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.

Prevalence of inflammatory versus neoplastic lesions in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal signs undergoing gastroduodenoscopy: 195 cases (2007-2015).

OBJECTIVES: Prevalence of inflammatory enteropathy versus lymphoma in dogs undergoing gastroduodenoscopy has not been evaluated. This retrospective study assessed outcome from 195 client-owned dogs scheduled to undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy as the next diagnostic step. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cases were grouped into the following diagnoses according to WSAVA guidelines: lymphoplasmacytic enteritis (LPE), eosinophilic enteritis (EE), mixed-cell enteritis (ME), histologically normal biopsies (N), and lymphoma (L). Clinical signs, and preendoscopic results from laboratory and ultrasonography examinations, were compared among groups. RESULTS: LPE was diagnosed in 133 (68%), EE in 17 (9%), ME in 9 (5%), 32 (16%) dogs had histologically normal biopsies. Four (2%) dogs were diagnosed with lymphoma. Vomiting was the most frequent clinical sign (61%), followed by weight loss (43%), and diarrhea (39%). Vomiting also predominated when looking at individual histological disease categories, however clinical signs did not differ significantly between groups. Dogs with lymphoma were more likely to have ultrasonographic abnormalities, had significantly lower haematocrit, albumin and total protein concentrations compared to dogs with LPE and histologically normal biopsies. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Lymphoma was rarely found in this group of dogs with nonspecific results of pre-endoscopic work-up. Our results provide first reference for clinicians when discussing the possibility of a step-up therapeutic approach (such as multiple dietary trials) with owners before pursuing endoscopy. Understanding the likelihood of finding lymphoma is important in that histologic documentation of inflammatory enteropathy alone has limited therapeutic consequences. Future studies are needed to validate these findings in dogs undergoing combined upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsies.

[Diagnostic utility of creatine kinase elevation in the routine biochemical profile in cats]. / Diagnostischer Nutzen einer Kreatin­kinase Erhöhung im Routine­chemogramm bei Katzen.

INTRODUCTION: Creatine kinase (CK) is a muscle enzyme that is very sensitive to muscle damage. Therefore, serum CK is measured particularly to confirm suspected myopathy. Since 2013, this enzyme has been included in the routine chemistry profile in our hospital. Soon thereafter, the subjective impression developed that its elevation did not correlate to and was not explainable with the actual clinical problem. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective study was to investigate in which clinical cases the CK elevation was adequate and in which cases without clinical evidence of muscle damage the CK was so markedly elevated that it implied a clinically relevant muscle damage. For this purpose, we evaluated the CK values of 1641 cats presented in the years 2013/2014 at our university animal hospital. The CK was comprehensibly elevated in cats with trauma and various diseases with obvious and traceable muscle damage like thrombo-embolic damage or seizures. In addition, the CK was elevated in diseases where concomitant muscle damage is perceivable like in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, the CK also was commonly and sometimes dramatically elevated in cats of essentially any disease group without any comprehensible skeletal muscular lesion. These results confirm the hypothesis that the diagnostic value of this parameter is most questionable. A CK elevation does not allow any conclusion regarding its original diagnostic purpose, i.e. to confirm the presence of a clinically relevant myopathy.

INTRODUCTION: La créatine kinase (CK) est une enzyme musculaire très sensible lors de dommages musculaires. Par conséquent, la CK sérique est mesurée en particulier pour confirmer une myopathie suspectée. Depuis 2013, cette enzyme fait partie du chimiogramme de routine de notre hôpital. Après peu de temps, l'impression subjective s'est développée que son élévation n'était pas corrélée ni explicable avec le problème clinique réel. Par conséquent, le but de cette étude rétrospective était d'étudier dans quels cas cliniques l'élévation de la CK était adéquate et dans quels cas sans signe clinique de lésion musculaire, la CK était si nettement élevée qu'elle impliquait une lésion musculaire cliniquement pertinente. À cette fin, nous avons évalué les valeurs CK de 1641 chats présentés dans les années 2013/2014 à notre hôpital universitaire pour animaux. La CK était sensiblement élevée chez les chats souffrant de traumatismes et de diverses affections avec des lésions musculaires évidentes et traçables comme des dommages thrombo-emboliques ou des convulsions. De plus, la CK était élevée dans les maladies où des lésions musculaires concomitantes étaient décelables comme chez les chats atteints de cardiomyopathie hypertrophique. Cependant la CK était également couramment et parfois considérablement élevée chez les chats de pratiquement n'importe quel groupe de pathologies sans aucune lésion musculaire squelettique explicable. Ces résultats confirment l'hypothèse que la valeur diagnostique de ce paramètre est très discutable. Une élévation de la CK ne permet aucune conclusion concernant son objectif diagnostique d'origine, c'est-à-dire de confirmer la présence d'une myopathie cliniquement significative.

[Extraction invasive minimale de Dirofilaria immitis chez un chien souffrant d'un syndrome cave supérieur]. / Minimal invasive Extraktion von adulten Dirofilaria immitis bei einem Hund mit Kavalsyndrom.

INTRODUCTION: Caval syndrome due to infection with Dirofilaria (D.) immitis is a life-threatening situation, needing immediate therapeutic intervention. Severe pulmonary hypertension due to dirofilariosis was diagnosed echocardiographically in a 3.6 kg dog with heart failure and moderate hemolytic anemia. A ball of adult worms was visualized in the tricuspid valve area. Using a modified pigtail catheter, these worms were removed under fluoroscopic guidance by a transvenous approach. Already intraoperatively the hemodynamic condition improved. Subsequently, additional routine adulticide treatment was performed without complications. Over the following weeks the severe pulmonary hypertension normalized slowly but steadily. Manual extraction of adult D. immitis can be achieved with relatively simple tools and allows rapid stabilization of a critically sick patient.

INTRODUCTION: Le syndrome cave supérieur dû à une infestation à ­Dirofilaria (D.) immitis est une situation potentiellement mortelle nécessitant un traitement immédiat. Une hypertension pulmonaire sévère due à la dirofilariose a été diagnostiquée par échocardiographie chez un chien de 3,6 kg présentant une insuffisance cardiaque et une anémie hémolytique modérée. Une boule de vers adultes a été visualisée dans la région de la valvule tricuspide. En utilisant un cathéter queue de cochon modifié, ces vers ont été retirés sous guidage fluoroscopique par une approche transveineuse. Déjà durant l'opération, l'état hémodynamique s'est amélioré. Par la suite, un traitement adulticide de routine supplémentaire a été réalisé sans complications. Au cours des semaines suivantes, l'hypertension artérielle pulmonaire sévère s'est normalisée lentement mais régulièrement. L'extraction manuelle de D. immitis adultes peut être réalisée avec des outils relativement simples et permet la stabilisation rapide d'un patient gravement atteint.