Characteristics, surgical treatment, and outcomes of injuries involving the tarsus in greyhounds.

Objective: The first objective of this study was to describe the type of tarsal injuries sustained, surgery performed, and postoperative complications in greyhounds presenting to a single veterinary hospital. An additional objective of the study was to determine the surgical site infection (SSI) and explantation rate, and if any variables were associated with an increased risk of SSI and/or explantation. Animals: 116 greyhounds receiving surgical intervention for a tarsal injury. Proceures: Medical records from a single veterinary referral hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Data retrieved included signalment, details regarding the injury, surgical intervention, concurrent castration, surgical/anesthesia times, postoperative management, time to healing, and postoperative complications. In cases that underwent explantation, cause, time from initial surgery, and risk factors were evaluated. Results: The most frequently diagnosed tarsal injuries were fracture of the central tarsal bone (CTB; 57.8%), calcaneal fracture (56.9%) and proximal intertarsal subluxation (34.5%). The most common injury combination was a CTB fracture with a calcaneal fracture (31.9%). In total 115 (99.1%) survived to discharge. Of these, 46 (40.0%) were diagnosed with an SSI and 59 (51.3%) underwent explantation. The most common indication for explantation was SSI. Concurrent medial and lateral surgical approaches was found to be associated with an increased likelihood of SSI and explantation. Clinical relevance: Practitioners performing surgical intervention for tarsal injuries in greyhounds should be aware of the high SSI rate and likelihood that explantation will be required. This risk is elevated for injuries requiring a bilateral surgical approach.

Canine Elbow Dysplasia: Medial Compartment Disease and Osteoarthritis.

Erosion of the articular cartilage of the medial compartment of the elbow (the humeroulnar articulation) secondary to incongruency associated with elbow dysplasia or traumatic injury has been termed, medial compartment disease. When nonsurgical strategies to manage osteoarthritis (OA) fail, surgical solutions may be warranted. Surgical strategies reduce pain through off-loading of the medial compartment by load-shifting osteotomies of the humerus or ulna. Other strategies involve replacement of portions or all of the articular surface of the medial compartment. With global elbow joint OA (medial and lateral compartment), a total elbow replacement may be required.

A systematic review of criteria used to report complications in soft tissue and oncologic surgical clinical research studies in dogs and cats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate reporting of surgical complications and other adverse events in clinical research articles describing soft tissue and oncologic surgery in dogs and cats. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic literature review. SAMPLE: English-language articles describing soft tissue and oncologic surgeries in client-owned dogs and cats published in peer-reviewed journals from 2013 to 2016. METHODS: CAB, AGRICOLA, and MEDLINE databases were searched for eligible articles. Article characteristics relevant to complications were abstracted and summarized, including reported events, definitions, criteria used to classify events according to severity and time frame, and relevant citations. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one articles involving 10 522 animals were included. Canine retrospective case series of dogs predominated. Ninety-two percent of articles mentioned complications in study results, but only 7.3% defined the term complication. Articles commonly described complications according to time frame and severity, but terminology and classification criteria were highly variable, conflicting between studies, or not provided. Most (58%) reported complications could have been graded with a published veterinary adverse event classification scheme, although common intraoperative complications were notable exceptions. CONCLUSION: Definitions and criteria used to classify and report soft tissue and oncologic surgical complications are often absent, incomplete, or contradictory among studies. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Lack of consistent terminology contributes to inadequate communication of important information about surgical complications. Standardization of terminology and consistency in severity scoring will improve comparative evaluation of clinical research results.

Paramedian incisional complications after prophylactic laparoscopy-assisted gastropexy in 411 dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and types of paramedian incisional complications after prophylactic laparoscopy-assisted gastropexy (LAG) in dogs and to evaluate potential risk factors for complications. STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective study. ANIMALS: Client-owned dogs (N = 411). METHODS: Records for dogs that underwent single-incision-port laparoscopy-assisted gastropexy (SIPLAG) or multiple-port laparoscopy-assisted gastropexy (MPLAG) at five veterinary referral hospitals were reviewed. Information regarding signalment, surgical procedures, perioperative care, and incisional complications was collected. Follow-up information was obtained by review of medical records and/or communication with owners. Potential risk factors for complications were examined statistically. RESULTS: Paramedian incisional complications were observed in 78 of 411 (19%) dogs. The most common complication was seroma formation, which occurred in 51 (12.4%) dogs. Surgical site infections were observed in 16 (3.9%) dogs, and dehiscence or development of excessive scar tissue at the incision site were each observed in nine (2.2%) dogs. Complications resolved with conservative treatment in 75 of 78 (96.2%) dogs and with surgical treatment in three of 78 (3.8%) dogs. The odds of complications were approximately twice as high in dogs undergoing SIPLAG than in dogs undergoing MPLAG (odds ratio, 2.03; P = .006). CONCLUSION: Minor paramedian incisional complications, particularly seroma formation, were frequently observed after LAG. Most complications were successfully managed conservatively. Single-incision-port laparoscopy-assisted gastropexy was associated with a higher complication rate compared with MPLAG. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Owners should be informed that there is a relatively high rate of minor paramedian incisional complications after LAG. The risk of complications appears to be higher for SIPLAG than for MPLAG.

