Retrospective evaluation of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction for hypertrophic turbinates in dogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to retrospectively assess the effect of Radiofrequency Volumetric Tissue Reduction (RFVTR) on hypertrophic turbinates and clinical outcome in brachycephalic dogs when included in multi-level surgery (MLS). STUDY DESIGN: Clinical retrospective multicenter study. ANIMALS: 132 client-owned brachycephalic dogs. METHODS: 132 brachycephalic dogs with high-grade Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Ayndrome (BOAS) and hypertrophic turbinates were treated with RFVTR as part of MLS of the upper airways. Intranasal obstruction was evaluated by computer tomography (CT) and antero-/retrograde rhinoscopy before and 6 months after RFVTR. The clinical records, the CT images and the rhinoscopy videos were reviewed and clinical evolution was evaluated using a standardized questionnaire. The data was scored semi-quantitatively. RESULTS: In this study, 132 patients were included for a follow-up period of 120 weeks. RFVTR resulted in minor complications, including serous nasal discharge within the first postoperative week in all dogs, and intermittent nasal congestion between 3-8 weeks after treatment in 24.3% of the patients. Rhinoscopy and CT follow-ups were available for 33 patients. Six months after treatment intranasal airspace was increased (p = 0.002) and the presence and overall amount of mucosal contact points was reduced (p = 0.039). CONCLUSION: MLS with RFVTR led to a significant reduction in turbinate volume at the 6-month follow-up examination and significant clinical improvement over a long-term period of 120 weeks. This suggests the viability of RFVTR as a turbinate-preserving treatment for intranasal obstruction in dogs with BOAS. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: RFVTR is a minimally invasive turbinoplasty technique for intranasal obstruction in dogs with BOAS and can be included in MLS without increasing complication rates.

Assessment of retinal atrophy in mixed breed dogs using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and electroretinography.

The aim of the study was to characterize retinal atrophy (RA) with progressive retinal atrophy symptoms in mixed breed dogs using ophthalmoscopy, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and electroretinography (ERG).The study was performed on 13 mixed breed dogs affected by retinal atrophy (11 males and 2 females that were 1.5-14 years old). Depending on the advancement of RA, SD-OCT examinations identified retinal abnormalities ranging from layer disorganisation to advanced atrophy. The most advanced RA occurred ventral to the optic disc. Total retinal thickness in both eyes (mean ± SD) was lower in dogs with RA compared to controls dorsally (77.7 ± 39.5 µm vs 173.5 ± 13.3 µm), ventrally (33.4 ± 29.9 µm vs 139.5 ± 10.8 µm), nasally (65.0 ± 34.5 µm vs 163.9 ± 11.0 µm) and temporally (61.8 ± 41.7 µm vs 171.9 ± 11.1 µm) to the optic disc. In dogs with locally normal architecture of inner retina, loss of definition of outer retinal layers occurred in many regions. Dark and light-adapted ERGs were reduced in 2 dogs with RA and were unrecordable in 11 dogs. Lesions evident in SD-OCT scans of mixed breed dogs affected with retinal atrophy initially appear ventrally to the optic disc and ventro-dorsally in advanced RA. In all mixed breed dogs with retinal atrophy, clinical signs and SD-OCT results correlate with ERG findings.

Computed tomographic reference ranges of intrathoracic caudal vena cava ratios in sedated adult dogs without cardiac, pulmonary, or hypovolemic disease.

BACKGROUND: Radiographic assessment of the intrathoracic caudal vena cava (CVC) is commonly used to evaluate hemodynamic status in veterinary patients without and with pulmonary, pericardial, or right-sided cardiac diseases. Many of these patients are now commonly evaluated with computed tomography (CT) in both emergency and referral settings. Traditional radiographic ratios in dogs, particularly the CVC height/aorta height (CVC/Ao) ratio, are often extrapolated to CT in order to determine if the CVC is normal in size. OBJECTIVES: The first goal of this retrospective study was to create an objective measurement method to evaluate the size of the CVC via CT. The second goal was to report normal CVC ratio values in both sagittal and transverse CT images. METHODS: The traditional lateral radiographic CVC ratios were extrapolated to similar ratios obtained from sagittal CT images in stable, sedated adult canine patients without known cardiac or pulmonary disease. Additionally, new methods of canine CVC ratios using transverse CT images were defined using vessel height and area. Mean, standard deviation, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the CVC ratios in transverse and sagittal CT images were calculated to determine normal reference ranges. RESULTS: Ratio agreement from observers of different skill levels was moderate to excellent. Sagittal CT CVC/Ao mean was 1.07 ± 0.17 with a CI of 0.71.42. The mean and CI of transverse CT CVC/Ao height and area were 1.14 ± 0.27 and 0.781.44 and 1.36 ± 0.59 and 0.641.94, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Application of normal sagittal and transverse CT ratio values in canine patients with and without hypotension, pulmonary, pericardial, or right-sided cardiac diseases is necessary to determine the clinical usefulness of these ratios.

