Hypocobalaminaemia as a cause of bone marrow failure and pancytopenia in a cat.

CASE REPORT: A male Domestic Short-hair cat was presented for chronic weight loss, lethargy and hyporexia. Complete haematological examination revealed non-regenerative anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, as well as Howell-Jolly bodies, anisocytosis, polychromasia and macrocytosis on blood smear evaluation. Histopathological evaluation of bone marrow biopsy disclosed hypocellularity consistent with bone marrow failure. Concurrent hypocobalaminaemia was identified and treated with parenteral cyanocobalamin supplementation. Other differential diagnoses for pancytopenia, including infectious, toxic, immune-mediated and neoplastic causes, were ruled out. CONCLUSION: The cat's erythrocyte, leucocyte and platelet counts normalised after 2 months of cyanocobalamin supplementation, suggesting that pancytopenia may be a rare manifestation of feline cobalamin deficiency.

The use of disposable skin staples for intestinal resection and anastomosis in 63 dogs: 2000 to 2014.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of disposable skin staples for intestinal resection and anastomosis in dogs and report associated dehiscence and mortality rates. METHODS: Retrospective evaluation of medical records of dogs that underwent intestinal resection and anastomosis using disposable skin staples between 2000 and 2014. Data regarding patient signalment, indication for surgery, location of the resection and anastomosis, number of procedures performed, evidence of peritonitis at the time of surgery, surgeon qualifications, dehiscence, and mortality were obtained from the medical records. Mortality was defined as failure to survive beyond 10 days following resection and anastomosis. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate of patients undergoing intestinal resection and anastomosis was 12·7% (8/63). The most common indication for resection and anastomosis was neoplasia (20/63 [31·7%]), followed by foreign body removal (19/63 [30·2%]). The overall dehiscence rate was 4·8% (3/63). No difference in mortality associated with indication for surgery, whether multiple procedures were performed, surgeon qualifications, or evidence of peritonitis at the time of surgery was identified. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In this retrospective study, the overall mortality and dehiscence rates using disposable skin staples were similar to previously reported outcomes following resection and anastomosis.