Military Working Dogs Operating in Afghanistan Theater: Comparison between Pre- and Post-Mission Blood Analyses to Monitor Physical Fitness and Training.

The intergovernmental organization known as the United Nations (UN) was born "to maintain international peace and security" through different operations and tasks, including "mine action" and "explosive detection". Explosives are the most frequent cause of injuries in military personnel and an enormous danger for civilians. The role of explosive detection dogs (EDDs) and mine detection dogs has gained great consideration over time, leading to their intense use in military operations. Literature regarding working injuries reported by EDDs during missions is limited. The aim of the present study is to investigate the hematological changes that occurred between pre- and post-mission blood analyses in military working dogs deployed to Afghanistan in order to evaluate signs of health problems or physical adjustments. Examining the clinical records, only three dogs reported a medical issue, one with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), and two with lameness episodes. Lack of health issues occurring during the missions was reflected by the absence of significant differences between pre- and post-mission blood analyses. Blood results were also examined by dividing the EDDs into groups considering age at departure, sex, breed and mission length. A few categories demonstrated significant changes in some parameters; however, the mean values were always included in the ranges of normality, indicating that their physical fitness and training were adequate for the required tasks.

The use of small-bore wire-guided chest drains for the management of feline pyothorax: A retrospective case series.

Background: Pyothorax in cats is routinely managed, at least initially, with thoracic tube placement associated with systemic antimicrobial administration. Traditionally, large-bore trocar-type thoracostomy tubes have preferentially been used for the drainage of thick material from the pleural space. In recent years, the use of small-bore wire-guided thoracic drains has increased in both small animals and in humans. Few studies have highlighted the efficacy of small-bore wire-guided thoracostomy tubes. Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the use of small-bore wire-guided thoracostomy tubes in feline pyothorax in terms of efficacy, safety, and outcome. Methods: Cats with pyothorax managed with small-bore thoracostomy tubes (SBTTs) (2015-2018) were retrospectively studied. The number of drains inserted, the need for anesthesia and analgesia for chest tube placement and maintenance, and related major and minor complications were reviewed. Clinical data, diagnostic results, treatment, and outcome were recorded. Results: Ten cats were enrolled. Thoracostomy tube placement was unilateral in 7/10 cats, despite the presence of bilateral effusion in 9/10 cats, and required sedation (8/10) or anesthesia (2/10). Three cats experienced minor complications during the chest tube insertion, including self-limiting pneumothorax (1/3) and malpositioning (2/3). One cat had a major complication (non-functional malposition) requiring reposition of the drain. Pain management was adequately achieved using opioids (8/10) or opioids plus nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (2/10). Partial chest tube occlusion occurred in three cases and it was resolved with lavage. In one case, the occlusion was complete, requiring drain removal. Three out of 10 cats were treated medically, combining thoracostomy tubes and antibiotics, while 7/10 cats underwent surgery. All the cats survived. Conclusion: SBTTs represent a safe and effective option for the initial management of feline pyothorax. In fact, mainly minor complications were reported during insertion and usage. The SBTTs were well tolerated by the cats with a satisfactory performance in terms of exudate drainage in most cases. The combined use of a small-bore thoracostomy drain together with the common practice of surgical treatment might have resulted in the successful management of the cases presented.

Bologna Healing Stifle Injury Index: A Comparison of Three Surgical Techniques for the Treatment of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs.

The aim of this retrospective study was to test the efficacy of the Bologna Healing Stifle Injury Index (BHSII) in assessing the medium-term outcomes of dogs treated for cranial cruciate ligament rupture. This tool can be used for comparison across surgical interventions. The study population included 53 dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture treated using either Paatsama, Tight-Rope or tibial tuberosity advancement techniques, and 20 orthopedically sound dogs for comparative purposes. The BHSII was utilized for all the treated dogs at the time of surgery, and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively, while it was utilized twice in the control group. Although all the techniques achieved a successful outcome at the end of the evaluation, the application of the BHSII permitted differentiating results at each time point and stimulating discussion regarding the rapidity and degree of the healing process for each technique. It also pointed out some incongruities between the owner's and the clinician's assessment of the process. These achievements demonstrated that the BHSII should be considered by the research and clinical communities as an effective and easy tool which can be used as a repeatable and standardized method of comparison of the progress at different time points toward a final good outcome in dogs treated for cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

Pre- and post-surgical evaluation of plasma lactate concentration in 45 dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus: A preliminary study.

