Diagnosis and treatment of mesenteric volvulus in a red kangaroo (Macropus rufus).

CASE DESCRIPTION: An 8-year-old male red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) was evaluated with a 2-week history of vomiting and anorexia. Four days prior, the patient became refractory to medical management. The kangaroo was admitted for diagnostic testing and treatment including whole body CT, blood work, and emergency laparotomy. CLINICAL FINDINGS: CT findings of a severely enlarged stomach, splenic displacement, and a whirl sign were indicative of mesenteric volvulus with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Contrast enhancement of abdominal viscera suggested intact arterial blood supply; however, compression of the caudal vena cava and portal vein indicated venous obstruction. Results of preoperative blood work suggested biliary stasis without evidence of inflammation. Additionally, a tooth root abscess was diagnosed on the basis of results of CT. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Exploratory laparotomy confirmed the diagnosis of mesenteric volvulus and GDV. The volvuli were corrected by clockwise derotation, and a gastropexy was performed. Tissue samples were obtained from the spleen and liver for evaluation. The kangaroo recovered from surgery, and the abscessed tooth was extracted 6 days later. Eight days after initial evaluation, the kangaroo was discharged. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In the present report, the CT whirl sign was used to diagnose volvulus of the abdominal viscera, which suggests that this diagnostic indicator has utility in veterinary patients. Mesenteric volvulus with GDV was successfully treated in a nondomestic species. The tooth root abscess, a common condition in macropods, may explain the historic episodes of anorexia reported by the owner and may have contributed to the development of mesenteric volvulus and GDV in this kangaroo.

An expedited palliative radiation protocol for lytic or proliferative lesions of appendicular bone in dogs.

Fifty-eight dogs with lytic or proliferative bone lesions were treated with a radiation protocol of two 8-Gy fractions over 2 consecutive days. The protocol was well tolerated, with no increase in early or late effects over previously published protocols. Forty-three (91%) of 47 dogs responded positively to radiation, with a median time of 2 days to onset of pain relief. Median duration of pain relief was 67 days (range 12 to 503 days; mean 99+/-16 days). Median survival time for all dogs was 136 days (mean 179+/-18 days). Distal radial location was a positive prognostic indicator for survival (P=0.005).

Immunolocalization and regulation of cystatin 12 in mouse testis and epididymis.

In previous studies, we identified a new member of the male reproductive tract subgroup within family 2 cystatins, termed cystatin 12 (Cst12, previously known as Cst TE-1 or Cres3). The mouse Cst12 mRNA was primarily localized to the Sertoli cells in the testis and to the epithelial cells of the proximal caput region of the epididymis. In this report, studies were carried out to characterize the cystatin 12 (CST12) protein in mouse testis and epididymis. A recombinant His-CST12 fusion protein was expressed in E. coli and purified to generate an anti-CST12 polyclonal antibody. Western blot analysis showed little or no cross-reaction between the anti-CST12 antibody and several other known male reproductive tract cystatins. Immunohistochemistry revealed that CST12 protein was predominantly localized to the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells in the seminiferous epithelium in a stage-dependent manner. All stages showed high levels of expression except stages VII and VIII, in which very limited expression of CST12 was observed. In the epididymis, CST12 was highly expressed in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells in the proximal caput and secreted into the lumen. The mouse CST12 protein was also detected in other regions of the epididymis; however, the localization varied greatly along the epididymal tubules. Indirect immunofluorescence showed that CST12 protein was localized to the cytoplasmic droplets in both testicular and epididymal spermatozoa. These observations suggest that CST12 protein may play a specialized role during spermatogenesis and sperm maturation. Northern blot analyses demonstrated that Cst12 transcript levels in the epididymis decreased after castration, and testosterone propionate (T) treatment further repressed the expression of this gene. However, 17-beta estradiol (E) administration maintained the expression of Cst12 mRNA after castration, whereas treatment with both T and E failed to maintain Cst12 mRNA levels in epididymis. These results suggest that androgen and estrogen, probably with other testicular factors, are involved in the regulation of this gene.