Palliative repeated electroporations of oral tumours in dogs: A case series.

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a highly developed treatment for many solid tumours that provides good local control in 80% of neoplasms in dogs. ECT can be used to treat different types of tumours, particularly as an innovative approach for non-resectable masses. As reported in the literature, electroporation-based treatments are safe, simple, fast and cost-effective treatment alternatives for selected oral and maxillofacial tumours not involving the bone in dogs (e.g., small squamous cell carcinoma or malignant melanoma). In this descriptive retrospective paper, the authors describe the outcome of various types of oral tumours treated with ECT as a palliative first line treatment or as a rescue treatment in dogs with local tumour recurrence. Nineteen dogs were included and treated with at least one session of three electroporations coupled with intravenous administration of bleomycin every 21 days. Tumour size, localization, histotype, stage, recurrence, solid tumour response evaluation criteria (RECIST), local toxicity, progression free survival (PFS) and median survival time (MST) were evaluated. The small population did not allow the analysis of the ECT response by comparing different tumour types; further studies with a larger caseload are needed. However, all dogs, despite the low MST, showed a good local response to treatment with a rapid improvement in quality of life from the first ECT application; no side effects attributable to chemotherapy have been detected and toxicity due to the electroporation was minimal and well tolerated in all dogs.

Ex vivo biomechanical evaluation of polyester and polyblend suture techniques to perform equine laryngoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the use of a polyblend tape suture in equine laryngoplasty (PL). STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Thirty-two cadaveric larynges. METHODS: Each larynx was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: PL with polyblend tape suture (TigerTape), without (TT) or with a cannula (TTC) in the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage, and PL with polyester suture (Ethibond), without (EB) or with a cannula (EBC). Construct stiffness, total migration, creep, and drift values were measured after 3000 cycles. The specimens were then loaded to failure to assess their residual properties: load at failure, total energy, displacement, and 2 stiffness coefficients. RESULTS: After cyclic testing, the total migration and creep were lower in TTC (6.36 ± 1.20 mm; 1.35 ± 0.38 mm/s) than in EB (11.12 ± 4.20 mm; 3.39 ± 2.68 mm/s) and in the TT constructs (11.26 ± 1.49 mm; 3.20 ± 0.54 mm/s); however, no difference was found with EBC (9.19 ± 3.18 mm; 2.14 ± 0.99). A correlation was found between total migration and creep (R = .85). The TTC constructs failed at higher loads (129.51 ± 33.84 N) than EB (93.16 ± 18.21 N) and EBC (81.72 ± 13.26 N) whereas the EB and EBC constructs were less stiff than TT and TTC (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Biomechanical properties were generally superior for the TTC constructs tested under cyclical loading. The TT and TTC constructs failed at a higher load than EB and EBC constructs. The cannula in TTC and EBC reduced the failure at the muscular process. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These results provide evidence to support the in vivo evaluation of the polyblend tape suture with or without a cannula in the muscular process for laryngoplasty in horses.

Radiographic findings and anatomical variations of the caudal cervical area in horses with neck pain and ataxia: case-control study on 116 horses.

BACKGROUND: Abnormalities of the ventral lamina of the sixth cervical vertebra (AVL-C6) are thought to exert abnormal stress on the articular process joints (APJs) of the cervicothoracic junction. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between AVL-C6 and radiographic findings in the caudal cervical area and between clinical signs of neck pain and ataxia and radiographic findings. METHODS: Medical records of horses subjected to cervical radiography were reviewed. Horses were classified into those with neck pain (group C), those with ataxia (group A) and healthy horses (group H). Presence of AVL-C6 and increased size, dysplasia, remodelling, fragmentation and osteochondral fragment at the APJs (C5-T1) were recorded. Univariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the associations between explanatory and dependent variables. Variables with P<0.2 were included in the multivariable analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen horses were included (44 in group C, 29 in group A, 66 in group H); 24 of 116 horses had radiographic AVL-C6. Age, AVL-C6 and overall/C6-C7 increase in size remained in the final models. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of AVL-C6 and moderate/severe increase in size of the caudal cervical APJs increase the odds of showing neck pain and, if severe, ataxia.

A specific laryngeal finding in dogs with bronchial vegetal foreign bodies: a retrospective study of 63 cases.

Grass awns commonly cause respiratory disease in dogs; when located in the trachea or bronchi, they cause severe bronchial inflammation and sepsis. The interplay of cough, bronchoconstriction, and mucus secretion can result in a less effective expulsive cough phase, especially when the causal factor persists. The bronchial exudate could consequently become trapped in the upper respiratory tracts of dogs with bronchial vegetal foreign bodies. We retrospectively reviewed endoscopic findings of the upper respiratory tract in dogs that underwent bronchoscopy in our hospital and correlated these findings with the presence of bronchial grass awns. Muco-purulent exudate in the ventral larynx region, between the vocal cords and laryngeal ventricles, was frequently associated with the presence of bronchial grass awns. This laryngeal finding could be secondary to an altered response to grass awn localization in the bronchi. These results should be carefully considered, particularly in countries where grass awns are commonly found.

Diagnostic sensitivity and interobserver agreement of radiography and ultrasonography for detecting trochlear ridge osteochondrosis lesions in the equine stifle.

Osteochondrosis lesions commonly occur on the femoral trochlear ridges in horses and radiography and ultrasonography are routinely used to diagnose these lesions. However, poor correlation has been found between radiographic and arthroscopic findings of affected trochlear ridges. Interobserver agreement for ultrasonographic diagnoses and correlation between ultrasonographic and arthroscopic findings have not been previously described. Objectives of this study were to describe diagnostic sensitivity and interobserver agreement of radiography and ultrasonography for detecting and grading osteochondrosis lesions of the equine trochlear ridges, using arthroscopy as the reference standard. Twenty-two horses were sampled. Two observers independently recorded radiographic and ultrasonographic findings without knowledge of arthroscopic findings. Imaging findings were compared between observers and with arthroscopic findings. Agreement between observers was moderate to excellent (κ 0.48-0.86) for detecting lesions using radiography and good to excellent (κ 0.74-0.87) for grading lesions using radiography. Agreement between observers was good to excellent (κ 0.78-0.94) for detecting lesions using ultrasonography and very good to excellent (κ 0.86-0.93) for grading lesions using ultrasonography. Diagnostic sensitivity was 84-88% for radiography and 100% for ultrasonography. Diagnostic specificity was 89-100% for radiography and 60-82% for ultrasonography. Agreement between radiography and arthroscopy was good (κ 0.64-0.78). Agreement between ultrasonography and arthroscopy was very good to excellent (κ 0.81-0.87). Findings from this study support ultrasound as a preferred method for predicting presence and severity of osteochondrosis lesions involving the femoral trochlear ridges in horses.