Radiographic Diagnosis of Hip Laxity in Rottweilers: Interobserver Agreement at Eight- and Twelve-Months of Age.

Hip laxity is one of the predisposing factors of canine hip dysplasia. The early diagnosis of hip laxity allows veterinarians to prevent the participation of dysplastic dogs in breeding programs, which could lower the disease's prevalence due to its genetic background. Furthermore, it allows them to plan preventive/therapeutic procedures for mild/near-normal hips to reduce the symptoms of the disease at older ages. A reliable screening program must be repeatable and reproducible, and intra- and inter-observer studies can help us to determine the best methods. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the radiographic parameters used for the early diagnosis of hip dysplasia in Rottweilers at 8 and 12 months of age with five observers to assess the interobserver agreements. According to our findings, there were high interobserver agreements at both ages for the quantitative values, such as the center edge angle (CEA), dorsal acetabular rim slope (DARS), distraction index (DI), and Norberg angle (NA), whereas we recorded from poor to moderate agreements for the qualitative values, such as the grading of the dorsal acetabular rim (GDAR), grading of the degenerative joint disease (GDJD), location of the center of the femoral head (LCFH), and sclerosis of the cranial acetabular rim (SCAR).

Cystic endometrial hyperplasia and uterine adenocarcinoma in two miniature pigs.

Due to the increasing popularity of minipigs as pets, the frequency of presentation to the veterinarian is increasing as well. In addition to routine measures such as claw trimming, vaccination and antiparasitic treatment, diagnostics, and therapy of diseased minipigs are also common activities in the veterinary practice. In recent years, we have noticed more and more pathological changes of the female genital tract of uncastrated minipigs. There are also some case reports available in the international literature in this regard. The following case report describes the diagnostic procedures and ovariohysterectomies of 2 13-year-old female minipigs in detail. In these cases, uterine adenocarcinoma, and uterine carcinoma, respectively, combined with cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) of the endometrium were diagnosed.

Inter-Observer Agreement in Radiographic Diagnosis of Coxofemoral Joint Disease in a Closed Cohort of Four-Month-Old Rottweilers.

Canine hip dysplasia is a complex and multifactorial disease. The early diagnosis of dysplastic dogs under one year of age helps veterinarians to plan proper preventive/therapeutic methods. Having an accurate screening method increases the chance of the early detection of dysplasia. The goal of our study was to assess the inter-observer reliability of eight radiographic parameters in four-month-old Rottweilers. Radiographs of the 28 Rottweilers were investigated by five experienced observers. The radiographs were taken in ventrodorsal view with extended legs, frog-leg ventrodorsal view, distraction view, and dorsal acetabular rim view. Four quantitative parameters such as Norberg angle (NA), distraction index (DI), dorsal acetabular rim slope (DARS), and center edge angle (CEA) and four qualitative parameters such as sclerosis of the cranial acetabular rim (SCAR), location of the center of the femoral head (LCFH), grading of the degenerative joint disease (GDJD), and grading of the dorsal acetabular rim (GDAR) were evaluated. High inter-observer agreements were recorded for quantitative values, whereas the inter-observer agreement of the qualitative parameters was low. It can be deduced that the evaluated quantitative parameters are reliable, and a combination of these methods with clinical examinations might increase the accuracy of the examinations.

The Amphibian Heart.

Currently, there are more than 8200 amphibian species described, including the orders Anura (frogs and toads), Caudata (salamanders and newts) and Gymnophiona (caecilians). Amphibians have 3 heart chambers: 2 atria and 1 ventricle. Their heart anatomy, histology, and physiology are reviewed. The basic morphology of the heart is similar in all amphibians with some differences due to their lifestyle. Blood flow, blood mixing, and blood oxygenation show variation due to interindividual and interspecific differences. Finally, different diagnostic methods to investigate the amphibian heart are described and reported amphibian heart diseases are summarized, including genetic, congenital, infectious, and neoplastic heart diseases.

