[Diagnostic procedures and treatment of a ventromedial coxofemoral luxation in sheep - Surgery and open reposition of a ventromedial coxofemoral luxation with a toggle-pin and iliofemoral sling fixation]. / Diagnostik und Therapie bei der Hüftgelenksluxation des Schafes.

A 2.5-year-old female Valais black-nosed sheep was referred to the University Clinic for Ruminants at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, with a history of sudden lameness after shearing. The sheep showed a moderate mixed lameness of the right hind limb, the hip joint area was painful on palpation; the pelvic limb was presented as stretched as possible. After the clinical examination, the suspected diagnosis of a right-sided hip joint dislocation was made, which was subsequently confirmed radiologically (luxatio ossis femoris dextra to caudoventral and medial). An open, manual reposition was performed under general anesthesia. A toggle pin was used as a prosthetic ligament replacement for the femoral head ligament, further stabilization was achieved by means of an iliofemoral loop fixation within the fascia of the gluteal muscles.The movement possibilities of the sheep during the postoperative healing phase were severely restricted and 8 weeks of stall rest were ensured. The healing process was uncomplicated. Telephone enquiry 6 months following the surgical intervention revealed that the sheep was free of lameness, kept up with the herd, and displayed a normal general condition.The success of surgery and the use of the procedure in livestock practice is limited by the necessity of rapid intervention after the trauma has occurred, the willingness of the animal owner to bear the costs associated with the operation under general anesthesia as well as to ensure the long post-operative follow-up care with controlled restriction of movement.

An Overview of Factors Affecting Exposure Level in Digital Detector Systems and their Relevance in Constructing Exposure Tables in Equine Digital Radiography.

The aim of this review is to describe the steps of constructing exposure tables for use of digital detector systems (DRx) in equine practice. Introductory, selected underlying technical aspects of digital radiography are illustrated. Unlike screen-film radiography (SFR), DRx have a uniform signal response of the detector over a large dose range. This enables generation of diagnostic images from exposures that were previously nondiagnostic on SFR, thus reducing retakes. However, with decreasing detector entrance dose, image noise increasingly hampers the image quality. Conversely, unlike the blackening observed on SFR, overexposures can go visibly undetected by the observer. In DRx the numeric exposure indicator value is the only dose-control tool. In digital radiography the challenge is to reduce the dose and reduce the radiation risk to staff whilst maintaining diagnostic image quality. We provide a stepwise method of developing exposure tables as tools for controlling exposure levels. The identified kVp - mAs combinations in the table are derived from the predefined exposure indicator values of the detector system. Further recommendations are given as to how the exposure indicator can be integrated into routine workflow for rechecking the reliability of the formerly identified settings and how these tables might serve a basis for further reduction of the exposure level. Detector quantum efficiency (DQE) is an important parameter of assessing performance of an imaging system. Detectors with higher DQE can generate diagnostic images with a lower dose, thus having a greater potential for dose reduction than detectors with low DQE.

[Severe chronic osteomyelitis of the os ileum in an alpaca - Diagnostic and pathological findings]. / Hochgradige chronische Osteomyelitis des Darmbeines bei einem Alpaka.

A 5.5-year-old alpaca mare was referred to the University Clinic for Ruminants due to a lameness in the right hind limb. Six months prior to presentation, the mare had been treated with systemic antibiotics resulting in resolution of the initial lameness. At the time there had been no indication of an inciting trauma. Clinical examination revealed an approx. 2 × 2 cm large, fluctuating, neither excessively warm nor painful mass caudal to the right tuber coxae fixed to the underlying tissue. In addition, a moderate, mixed lameness with a predominant proportion of the swinging leg component was present in the right hind limb. Subsequently, sonographic examination of the right gluteal region was performed, revealing severe alterations of bone contour in the area of the right hip joint. Radiographic assessment of the pelvis was carried out for further clarification. Based on the clinical finding of a fistula in the right gluteal region as well as the results of the radiologic examination, a long-standing infected fracture of the right iliac bone accompanied by high-degree, irregularly calcified callus formation and low to moderate osteomyelitis in the fracture area was diagnosed. The patient was euthanized in consequence of the grave prognosis. Computed tomographic examination of the pelvis and the lumbar spine in the L3-L6 area was undertaken in order to further document the extent of the pathological changes. For final clarification, patho-histological examination as well as a microbiologic analysis of the abscess exudate were performed.The presented case shows the importance of clinical as well as orthopedic examinations, as the individual animal frequently only exhibits minimal clinical signs despite the presence of severe changes.

T-cell-lymphoma presented as a solitary subcutaneous mass in the ventral cervical region of an adult llama- diagnostic and treatment.

BACKGROUND: Neoplasm in South American camelids (SAC) are commonly described. The most frequently reported type of neoplasm are lymphomas and difference in the age suffering from lymphomas of and llamas is seen. This report describes a case of a solitary lymphoma in a 5 years and 9 month old llama mare displaying the approach of diagnostic imaging and successful surgical treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: The llama was referred to the clinic for dyspnoea and inspiratory abnormal respiratory sounds. The clinical examination comprised blood cell count, ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations, endoscopy and fine needle aspiration cytology of a mass detected in the mid cervical region. The mass was surgically removed. Histopathological examination of the surgically removed mass diagnosed a malignant T-cell- lymphoma. According to the results of the clinical, ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations no tumor invasion was apparent in distant organs and the llama was discharged from the clinic seven days after surgery. CONCLUSION: Lymphoma has been reported to be the most common neoplasia in camelids and are more often described in young alpacas and in adult llamas. To the author´s knowledge the case presented here is the first that described a broad panel of diagnostic tools including ultrasound, radiographs, endoscopy, fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathoogical examination as well as a successful surgical treatment of a solitary lymphoma in camelids.