Excision of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a dog using short-wave infrared fluorescence imaging and indocyanine green.

A 7-year-old castrated male Golden Retriever weighing 36.8 kg presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital with vomiting, anorexia and depression. After blood tests, radiographic, ultrasound and computed tomography examinations, a 7.85 × 5.90 × 8.75 cm mass was identified in the caecum. To visualise the tumour margin and improve the accuracy of tumour resection, intraoperative short-wave infrared imaging using indocyanine green was performed during surgery. An indocyanine green solution was injected intravenously as a bolus of 5 mg/kg 24 h before surgery. Tumour resection was performed with a 0.5 cm margin from the fluorescent-marked tissues. Histopathological examination revealed a diagnosis of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) and the absence of neoplastic cells in the surgical margin, indicating a successful surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a GIST resection in a dog using intraoperative short-wave infrared imaging.

Computed tomographic evaluation of portal vein indices in cats with the extrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

IMPORTANCE: The portal vein to aorta (PV/Ao) ratio is used to assess the clinical significance of extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (EHPSS). Previous studies using computed tomography (CT) were conducted in dogs but not in cats. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish normal reference values for PV indices (PV/Ao ratio and PV diameter) in cats and determine the usefulness of these for predicting symptomatic EHPSS. METHODS: This study included 95 dogs and 114 cats that underwent abdominal CT. The canine normal (CN) group included dogs without EHPSS. The cats were classified into feline normal (FN, 88/114), feline asymptomatic (FA, 16/114), and feline symptomatic (FS, 10/114) groups. The PV and Ao diameters were measured in axial cross-sections. RESULTS: The group FN had a higher PV/Ao ratio than the group CN (p < 0.001). Within the feline groups, the PV indices were in the order FN > FA > FS (both p < 0.001). The mean PV diameter and PV/Ao ratio for group FN were 5.23 ± 0.77 mm and 1.46 ± 0.19, respectively. The cutoff values between groups FN and FS were 4.115 mm for PV diameter (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 97.7%) and 1.170 for PV/Ao ratio (90%, 92.1%). The cutoff values between group FA and FS were 3.835 mm (90%, 93.8%) and 1.010 (70%, 100%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results demonstrated significant differences in PV indices between dogs and cats. In cats, the PV/Ao ratio demonstrated high diagnostic performance for symptomatic EHPSS. The PV diameter also performed well, in contrast to dogs.

Frequency of low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) response patterns and their correlation with clinicopathologic signs in dogs suspected of having Cushing's syndrome: A retrospective study.

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the frequency of low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) patterns in canine patients that had clinicopathologic signs consistent with Cushing's syndrome (CS). Medical records for patients of interest (N = 128) were reviewed between January 2014 and December 2020 to analyse and classify LDDST results based upon the following patterns: lack of suppression, partial suppression, complete suppression, escape, or inverse. Complete suppression, lack of suppression, partial suppression, escape, and inverse patterns were identified in 39.1%, 31.2%, 14.1%, 10.1% and 5.5% of cases respectively. LDDST results were also evaluated with respect to clinical signs, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, urine specific gravity (USG) and adrenal ultrasonographic findings. There was no association between LDDST patterns and clinical signs (p = 0.11), increased ALP (p = 0.32), USG (p = 0.33) or adrenal ultrasonographic findings (p = 0.19). In all dogs that demonstrated complete suppression or an inverse pattern, CS was excluded by the attending clinician. The diagnosis of CS was also excluded without further exploration in 23.1%, 7.5% and 5.6% of dogs that demonstrated an escape pattern, lack of suppression and partial suppression pattern, respectively. These results suggest that the clinical significance of LDDST patterns, particularly escape and inverse patterns, are misunderstood by some clinicians, leading them to prematurely exclude the diagnosis of CS.

Effect of cranial tibial artery laceration on radiographic bone healing and perioperative complications in dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy.

During tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), the laceration of the cranial tibial artery (LCTA) may occur, and the ligation of the cranial tibial artery might lead to impaired blood supply to the osteotomy site. The present case-control study aimed to evaluate the effect of LCTA on TPLO healing and the occurrence of perioperative complications. The incidence and predisposing factors to LCTA were also investigated. Fourteen cases experiencing LCTA were retrospectively enrolled from medical records of two veterinary teaching hospitals (LCTA group), whereas 28 randomly selected TPLOs that did not experience LCTA were included in the control group. Signalment data, proximal tibial epiphysis conformation, osteotomy features, perioperative complications, and bone healing were compared between the two groups. Bone healing was evaluated using the modified radiographic union scale for tibial fracture and the visual analog scale. The mean incidence was 9.6%. Bodyweight was significantly higher in the LCTA group compared to the control group (P = 0.009). Dogs belonging to the LCTA groups were significantly younger (P = 0.01). Intraoperative hypotension was significantly overreported in the LCTA group (P = 0.0001). None of the other variables differed significantly between the two groups. Dogs' size seems to be a predisposing factor, with dogs weighing >15 kg having 22 times more chance of experiencing LCTA. Due to the well-developed collateral blood supply of the canine hindlimb, LCTA and the closure of the cranial tibial artery did not appear to delay the radiographic bone healing or affect the incidence of perioperative complications.

Imaging findings in otitis media and resulting secondary lesions in dogs and cats - an image essay.

Over the past 2 decades, the increasing availability of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as the growing professional expertise have significantly improved the diagnostics of middle and inner ear diseases in dogs and cats. In answering some of the diagnostic questions, CT and MRT demonstrate equivalent performance. For most questions, however, there are differences in the diagnostic performance due to the physical imaging properties of the 2 modalities.CT is more sensitive in demonstrating involvement of the bulla wall and is more effective for detecting abnormal content within the tympanic bulla. In addition, with CT it is often easier to guide tissue samplings. On the other hand, structural changes of the soft tissues of the skull, head, meninges, brain, and nerves are not or only insufficiently detectable on CT images. MRI is clearly superior here. Therefore, MRI is essential for the characterization of materials inside the bulla cavity and for demonstrating the extent of any central spread of otitis media (OM).In this image essay, CT and MRI features of OM and resulting secondary lesions described in the literature are analyzed and summarized. Own image examples are used for illustration. Information on the etiology, pathogenesis, pathomorphology, and clinical signs important for understanding these changes are presented in concise descriptions.

Differences in normal nasal computed tomography findings in different dog breeds.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard for diagnosing canine nasal diseases. However, it cannot easily detect minor abnormalities in inflammatory diseases because they are not accompanied by obvious morphological changes. Aim: The present study aimed to compare the differences in normal CT findings of turbinate structure and mucosa between breeds to establish criteria for CT diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the nasal cavity. Methods: CT data from 77 dogs of 5 breeds without nasal diseases were retrospectively studied. The nasal air percentage, which reflects the volume of the nasal turbinate structure and mucosa, was measured. The nasal turbinate mucosa was measured for contrast enhancement reflecting blood flow. Measurements were performed in the ventral and ethmoid turbinate (ET) regions. Comparisons were made between breeds and sections. Results: The air percentage in the ventral and ET regions was significantly different between breeds. Contrast enhancement was significantly different between breeds only in the ET. Moreover, different breeds had different correlations between body weight, age, nose length, and air percentage. Conclusion: In this study, reference values for normal CT findings of the nasal structure and mucosa were obtained, taking into account the breed, measurement section, and patient factors. The results showed that the volume of the turbinate structure and contrast enhancement of nasal mucosa differed depending on the breed. The measured values also differed depending on the cross-sections and patient factors.

Echocardiographic findings in apparently healthy Czechoslovakian wolfdogs.