This preliminary study was designed to contribute to the evaluation of reliability of plasma lactate concentration (PLC) and its clearance as predictive and prognostic factors of gastric necrosis and clinical outcome of dogs affected by gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Main aims of the study were: 1) to evaluate the prognostic reliability of PLC at presentation (T0) in dogs with GDV, 2) to compare the obtained data and considerations with the veterinary literature, and 3) to introduce the possible validity of PLC values at 24 (T24) and 48 (T48) hours after surgery as a predictive factor. Dogs with GDV were retrospectively evaluated. PLC at T0, T24 and T48 were recorded and correlated to the presence or absence of macroscopic necrosis of the stomach and to outcome. Forty-five dogs met the inclusion criteria. Significant differences were not detected in the mean values between the initial PLC in dogs with and without necrosis of the gastric wall, as well as between surviving and non-surviving dogs; these values were not associated with higher risk of gastric necrosis or death. At T24 and T48 no significant differences were recorded between necrosis and non-necrosis, and surviving and non-surviving categories. A median plasma lactate concentration clearance from arrival to T24 ≥ 50% was identified in both groups (with and without necrosis), and this parameter failed in identifying dogs that survived to discharge. In conclusion, the results presented here failed to detect PLC at T0 and its clearance at T24 as prognostic factors in this population of dogs with GDV.

Shoulder Lameness in Dogs: Preliminary Investigation on Ultrasonography, Signalment and Hemato-Biochemical Findings Correlation.

Forelimb lameness in medium and large breed dogs is frequently caused by traumatic or degenerative injuries of the shoulder. Patient history, physical examination, x-rays, blood, and chemical work are routinely used to achieve diagnosis, and may be associated with ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging. Ultrasonography is increasingly popular in small animal practice due to its low cost, ease of repetition, and the fact that it is non-invasive and can be performed in conscious patients. It is also widely accepted that muscular stress or injuries can induce detectable variations in blood and chemical work. The aim of this preliminary study is to search for correlation between measurements of selected hematobiochemical parameters and ultrasound diagnosis in dogs affected by shoulder injuries. A retrospective study was conducted on orthopedic clinical records of dogs presented to our Veterinary Teaching Hospital for lameness caused by shoulder problems over a period of 5 years. Dogs with both hematobiochemical and ultrasound examinations were selected. Patients were classified into 5 groups according to ultrasound diagnosis: (1) mild/moderate tendinopathy, (2) severe tendinopathy, (3) articular damage, (4) chronic myopathy, and (5) neoplastic injury. Statistical analysis was performed to detect possible correlations between group and hematobiochemical parameters. Forty-four dogs met the inclusion criteria and forty-nine shoulders were diagnosed as injured. Significant differences were found between the age, sex, body weight, neutrophil count, and AST levels. In particular, statistically significant increases were found for neutrophil count and AST concentration in case of ultrasonographically diagnosed severe tendinopathy, articular damage, and neoplastic pathology. Further and wider studies are suggested to determine whether these biomarkers can become a useful diagnostic aid.

Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine: A Tool for Evaluating the Healing Process After Surgical Treatment for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture in Dogs.

This study aims to validate a tool, the Bologna healing stifle injury index (BHSII), for the evaluation of the clinical picture and the healing after surgical treatment for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture. The study included 158 client-owned dogs with CCL rupture and 20 healthy dogs. The BHSII is a questionnaire made up of 34 multiple-choice questions, divided into a part directed to the clinician and a part for the dog's owners. It was applied twice in the healthy dogs in order to test and retest the device. It was evaluated for reliability, validity, and responsiveness to clinical changes involving the dogs treated at the time of surgery, and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Statistical analyses were performed and the intraclass correlation coefficient test was ≥0.9 and the Cronbach-α was 0.84 suggesting good stability and good internal consistency of the tool. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve was >0.9, indicative of the high accuracy of this tool. The clinician survey correlated with the owner questionnaire. In dogs with CCL rupture, the scores of the BHSII increased significantly postoperatively as compared with baseline. In conclusion, this clinical study proved the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the BHSII. The results achieved from the BHSII provided an instantaneous, collective complete vision of the healing process of the stifle joints treated. It can be considered a valid tool for collecting data and for assessing successful surgical treatment in clinical practice.

Prognostic value of canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity and lipase activity in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus.

This study evaluated the association between a selection of candidate predictor variables, including the elevation of specific pancreatic enzymes, and outcome in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Twenty-two dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus were included, being classified as survivors or non-survivors based on the final outcome. Dogs with intestinal obstruction (n = 16) were selected for comparison. Blood samples were collected upon admission (T0) and after 24 hours (T1). Serum lipase activity, canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) and other variables (plasma lactate concentration and C- reactive protein -CRP- in particular) were evaluated as predictive variables. T0 cPLI and serum lipase activity were not found to differ significantly between dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus or intestinal obstruction. Canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity values above 400 µg/L were detected in 6/22 dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus and 4/16 with intestinal obstruction. However, lactate concentration was significantly higher and CRP significantly lower in GDV as compared to IO dogs, and in the GDV group, lipase, cPLI and CRP measured upon admission were significantly associated with a negative outcome. No differences in lipase activity and canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity values were detected between T0 and T1. Presurgical cPLI and lipase activity were frequently increased during gastric dilatation-volvulus and were suggestive of the presence of pancreatic damage; while more extensive studies are required, based on this pilot analysis, cPLI has the potential to be a useful predictive variable for outcome in GDV. Further to this, serum CRP was able to predict outcome in this population of dogs with GDV, while blood lactate was not.