[Treatment of a femoral capital physeal fracture using an Ehmer-sling in a 4-week-old Simmental calf]. / Behandlung einer Femurkopfepiphysenfraktur mittels modifizierter Ehmer-Schlinge bei einem 4 Wochen alten Fleckviehkalb.

A 4-week-old, female Simmental calf was referred due to severe, non-weightbearing lameness (grade 5/5) of sudden onset in the right hind limb that had been present for 3 days. Clinical examination revealed a painful swelling in the right coxofemoral joint region, but characteristic signs of a fracture, such as crepitus, deviation in the bone axis and increased mobility of the implicated bone, were not observed. Transcutaneous ultrasonographic examination using a 7.5 MHz linear probe revealed a characteristic interruption of the physiologic bone contour, with a slight step formation and increased mobility in the area of the femoral capital physis (growth plate). Radiography showed a Salter-Harris type 2 fracture of the femoral capital physis. Due to a fracture displacement of merely 2 mm, conservative treatment was instigated by means of a modified Ehmer-sling which was applied for 28 days. The sling was changed twice within this period. The calf coped well with the sling and was fully ambulatory. This conservative treatment resulted in complete healing of the femoral capital physeal fracture, and the higher costs for surgical treatment and its potentially associated risks were avoided. Ten weeks following treatment initiation the calf was weight-bearing on the affected limb and showed no signs of lameness.

[Limb amputation in 2 small ruminants]. / Gliedmaßenamputation bei 2 kleinen Wiederkäuern.

A 2-month-old goat and a 5-year-old sheep were referred to the clinic due to severe lameness. The goat had a 5-week-old infected comminuted, left metacarpal fracture with extended osteomyelitis of the distal metacarpal bones. The sheep presented with an open oblique fracture of the left tibia and a concurrent, perforating wound of the fetlock joint in the same hindlimb. In both cases, limb amputation was performed at the level of the shoulder joint and the proximal femur, respectively, under general anesthesia combined with blocks of the large proximal limb nerves. The surgical procedure was successful in both cases and the animals showed good postoperative mobility and quality of life. Limb amputations in small ruminants are rarely described, but may offer a valuable salvage procedure instead of euthanasia.

Use of Physical Self-Experience for Teaching Lameness Evaluation: Short-Term Effects on Lameness Evaluation of Horses with Mild Forelimb Lameness by Novice Veterinary Students.

Lameness evaluation (LE) is an important veterinary skill, but it can be a challenging task to teach. Acoustic and visual input in conjunction with acting are the three major learning channels for acquiring new information. Acting (e.g., physical self-experience) has not been reported as a didactic tool for LE; therefore, we investigated two physical self-experience techniques, imitation of lameness during LE instruction and head nod during LE. Undergraduate veterinary students (N = 78) who had not yet received any instructions for LE underwent standard instruction for LE, followed by instructions to head nod, instructions to imitate lameness, or neither. Students' subjective LE skills were then tested against those of senior clinicians on two horses that were either sound or mildly forelimb lame. In more than 80%, there was agreement on the presence or absence of lameness independent of instruction, and we found no significant evaluation differences between didactic strategies. Specific instructions for head nodding did not significantly influence the quality of LE, possibly because head nodding was widespread even when no specific instructions had been given. Veterinary students who had been taught to imitate lameness without instructions to head nod were consistently closest to the assessment of the senior clinicians, and in walk these students were significantly better at LE than students additionally instructed to head nod. This finding indicates that imitation of lameness, but not necessarily head nodding, may be beneficial for understanding body movement such as mild equine forelimb lameness.

Surgical enlargement of the nasomaxillary aperture and transnasal conchotomy of the ventral conchal sinus: Two surgical techniques to improve sinus drainage in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 2 surgical techniques for establishing and/or improving paranasal sinus drainage in cadaver heads and horses with sinusitis and evaluate the feasibility of postoperative transnasal sinus endoscopy. STUDY DESIGN: Ex vivo study (equine cadaver heads) and case series. SAMPLE POPULATION: Nine adult equine cadaver heads and 8 horses with recurrent sinusitis. METHODS: For the ex vivo study, the following procedures were performed on 9 cadaver heads: preoperative and postoperative computed tomography (heads 1-6), endoscopy-guided transnasal conchotomy of the ventral conchal sinus (TCVCS) and surgical enlargement of the nasomaxillary aperture (SENMAP) on opposite sides (heads 1-3), combined TCVCS and SENMAP on both sides (heads 4-9), evaluation of sinus drainage before and after surgery (heads 7-9), and postoperative transnasal endoscopy (heads 4-9). For the case series, 8 horses with secondary sinusitis were treated in standing position with SENMAP and/or TCVCS and postoperative transnasal endoscopy. RESULTS: Sinonasal communications were successfully created in all cadavers and affected live horses. Transnasal endoscopy of all sinuses except the middle conchal sinus was possible in heads 4-9 and in all clinical cases. Sinus drainage was improved (P = .028) by combining techniques. Blood loss in live horses ranged from 0.5-5.5 L (1.95 ± 1.5) per horse. Sinusitis resolved in all affected horses during follow-up of 3.2-25.5 months (13.5 ± 8.5). CONCLUSION: Transnasal conchotomy of the ventral conchal sinus and SENMAP consistently created large sinonasal communications, facilitating sinus endoscopy and improving sinus drainage. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Transnasal conchotomy of the ventral conchal sinus and SENMAP are viable options to treat horses with sinusitis and anatomical obstructions of the sinonasal communications.