INTRODUCTION: To echocardiographically evaluate a large number of apparently healthy Czechoslovakian wolfdogs (CWDs) to identify possible subclinical cardiac abnormalities and to generate reference intervals. ANIMALS: One-hundred and seventeen apparently healthy client-owned CWDs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standard two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiographic measurements were obtained on non-sedated, manually restrained standing dogs. Animals with no relevant echocardiographic abnormalities were used to generate reference intervals. Echocardiographic variables were compared between males and females and between dogs with and without mitral regurgitation (MR). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Among the 117 CWDs, 103 dogs were used to generate reference intervals. The 14 dogs with abnormalities had more than trivial MR (12 dogs), subaortic stenosis (one dog), and equivocal subaortic stenosis (one dog). The 44 males were heavier than 59 females (P<0.001) and had a larger maximum left atrial dimension (P=0.015), left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole (P<0.001) and systole (P<0.001), and thicker interventricular septum thickness at end-diastole (P=0.016). A positive linear correlation was identified between bodyweight and aortic root and left atrial diameters and left ventricular dimensions and between age and aortic root and left atrial diameter and peak late transmitral flow velocity. A negative linear correlation was identified between age and peak early transmitral flow velocity and the ratio between peak early and late transmitral flow velocities. No differences in echocardiographic-derived cardiac dimensions were detected between healthy dogs and dogs with more than trivial MR. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of CWDs, subclinical cardiac abnormalities were uncommon, and they were mainly classified as MR.

Retrospective evaluation of a right heart parameter score in the assessment of precapillary pulmonary hypertension in dogs (2017-2021): 135 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if emergency and critical care residents can identify moderate to severe precapillary pulmonary hypertension on cardiologist-obtained cineloops using a pulmonary hypertension score (PHS) and report the interobserver variability of the PHS. DESIGN: Multicenter, retrospective, case-control study from 2017 to 2021. SETTING: Private referral center and veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS: One hundred and thirty-five client-owned dogs that underwent diagnostic echocardiography. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical records of dogs with stage B1 myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and dogs diagnosed with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PCPH) via echocardiograms were reviewed. Dogs were categorized by a cardiologist into 5 groups (normal, B1 MMVD, mild, moderate, and severe PCPH) based on Doppler pulmonary pressure gradients and right heart morphology. Cineloops from each case were subjectively evaluated by emergency and critical care residents for the presence of right atrial and ventricular enlargement, right ventricular hypertrophy, interventricular septal flattening, and pulmonary artery and trunk enlargement to form a composite pulmonary hypertension score out of 8 (PHS8). When available, signs of peritoneal effusion and distention of the caudal vena cava were subjectively assessed to generate a pulmonary hypertension score out of 10 (PHS10). There was excellent discrimination of moderate to severe PCPH versus grouped absent to mild PCPH using PHS8 (area under the receiver operator curve [AUC] [95% confidence interval, CI] = 0.90 [0.84-0.95], P < 0.0001) and PHS10 (AUC [95% CI] = 0.89 [0.81-0.97], P < 0.0001). PHS8 ≥3 was 64% sensitive and 98% specific for moderate to severe PCPH (positive likelihood ratio [LR+] 32, negative likelihood ration [LR-] 0.37). PHS10 ≥ 3.3 was 64% sensitive and 92% specific for moderate to severe PCPH (LR+ 8, LR- 0.39). Interobserver agreement was good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.74 [95% CI: 0.66-0.80], n = 135). CONCLUSIONS: Residents identified moderate to severe PCPH in dogs using PHS on cineloops previously obtained by a cardiologist. The interrater agreement was good to excellent with limited training. Prospective studies to determine if residents can obtain diagnostic images for PHS are warranted.

Hydrops fetalis caused by a complex congenital heart defect with concurrent hypoplasia of pulmonary blood vessels and lungs visualized by micro-CT in a French Bulldog.

BACKGROUND: Hydrops fetalis (HF) is fluid accumulation in fetus body cavities and subcutaneous tissue. The condition has been described in various farm and companion animal species, including dogs. Most of cases result from a heart defect. Exact nature of this defect is rarely clarified. CASE PRESENTATION: A newborn, male French bulldog puppy with severe HF underwent a full anatomopathological examination to diagnose the primary cause of HF. Based on the anatomopathological examination, fetal ultrasound, and micro-computed tomography, transposition of the great arteries with hypoplasia of the ascending aorta, aortic arch interruption, ostium secundum atrial septal defect, severe tricuspid valve dysplasia, as well as hypoplasia of pulmonary vessels and lungs were diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of HF caused by severe, complex congenital heart defects with concurrent pulmonary vessel and lung hypoplasia.

