two main directions: (i) veterinary medicine of pet animals which concentrates on the individual diseased animal and (ii) veterinary medicine of farm animals in which herd health control and preventive medicine are increasingly emphasized. In addition, industry has an increasing need for veterinarians having a specific veterinary pathobiological background. Optimum veterinary care requires veterinarians increasingly to concentrate on one of these (sub)disciplines. This implies that, in veterinary training, students should be afforded ample opportunity to achieve depth in the areas of personal interest. This is made possible by ensuring further differentiation in the veterinary curriculum and by setting up an intensive system of post-graduate education.

Giant cell astrocytoma of the retina in tuberous sclerosis.

The clinical and pathologic features of an unusual retinal glioma that was the only clinically overt manifestation of tuberous sclerosis in a 27-year-old woman are reported. The tumor was composed predominantly of large pleomorphic cells with glassy eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunologic staining yielded positive results for gamma enolase, but not for glial fibrillary acid protein. The histologic and immunopathologic features of this tumor were essentially identical to the subependymal giant cell astrocytoma found in tuberous sclerosis. This case illustrates the large overlap in dysplastic astrocytic and neuronal differentiation that can occur in the retina of patients with tuberous sclerosis. Giant cell astrocytoma of the retina can be mistaken for a malignant tumor histologically by persons unfamiliar with this entity.

The EOG and choroidal malignant melanomas.

Fifty-four patients with a unilateral pigmented choroidal lesion were studied with electrooculography (EOG). Eighteen of 21 patients with histologically proven (13) or presumed (8) malignant tumors of the choroid had light peak-dark trough ratios (L/D) less than or equal to 150. Seventeen of 21 patients in the malignant group had an interocular L/D difference (L/Dd) greater than or equal to 23%, whereas only one of 33 patients with nevi or a condition simulating a nevus had a percent difference of such magnitude. Combining the L/D and L/Dd criteria resulted in a 98% accurate double-blind prediction of the final clinical/pathological results. The EOG is an objective, noninvasive test useful in the diagnosis of choroidal malignant melanomas.