Bilateral cholesterol granulomas in the middle ear cavities of a cat with sinonasal disease successfully removed via video-otoscopy.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 9-year-old spayed female Maine Coon cat was presented at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna for further investigation of chronic nonpruritic bilateral ear disease and unilateral Horner syndrome. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Physical examination and otoscopy findings included right sided Horner syndrome, a right head tilt of approximately 20° and a small pink nodule in the right and several smaller nodules in the left proximal horizontal external ear canal. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed soft tissue opacity material in both middle ear cavities, the caudal portion of the nasal cavity, the left nasopharyngeal meatus and the right frontal sinus. Via videootoscopy, 2 multilobular and several flat nodules were detected in the proximal right horizontal external ear canal and in the left tympanic bulla, respectively. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cholesterol granulomas. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: All otic cholesterol granulomas (CGs) were removed via video-otoscopy (VO), and topical treatment was initiated in addition to oral prednisolone. After the histopathological confirmation, negative microbial cultures from the middle ear cavities, and the remission of the symptoms by the first recheck, topical, and systemic treatment were discontinued. A follow-up 6 months later, did not reveal any recurrence of the CGs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To our knowledge, this is the first case of bilateral CGs diagnosed with a combination of CT, MRI, VO, and histopathology and removed minimal invasively via VO, without a need for ventral bulla osteotomy, which led to complete remission of all signs and no relapse until the follow up 6 months later.

Center of pressure and ground reaction forces in Labrador and Golden Retrievers with and without hip dysplasia at 4, 8, and 12 months of age.

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a common orthopedic disease. Owing to the importance of CHD in affected dogs, both clinically and for their use in breeding or work, increasing attention is being given to early diagnosis. Therefore, early clinical and radiological examination of young animals is increasingly in demand, whereas common CHD screening according to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is usually performed at the age of 12 months or even older in Europe. One way to objectively evaluate gait pattern is to measure the ground reaction forces (GRFs) and center of pressure (COP). In this study, we used a pressure plate to evaluate the GRF and COP parameters for 32 Labrador Retrievers and 17 Golden Retrievers at 4, 8, and 12 months of age. The dogs also underwent radiological examination of the hip joints following the FCI rules at the age of at least 12 months, which were grouped as sound (FCI grade A or B) and diseased (FCI grade C or worse). The results revealed significantly higher COP values in both breeds in the diseased limb groups at any measurement point during walking, with the most pronounced results obtained at 8 months of age. Furthermore, COP values during walking were significantly higher at 4 months than at 8 and 12 months in both the sound and diseased limb groups, indicating an increased stability of the gait pattern. Except for COP-Speed, the values of all COP parameters were higher during walking than during trotting at 4 months of age (i.e., COP-Speed was higher when trotting), indicating that the 4-beat gait in walk is more difficult to control for puppies than the 2-beat gait in trot. Overall, our results support the early evaluation of CHD in growing animals using non-invasive methods.

Early Diagnosis of Canine Hip Laxity: Correlation between Clinical Orthopedic Examinations and the FCI Scoring Method in a Closed Cohort of Rottweilers.

Canine hip dysplasia is a multifactorial disorder characterized by hip laxity and osteoarthritis. The early diagnosis of hip laxity is an important topic in small animal orthopedics. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between clinical orthopedic examinations and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) scoring method. Thirty purebred Rottweilers were examined at approximately four (20 ± 2 weeks), eight (35 ± 2 weeks), and twelve months of age (54 ± 1 weeks), respectively. The Ortolani, Barlow, and Bardens tests and reduction/subluxation angle measurements were performed at each time. FCI scoring was conducted at the third examination time. Positive correlations were recorded between the reduction angle and Ortolani test, reduction angle and FCI score, and Ortolani test and FCI score for the second and third examination dates. No correlation was observed between the subluxation angle and other methods. Despite previous studies reporting 16-20 weeks as the earliest age for diagnosing hip laxity in dogs, in our study, early diagnosis was possible from the age of 35 ± 2 weeks. This difference might originate from the small sample size, low number of the dogs with severe grades of laxity, and breed differences.