Clinical findings, diagnostic test results, and treatment outcome in cats with hiatal hernia: 31 cases (1995-2018).

BACKGROUND: Information regarding clinical signs, assessment, treatment, and outcome in cats with hiatal hernia (HH) is limited. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the clinical presentation of HH and medical and surgical outcomes in a cohort of affected cats. ANIMALS: Thirty-one client-owned cats with HH. METHODS: Medical records of cats with HH were retrospectively reviewed for signalment, history, results of diagnostic tests, details of surgical and medical treatments, complications, and outcome. Long-term follow-up data were obtained by telephone communication. Relationships between clinical variables and outcome were evaluated by regression analysis. RESULTS: Type I HH was present in 85.7% (24/28) of cats, and 64.5% (20/31) were >3 years of age at diagnosis. Twenty-one of 31 (67.7%) cats underwent surgical repair including phrenoplasty, esophagopexy, and left-sided gastropexy, and 10 of 31 cats were treated medically without surgery. Concurrent illness was common, and 77.4% cats had comorbidities. All cats survived to discharge, and median time to death or follow-up was 959 days (range, 3-4015 days). Cats treated medically survived longer than cats treated surgically, with median time to death or follow-up of 2559 and 771 days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Type I HH is the most common type of HH in cats. A congenital etiology is possible, but many cats with HH were >3 years of age at diagnosis and suffered from comorbidities, including upper airway obstruction. Case selection and the presence of comorbidities likely influenced the outcome. Cats with HH may not be diagnosed until disease is advanced or concurrent illness draws attention to clinical signs.

Successful Surgical Therapy of a Double Aortic Arch in a 10-Month-Old Mixed Breed Dog.

A 10-month-old female spayed mixed breed dog with a suspected vascular ring anomaly was presented for exercise intolerance and wheezing. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a double aortic arch. The smaller right aortic arch was successfully ligated via right 4th intercostal thoracotomy. The patient was discharged one day postoperatively and continued to have good outcome at recheck 3.5 weeks after surgery. This is the 4th documented case of double aortic arch with a successful outcome. Preoperative CT scan was vital in preoperative planning and should be strongly recommended in all cases of suspected vascular ring anomalies with atypical presentation.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of midazolam following intravenous and intramuscular administration to sheep.

OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of midazolam following IV and IM administration in sheep. ANIMALS 8 healthy adult rams. PROCEDURES Sheep were administered midazolam (0.5 mg/kg) by the IV route and then by the IM route 7 days later in a crossover study. Physiologic and behavioral variables were assessed and blood samples collected for determination of plasma midazolam and 1-hydroxymidazolam (primary midazolam metabolite) concentrations immediately before (baseline) and at predetermined times for 1,440 minutes after midazolam administration. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by compartmental and noncompartmental methods. RESULTS Following IV administration, midazolam was rapidly and extensively distributed and rapidly eliminated; mean ± SD apparent volume of distribution, elimination half-life, clearance, and area under the concentration-time curve were 838 ± 330 mL/kg, 0.79 ± 0.44 hours, 1,272 ± 310 mL/h/kg, and 423 ± 143 h·ng/mL, respectively. Following IM administration, midazolam was rapidly absorbed and bioavailability was high; mean ± SD maximum plasma concentration, time to maximum plasma concentration, area under the concentration-time curve, and bioavailability were 820 ± 268 ng/mL, 0.46 ± 0.26 hours, 1,396 ± 463 h·ng/mL, and 352 ± 148%, respectively. Respiratory rate was transiently decreased from baseline for 15 minutes after IV administration. Times to peak sedation and ataxia after IV administration were less than those after IM administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated midazolam was a suitable short-duration sedative for sheep, and IM administration may be a viable alternative when IV administration is not possible.