Challenging diagnosis and successful treatment of localised Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis glossitis in a dog on long-term immunomodulatory therapy.

CASE HISTORY: A 3-year-old, intact female mixed-breed dog, weighing 7 kg, was presented with generalised swelling of the tongue, leading to impaired deglutition and episodes of dyspnoea. From the age of 2 years, the dog had been under immunosuppressive therapy due to atopic dermatitis. CLINICAL FINDINGS AND TREATMENT: Multiple nodular lesions at the apex of the tongue were noted as well as mandibular and retropharyngeal lymph node enlargement. Serum biochemistry results showed inflammatory changes. The results of several biopsies taken over 7 months indicated persistent pyogranulomatous and necrotising glossitis despite ongoing antimicrobial treatment, first with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and then pradofloxacin. No foreign material, acid-fast bacteria or fungal hyphae were detected throughout. The final diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (Mah) was reached after PCR and bacterial culture were carried out on the third biopsy sample. Therapy was initiated with rifampicin, clarithromycin and doxycycline, leading to complete remission of the lesions. DIAGNOSIS: Severe chronic pyogranulomatous and necrotising glossitis associated with infection by Mah. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This report describes challenges in the diagnosis and therapy of a localised Mah infection in an iatrogenically immunocompromised dog. Successful treatment was only achieved with a specific combination of antibiotics administered long-term. ABBREVIATIONS: AF: Acid-fast; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; CT: Computed tomography; MAC: Mycobacterium avium complex; Mah: Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis.

Retrospective evaluation of surgical technique, complications and long-term outcome of lateral and medial humeral condylar fractures in 80 dogs.

CASE HISTORY: Medical records from a single veterinary teaching hospital in Giessen, Germany were retrospectively reviewed for dogs presenting with medial or lateral humeral condylar fractures (HCF) between 2007 and 2019. Data regarding surgical technique and complications were collected from the medical records. These were supplemented through information obtained from telephone interviews with referral veterinarians and from an owner questionnaire completed ≥12 months after surgical repair, which also provided data regarding the outcome. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Eighty dogs with 85 HCF were identified: 13 (15.3%) HCF were medial (bilateral in two dogs) and 72 (84.7%) were lateral (bilateral in three dogs). French Bulldogs (n = 19/80; 23.8%) were most commonly affected. Patients were predominantly skeletally immature and light-weight, with a median age at the time of presentation of 3 (min 2, max 118) months and with a median body weight of 6.4 (min 1, max 46) kg. There were 38 female (47.5%) and 42 male (52.5%) dogs. Fractures developed most frequently secondary to minor trauma (67/77; 87.0%). Dogs were presented in 35/84 (41.7%) cases more than 24 hours after fracture occurrence. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Surgical treatment was performed in 80/85 (94.1%) HCF. An open reduction and internal fixation approach was chosen in all cases. A transcondylar screw (TS) combined with a supracondylar (SC) K-wire (67/80; 83.8%) was the most frequently used fixation technique. Considering all fracture fixation methods, complications (26/80; 32.5%) were classed as minor in 10 (12.5%), major in 14 (17.5%) and catastrophic in two (2.5%) of the 80 surgically treated HCF. Long-term outcome was excellent in 68.6% (24/35 HCF) and very good in 22.9% (8/35 HCF) of the cases for which follow-up information was obtained. Additionally, owner information revealed that 85.7% of dogs (30/35 HCF) were free of lameness in the long-term. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This case series demonstrates that surgical repair of lateral and medial HCF with a TS and SC K-wire is a viable option to consider in skeletally immature and light-weight patients. Complications occur frequently after surgical fixation of HCF, but owners can expect a very good to excellent long-term outcome in the majority of cases.

Successful treatment of peritoneal nocardiosis caused by Nocardia paucivorans in a dog.

CASE HISTORY: A 7-year-old neutered female Labrador Retriever from Hesse (Germany) was referred for evaluation of peritoneal nodular masses identified by the referring veterinarian during an investigation for a 2-month history of lethargy. CLINICAL FINDINGS AND TREATMENT: Ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen showed multiple cavernous nodules in the intra-abdominal fat and greater omentum surrounded by free fluid. These findings were suspicious of steatitis and fatty tissue necrosis in the cranial abdomen. Cytologic and microbiological analysis of fine-needle aspirates of the fatty tissue and abdominal fluid revealed septic pyogranulomatous inflammation caused by Nocardia paucivorans. The septic abdomen indicated surgical management was appropriate and a celiotomy was performed, which revealed an inflammed mass attached by fibrous tissue to the spleen, stomach and liver. All abnormal tissue including parts of the greater omentum and the spleen, were removed and samples taken for histopathology and microbial culture. Following surgery, the dog was treated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. After initially improving, the dog's condition deteriorated 3 months later. Based on ultrasonographic and cytologic findings, and bacterial culture, recurrence of peritoneal nocardiosis was confirmed. In a second celiotomy, multiple inflammatory mass lesions inflammed masses in the remaining greater omentum were removed. After surgery, antimicrobial therapy was changed to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for a 10-month period. No recurrence of clinical signs was reported 6, 12 and 27 months after the initial surgery. DIAGNOSIS: Peritonitis caused by Nocardia paucivorans. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To our knowledge, this is the first published report of canine infection with Nocardia paucivorans and the first case of peritoneal nocardiosis successfully treated in a dog. This report indicates that reducing the microbial burden by surgical debridement of affected tissues and peritoneal lavage followed by long-term treatment with a suitable antimicrobial may be an effective treatment for peritoneal nocardiosis in dogs.

[Canine peritoneal larval cestodosis caused by Mesocestoides spp. larval stages]. / Kanine peritoneale larvale Zestodose durch Mesocestoides spp.

In a female dog with unspecific clinical symptoms, sonography detected a hyperechoic mass in the middle abdomen and blood analysis a middle grade systemic inflammatory reaction. Laparotomy revealed a peritoneal larval cestodosis (PLC). The diagnosis of an infection with tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides spp. was confirmed by parasitological examination and molecularbiological analysis. Reduction of the intra-abdominal parasitic load as well as a high dose administration of fenbendazole over 3 months led to a successful treatment which could be documented sonographically and by decreased concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP). Seven months after discontinuation of fenbendazole administration, PLC recurred, pre-empted by an elevation of serum CRP values. According to the literature a life-long fenbendazole treatment was initiated. In cases of unclear chronic granulomatous inflammations in the abdominal cavity in dogs, PLC should be considered. CRP concentration and sonographic examinations are suitable to control for treatment success and a possibly occurring relapse.