Measurement of ground reaction forces in cats 1 year after femoral head and neck ostectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare ground reaction forces (GRFs) of a group of cats after femoral head and neck ostectomy (FHO) with those of a historical control group. METHODS: We searched the database of the Small Animal Clinic of the Veterinary University in Vienna for cats that had undergone unilateral FHO at least 1 year previously. Owners were telephoned and invited to the clinic with their cats for a re-examination. An in-house owner questionnaire-based evaluation, complete orthopaedic examination, hip radiography and gait analysis with a pressure-sensitive plate were performed, and results were compared within and between groups (FHO group and control group [CG]). RESULTS: Seventeen cats that had undergone FHO (FHO group) at least 1 year previously and 15 healthy cats (CG) from a previous study were included. Measured GRFs (peak vertical force and vertical impulse [IFz] normalised to total force [%TF]) of the FHO legs were lower than those of the other legs of the FHO group and the legs of the CG. Results of the owner questionnaire were generally good and did not match the results of the GRF comparison. Furthermore, the gaits evaluated during the orthopaedic examination did not correlate with the measured GRFs where we identified a certain degree of lameness (reduced IFz, %TF) in all cats. Cats with limb shortening (dorsally displaced major trochanter major) were not revealed to have different GRF measurements. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This is the first study to assess GRFs in a large group of cats that had undergone FHO, comparing findings with those in healthy cats. Even if the differences are statistically significant, but rather small, our findings point to a long-term residual gait abnormality that could be detected using a pressure-sensitive plate but not always with an orthopaedic examination, in cats 1 year after FHO.

The slope of the pelvis is variable in dogs but does not show correlation with femoral subluxation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the variability of the slope of the pelvis in different dog breeds and the correlation between pelvic slope and femoral subluxation. The sacrum-pelvis angle (SPA), the angulation between the sacrum and the axis of the ilium was created to represent the differences in the slope of the pelvis on lateral pelvic radiographs. The Norberg angle (NA) was used to quantify the femoral subluxation on hip-extended radiographs. Archived standard ventrodorsal hip radiographs and lateral lumbosacral radiographs of the same dogs were retrieved and a single observer measured the SPA and the NA in each case. A total of 180 dogs from six different breeds were sampled. The SPA varied between 40° and 71.5° and the NA between 71.2° and 113.9°. The findings indicated that there are significant individual and interbreed variations in the slope of the pelvis. However, no significant relationship between the slope of the pelvis and femoral subluxation could be identified.

Reproductive tract diseases in female backyard chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) - diagnostic imaging and final outcome during a decade.

OBJECTIVE: Female reproductive tract disorders are common conditions of backyard poultry with an increasing demand for individual veterinary care. However, only limited case reports are available on diagnostic workup and outcomes of individual cases. This study aims at giving an overview of usually presented reproductive tract disorders, comparing diagnostic imaging findings with final diagnoses, and summarizing the outcome of the respective diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The digital medical records archive of the University for Veterinary Medicine in Vienna was searched for chickens that were finally diagnosed with diseases of the reproductive tract, including all patients from May 1st, 2009 to May 31st, 2019. Information such as patient age, medical history, results of diagnostic imaging, final confirmed diagnosis, outcome, surgical protocol and necropsy findings was extracted. RESULTS: Finally confirmed reproductive tract diseases were found in 57 of 315 female chickens. The most common conditions were egg-related coelomitis along with salpingitis or impacted salpinx (25/57), followed by ovarian or oviductal neoplasia (17/57). Clinical findings were unspecific in the majority of cases, but most conspicuous were chickens presented with a distended coelomic cavity and apathy. Coelomic ultrasonography as well as computed tomography proved to be valuable tools for distinguishing between the respective conditions. However, ultrasonography alone mainly failed (10/11) to differentiate between ovary or oviductal neoplasia and egg-related coelomitis with salpingitis or impacted salpinx, respectively. Computed tomography was perceived as a superior tool for final diagnosis. In total 6/6 CT-scans correctly made a definitive diagnosis. Nevertheless, accurate diagnosis was only possible after celiotomy with the necessity of consecutive surgery for most of the reported cases. As an overall outcome 34 of 57 patients were either euthanised or died, whereas only 23 chickens could be successfully treated and discharged. Several hens were reported to be doing well at home, according to regular check-up procedures within 4 years post-surgery. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Diagnostic work-up and treatment of hens with reproductive tract diseases can be challenging. Clinical presentation and diagnostic imaging provide important information, still celiotomy is often required for final diagnosis. The condition of the chickens is usually serious. Within our study, 40 % of the hens could be treated successfully. Therefore, a realistic assessment of each individual case and clarification for the owners are important.