Assessment of tumor hypoxia in spontaneous canine tumors after treatment with OMX, a novel H-NOX oxygen carrier, with [18F]FMISO PET/CT.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia is a detrimental factor in solid tumors, leading to aggressiveness and therapy resistance. OMX, a tunable oxygen carrier from the heme nitric oxide/oxygen-binding (H-NOX) protein family, has the potential to reduce tumor hypoxia. [18F]Fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) positron emission tomography (PET) is the most widely used and investigated method for non-invasive imaging of tumor hypoxia. In this study, we used [18F]FMISO PET/CT (computed tomography) to assess the effect of OMX on tumor hypoxia in spontaneous canine tumors. RESULTS: Thirteen canine patients with various tumors (n = 14) were randomly divided into blocks of two, with the treatment groups alternating between receiving intratumoral (IT) OMX injection (OMX IT group) and intravenous (IV) OMX injection (OMX IV group). Tumors were regarded as hypoxic if maximum tumor-to-muscle ratio (TMRmax) was greater than 1.4. In addition, hypoxic volume (HV) was defined as the region with tumor-to-muscle ratio greater than 1.4 on [18F]FMISO PET images. Hypoxia was detected in 6/7 tumors in the OMX IT group and 5/7 tumors in the OMX IV injection group. Although there was no significant difference in baseline hypoxia between the OMX IT and IV groups, the two groups showed different responses to OMX. In the OMX IV group, hypoxic tumors (n = 5) exhibited significant reductions in tumor hypoxia, as indicated by decreased TMRmax and HV in [18F]FMISO PET imaging after treatment. In contrast, hypoxic tumors in the OMX IT group (n = 6) displayed a significant increase in [18F]FMISO uptake and variable changes in TMRmax and HV. CONCLUSIONS: [18F]FMISO PET/CT imaging presents a promising non-invasive procedure for monitoring tumor hypoxia and assessing the efficacy of hypoxia-modulating therapies in canine patients. OMX has shown promising outcomes in reducing tumor hypoxia, especially when administered intravenously, as evident from reductions in both TMRmax and HV in [18F]FMISO PET imaging.

CT findings in seven dogs with perforating wooden skewer foreign bodies from the gastrointestinal tract.

Background: Perforating foreign bodies from the gastrointestinal tract, such as wooden skewers, are reported in the small animal literature producing inflammatory/infectious lesions in the thorax, abdomen, and musculoskeletal system, which can be life-threatening in some instances. Several imaging modalities have been used, and advanced imaging techniques have shown a great advantage in its diagnosis and pre-surgical planning. Aim: The objective of this study is to describe the computed tomographic findings in a group of seven medium to large breed dogs with perforating wooden skewers and foreign bodies migrated from the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: The medical records database was searched for dogs with a suspected diagnosis of a perforating wooden foreign body migrated from the gastrointestinal tract in which a computed tomographic study was performed. Signalment, history, and clinicopathological findings (when available) were retrieved, and the computed tomographic studies were reviewed. Results: Clinical signs vary depending on the anatomical regions affected through the perforating pathway. All foreign bodies were identified and showed a median attenuation of 79 HU, with the most common localization being the stomach followed by the jejunum. Peritoneal fat stranding surrounding the perforation site was the most frequent computed tomographic finding. The presence of peritoneal free fluid and/or gas was uncommon. Pleural effusion, pulmonary perforation, and pneumothorax were present in most of the cases with the foreign body traversing the pleural space. Pulmonary cavitary lesions were always reported when the ending tip of the wooden skewer was within the pulmonary parenchyma. Soft tissue abscessation was recognized in all cases where the ending tip was lodged in muscular or subcutaneous tissues. Conclusion: Findings supported the variability of the secondary lesions caused by this type of foreign body and the utility of computed tomography in their recognition, as well as in the identification of the wooden skewer.

Determining the patency of biliary tracts in dogs with gallbladder mucocele using near-infrared cholangiography with indocyanine green.

Cholecystectomy is indicated for gallbladder mucoceles (GBM). Evaluating the patency of the biliary duct and precise biliary tree visualization is crucial for reducing the risk of compromised bile flow after surgery. Therefore, intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) is recommended during cholecystectomy to prevent biliary tract injury. Although indocyanine green (ICG) cholangiography has been extensively reported in human medicine, only one study has been conducted in veterinary medicine. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the use of ICG for IOC to identify fluorescent biliary tract images and determine the patency of the common bile duct during cholecystectomy in dogs. This study comprised 27 dogs, consisting of 17 with gallbladder mucoceles (GBM) and 10 controls, specifically including dogs that had undergone elective cholecystectomy for GBM. ICG injection (0.25 mg/kg) was administered intravenously at least 45 minutes before surgery. During the operation, fluorescent images from cholangiography were displayed on the monitor and obtained in black-and-white mode for the comparison of fluorescence intensity (FI). The FI values of the gallbladders (GBs) and common bile duct (CBD) were measured using FI analyzing software (MGViewer V1.1.1, MetapleBio Inc.). The results demonstrated successful CBD patency identification in all cases. Mobile GBM showed partial gallbladder visibility, whereas immobile GBM showed limited visibility. Additionally, insights into the adequate visualization of the remaining extrahepatic biliary tree anatomy were provided, extending beyond the assessment of CBD patency and gallbladder intensity. Our study demonstrates the potential of fluorescent IOC using intravenous injection of ICG for assessing the patency of the cystic duct and common bile duct during cholecystectomy in patients with GBM, eliminating the need for surgical catheterization and flushing of the biliary ducts. Further research is warranted to investigate and validate the broader applicability of ICG cholangiography in veterinary medicine.

