Case report: Absent fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in a dog with unexpected brain death.

A 5-year-old male Maltese dog was presented with generalized tonic seizures and hypermetria. Multiple nodular subcortical cerebellar enhancements and meningeal enhancement were observed on magnetic resonance imaging. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography was performed due to suspicion of neoplastic disease, and no fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was observed in the intracranial structures. In PET images of this dog, absent fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was identified in the brain indicating no cerebral metabolism, strongly suggested brain death. The dog had no spontaneous breathing and no brainstem reflexes for more than 24 h after the termination of anesthesia. Through these results, this dog was diagnosed with unexpected brain death, and it is presumed that the cause was anesthesia. We report herein a case of brain death in a dog diagnosed using fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Case Report: Technetium-99m Pertechnetate Scintigraphy Findings in a Dog With Iodine Deficiency-Induced Goitrous Hypothyroidism.

There is only one previous report of canine goitrous hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency from 1986. The present case report describes the novel diagnostic methods and long-term outcomes of a dog diagnosed with goitrous hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency. A 4-year-old neutered, female Pomeranian dog presented with a cervical mass, lethargy, and inactivity. The dog had a history of eating home-cooked diets sold by a private seller for 1 year. The physical examination and ultrasonography showed two bilaterally symmetric masses in the mid-cervical area (left, 1.8 × 1.4 cm; right, 2.3 × 1.8 cm), and they were suspected to be the thyroid glands. To identify the function of the thyroid gland, the basal concentrations of thyroid hormones [total T4 (tT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)] were measured and a TSH stimulation test was performed: baseline tT4, 0.5 µg/dL (reference interval, 1-4 µg/dL), baseline TSH, 0.81 µg/dL (reference interval, 0.05-0.42 µg/dL), and post-tT4, 1 µg/dL (6 h after the injection of TSH). The values indicated primary hypothyroidism. The urinary iodine concentration was 302 µg/L, which was markedly lower than that of normal dogs (1,289 µg/L). Thyroid scintigraphy with technetium-99m pertechnetate was also performed to quantify the activity of the thyroid gland, and the thyroid-to-salivary ratio was 3.35. Based on the results of these examinations and patient history, the dog was diagnosed with diet-induced (iodine deficiency) goitrous hypothyroidism. The dog was treated with iodine (62.5 µg/day). At 31 days after treatment, clinical signs and thyroid hormones were normalized (tT4, 1.3 µg/dL; TSH, 0.24 µg/dL). One year after treatment, the dog was well with normal concentrations of thyroid hormones (tT4, 1.8 µg/dL; TSH, 0.27 µg/dL) and a partially reduced goiter (left, 1.6 × 1.1 cm; right, 1.2 × 0.9 cm). This is the first case to describe novel diagnostic methods and long-term outcomes of a dog diagnosed with goitrous hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency.

Comparison of electrocardiographic parameters in dogs with different stages of myxomatous mitral valve disease.

This study evaluated changes in electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters according to the stage of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs, as well as the utility of ECG parameters as prognostic indicators for congestive heart failure (CHF). Medical records of dogs with MMVD were retrospectively searched. Dogs with MMVD (N = 101) were classified into stages B [B1 (n = 52) and B2 (n = 23)] and C (n = 26) according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine guidelines. Baseline variables were collected; these included signalment, radiographic, echocardiographic, and ECG parameters. Corrected QT intervals (QTc) were calculated using the logarithmic (QTc1) and Fridericia (QTc2) formulas. The P wave duration, QTc1, and QTc2 were significantly longer in stage C than in stage B. The P wave duration cutoff of 43.5 ms had a diagnostic accuracy of 65% for differentiating CHF, with a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 90%. A cutoff value of 307.8 ms for QTc1 yielded a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 76%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 78%, and a cutoff value of 239.2 ms for QTc2 yielded a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 83%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 77% for diagnosing CHF. Therefore, prolonged P wave and QTc in dogs with MMVD may facilitate the prediction of CHF. Electrocardiography could provide clinicians with a readily available and cost-effective screening tool for predicting CHF, if the usefulness of ECG parameters can be verified.

Cette étude a évalué les changements des paramètres électrocardiographiques (ECG) en fonction du stade de la maladie de la valve mitrale myxomateuse (MMVD) chez le chien, ainsi que l'utilité des paramètres ECG en tant qu'indicateurs pronostiques de l'insuffisance cardiaque congestive (ICC). Les dossiers médicaux des chiens atteints de MMVD ont été consultés rétrospectivement. Les chiens atteints de MMVD (N = 101) ont été classés en stades B [B1 (n = 52) et B2 (n = 23)] et C (n = 26) selon les directives de l'American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Les variables de base ont été collectées; celles-ci comprenaient le signalement, ainsi que les paramètres radiographiques, échocardiographiques et ECG. Les intervalles QT corrigés (QTc) ont été calculés à l'aide des formules logarithmiques (QTc1) et Fridericia (QTc2). La durée de l'onde P, QTc1 et QTc2 étaient significativement plus longues au stade C qu'au stade B. Le seuil de durée de l'onde P de 43,5 ms avait une précision diagnostique de 65 % pour différencier l'ICC, avec une sensibilité de 63 % et une spécificité de 90 %. Une valeur seuil de 307,8 ms pour QTc1 a donné une sensibilité de 62 %, une spécificité de 76 % et une précision diagnostique de 78 %, et une valeur seuil de 239,2 ms pour QTc2 a donné une sensibilité de 62 %, une spécificité de 83 %, et une précision diagnostique de 77 % pour le diagnostic d'ICC. Par conséquent, une onde P et un QTc prolongés chez les chiens atteints de MMVD peuvent faciliter la prédiction de l'ICC. L'électrocardiographie pourrait fournir aux cliniciens un outil de dépistage facilement disponible et rentable pour prédire l'ICC, si l'utilité des paramètres ECG peut être vérifiée.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).