Comparison of ground reaction force measurements in a population of Domestic Shorthair and Maine Coon cats.

Current research on gait analysis mostly involves horses and dogs. Feline kinetics and kinematics are being investigated and receiving more clinical interest at present. Ground reaction forces measured on pressure-sensitive mattresses have been established in healthy Domestic Shorthair cats (DSH). Currently, no further information exists on either breed-specific measured gait reaction forces or comparisons among breeds. Because Maine Coon (MC) cats appear to be over-represented with orthopaedic diseases of the hind limb (hip dysplasia, patellar luxation), we evaluated ground reaction force GRF measurements in MC cats and compared them with those of DSH cats. Pre-evaluation radiological and clinical exams determined that the cats were not lame. The parameters evaluated were peak vertical force (PFz), vertical impulse (IFz), time to PFz (TPFz), step length (SL), paw contact area (PCA), stance phase duration (SPD) and symmetry index (SI) for the fore- and hind limbs. In both breeds, PFz and IFz were greater in forelimbs than in hind limbs. The PFz and IFz in Newtons were higher in the MC cats compared to the DSH cats, but not after normalisation for total force (%TF) and body mass (%BM). Furthermore, due to their body conformation, MC cats have a longer SL, larger PCA, and higher body weight than DSH cats. No other parameters differed significantly, except that the TPFz displayed an earlier value in the MC hind limbs. Measured symmetry indices were similar to those reported in dogs and did not differ between breeds. This is the first study to report GRF values and temporospatial parameters in a healthy MC cat population. However, our results could not confirm differences between normalized PFz and IFz and temporospatial parameters between the breeds. The authors therefore conclude that genetic or other causes may be involved in orthopaedic hind limb pathogenesis seen in MC cats more often than in other breeds.

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS-RADIOGRAPHY AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF RADIOULNAR ISCHEMIC NECROSIS IN A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER.

A 7-year-old Jack Russell Terrier with a history of minor trauma was presented for lameness of the left forelimb. Radiography and computed tomography demonstrated a localized radioulnar osteolytic lesion with cortical bone loss and enthesiophytes. Based on results of diagnostic imaging and histopathological examination, the final diagnosis was radioulnar ischemic necrosis (RUIN), complicated by pathologic fracture. A rare disorder of unknown etiology, RUIN may be secondary to tearing of the interosseous ligament and potential ischemia. It should be differentiated from neoplastic or fungal disease. To the authors´ knowledge, this is the first canine case report describing RUIN.

Computed tomography of coxofemoral injury in five mute swans (Cygnus olor).

Five mute swans (Cygnus olor) were presented with inability to stand or with abnormal positioning of a leg. Clinical examinations indicated the possibility of femoral fractures or coxofemoral luxations. The suspected diagnosis was proven by means of computed tomography (CT), while superimposition of gastrointestinal contents or other artefacts limited radiographic diagnosis in three birds. A typical CT sign for lesions of the coxofemoral joint apart from femoral displacement was haemorrhage within the pelvic bones (especially around the acetabulum), found in four of the five birds. Small femoral head avulsion fractures could be detected only with CT.

Diagnostic imaging of a renal adenoma in a Red Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus Cuvier, 1829).

This case report describes the radiographic, ultrasonographic and computed tomographic (CT) examination of an abdominal swelling in a Red Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus Cuvier, 1829). While radiography only demonstrated caudoventral compression of the swimbladder, ultrasonography found a huge tumor-like parenchyma in the caudal abdomen. CT studies detected a possible connection between the tumor and the kidneys. Necropsy and pathohistology were performed. A papillary-cystic adenoma of the kidney was diagnosed.