Aorto-left atrial fistula secondary to aortic infective endocarditis in a dog with a bicuspid aortic valve.

An 11-year-old male neutered American bulldog was presented for evaluation of thrombocytopenia, acute onset of ataxia, and vomiting. A new murmur was auscultated on physical examination. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination revealed a bicuspid aortic valve, vegetative lesions on the aortic valve, and continuous shunting from the aortic root to the left atrium through an aorta to left atrial fistula. The dog was euthanized due to its guarded prognosis and critical condition. Pathological examination confirmed presence of a bicuspid aortic valve, aorto-left atrial fistula, and aortic infective endocarditis. Antemortem blood culture revealed two unusual organisms: Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Fusobacterium mortiferum.

Myocardial injury in dogs: a retrospective analysis on etiological, echocardiographic, electrocardiographic, therapeutic, and outcome findings in 102 cases.

INTRODUCTION: In dogs, myocardial injury (MI) is a poorly characterized clinical entity; therefore, this study aimed to provide a detailed description of dogs affected by this condition. ANIMALS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: Dogs diagnosed with MI according to the concentration of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were retrospectively searched. Signalment, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome data were retrieved. Dogs were divided into six echocardiographic (dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype with systolic dysfunction; abnormal echogenicity only; endocarditis; and no echocardiographic abnormalities suggestive of MI), four electrocardiographic (abnormalities of impulse formation; abnormalities of impulse conduction; abnormalities of ventricular repolarization; and no electrocardiographic abnormalities suggestive of MI), and nine etiological (infective; inflammatory; neoplastic; metabolic; toxic; nutritional; immune-mediated; traumatic/mechanical; and unknown) categories. Statistical analysis was performed to compare cTnI values among different categories and analyze survival. RESULTS: One hundred two dogs were included. The median cTnI value was 3.71 ng/mL (0.2-180 ng/mL). Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic abnormalities were documented in 86 of 102 and 89 of 102 dogs, respectively. Among echocardiographic and electrocardiographic categories, the dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype (n = 52) and abnormalities of impulse formation (n = 67) were overrepresented, respectively. Among dogs in which a suspected etiological trigger was identified (68/102), the infective category was overrepresented (n = 20). Among dogs belonging to different echocardiographic, electrocardiographic, and etiological categories, cTnI did not differ significantly. The median survival time was 603 days; only eight of 102 dogs died due to MI. CONCLUSIONS: Dogs with MI often have an identifiable suspected trigger, show various echocardiographic and electrocardiographic abnormalities, and frequently survive to MI-related complications.

First reported long-term two- and three-dimensional echocardiographic follow-up with histopathological analysis of a transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation in a pet dog.

Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation (TPVI) is indicated for use in the management of failing pulmonary valves in humans. We report here the long-term follow-up of the first documented transcatheter pulmonary valve implanted in a client-owned dog. A one-year-old Beagle dog with severe congenital type A valvular pulmonic stenosis first underwent percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty, leading two years later to severe pulmonary regurgitation. A TPVI using a Melody™ bioprosthetic valve was then successfully performed, with normalization of the right heart cavities. Repeated two- and three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic examinations combined with Doppler modes confirmed the appropriate position and function of the valve for four years. Mitral myxomatous valvular degeneration led to refractory left-sided congestive heart failure, and the dog was humanely euthanized. After postmortem examination, X-ray imaging and histopathological evaluation of the stent and the valve were performed. Ex-vivo imaging of the implanted valve using a Faxitron® Path radiography system and microscopic evaluation of the implanted stent and bioprosthetic leaflets did not show any relevant leaflet or stent alterations. This case provides a proof of concept in interventional veterinary cardiology, showing that TPVI can be performed in dogs with subsequent long-term maintaining normal pulmonary valve function.