Clinical Outcomes in Dogs Undergoing Cholecystectomy via a Transverse Incision: A Meta-Analysis of 121 Animals Treated between 2011 and 2021.

Although many studies have been conducted on the use of median and transverse incisions in various surgeries in the field of human medicine, related studies in veterinary medicine are lacking. This study aimed to present treatment options for dogs requiring cholecystectomy by reporting the pros and cons of 121 cholecystectomies performed via transverse incision at our hospital over 10 years. In most included cases, nonelective cholecystectomy was performed in an unstable emergency situation. The perioperative mortality rate was 23.14%, which was not significantly different from that of cholecystectomy performed via the conventional midline approach. However, the overall operation time (46.24 ± 6.13 min; range 35-65 min) was shortened by securing an adequate surgical field of view. The transverse incision approach facilitates fast and accurate surgery without increasing the fatality rate in small-breed dogs, in whom securing an adequate surgical field of view is difficult. Thus, transverse incision should be actively considered in dogs undergoing cholecystectomy due to emergency conditions, such as bile leakage or biliary tract obstruction, since prolonged anesthesia can be burdensome. This study may improve cholecystectomy outcomes in small-breed dogs with difficult-to-secure surgical fields.

Computed tomographic findings may be useful for differentiating small intestinal adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, and spindle cell sarcomas in dogs.

An improved understanding of the CT characteristics for histologically confirmed primary intestinal tumors would be helpful for guiding prognosis and treatment plans in affected dogs. This retrospective, multi-center, analytical study aimed to evaluate the CT characteristics for the differentiation of adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, and spindle cell sarcoma (SCS) in dogs. Thirty-seven dogs who underwent contrast CT and histopathological examinations were included (adenocarcinomas, n = 11; lymphomas, n = 12; SCS, n = 14). Quantitative and qualitative CT parameters, including tumor morphology, contrast enhancement pattern, Hounsfield unit (HU) value, and presence or absence of intraabdominal lymphadenopathy, were evaluated for each included small intestine tumor CT case. Adenocarcinomas tended to show endophytic growth, intestinal obstruction, and a heterogeneous enhancement pattern. Lymphomas tended to show exophytic growth, contrast enhancement of the intestinal tumor mucosal layer, a homogeneous enhancement pattern, and the presence of lymphadenopathies in the abdominal cavity. SCSs tended to show lobulated growth, a large cystic portion within the tumor, a heterogeneous enhancement pattern, a large size with fat stranding sign, and lower HU values in postcontrast images. Cut-off values of the minimum diameter/fifth lumbar vertebral mid-body height (≥5.80; area under the curve [AUC] = 0.97, P < 0.001) and minimum HU value/HU value of the aorta (≤0.26; AUC = 0.96, P < 0.001) were derived to discriminate SCS from the two other tumor types. In conclusion, contrast CT characteristics may be useful in differentiating small intestinal adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, and SCSs in dogs.

Factors Affecting the Outcome of Medical Treatment in Cats with Obstructive Ureteral Stones Treated with Tamsulosin: 70 Cases (2018-2022).

The incidence of diseases associated with feline ureteral obstruction is increasing; however, non-surgical treatment options are limited. This study evaluated the outcome of medical treatment in cats with obstructive ureteral stones treated with tamsulosin and identified potential factors predicting spontaneous stone passage. We retrospectively reviewed 70 client-owned cats treated at the Western Referral Animal Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from 2018 to 2022. All the cats had obstructive ureterolithiasis and were treated using tamsulosin. The baseline characteristics of the cats, stone diameter and location, and stone passage outcomes were analyzed. Stone passage occurred in 22 cats; the remaining 48 cats showed no change in stone locations. Sex, creatinine, and diameter and location of stones were potential risk factors associated with successful stone passage, but age, weight, and side of the stone were not. No serious adverse events related to tamsulosin treatment were observed. This is the first study to identify the risk factors predictive of the spontaneous stone passage of cats with obstructive ureterolithiasis after tamsulosin treatment. Tamsulosin could be an alternative treatment for ureteral obstruction in male cats with smaller distal ureteral stones and low baseline serum creatinine levels. These findings could help develop guidelines for treating feline ureterolithiasis.

Unusual case of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome showing clinical manifestations in a companion dog.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus is an emerging zoonotic virus in East Asia. However, SFTS virus (SFTSV) has not been reported to cause clinical infection in companion dogs to date. We report the case of a 4-year-old companion dog that presented with fever, vomiting, leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia at a veterinary hospital in the Republic of Korea. It was diagnosed with SFTS, which was confirmed using real-time reverse transcription PCR, sequencing and an indirect immunofluorescence assay, and recovered after supportive care. Further studies are required to investigate SFTSV infection in companion animals, living in close contact with humans, as well as animal-to-human transmission.