Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy for the treatment of hypersomatotropism secondary to a pituitary somatotroph adenoma in a dog.

Pituitary-dependent hypersomatotropism is rarely diagnosed in dogs and surgical treatment is not reported. A 6-year-10-month male neutered Patterdale Terrier presented with polyuria, polydipsia, progressive pharyngeal stertor, excessive hair growth and widened facial features and paws. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 concentration via radioimmunoassay was consistent with hypersomatotropism (1783 ng/mL). A pituitary mass was identified on magnetic resonance and computed tomography imaging. Six weeks later, glucosuria, starved hyperglycemia and serum fructosamine above the reference range (467.6 µmol/L, RI 177-314) were documented, consistent with diabetes mellitus. Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy was performed under general anesthesia without complications. Pituitary histopathology identified an acidophil neoplasm, with positive immunostaining for growth hormone. Postoperatively, there was rapid resolution of clinical, biochemical and morphologic changes of hypersomatotropism with persistence of diabetes mellitus. This case demonstrates successful resolution of hypersomatotropism with ongoing diabetes mellitus in a dog after surgical treatment by transsphenoidal hypophysectomy.

Repeat histopathology and culture of colonic biopsy specimens after treatment for Escherichia coli-associated granulomatous colitis in a cat.

Case summary: A 7.5-year-old neutered male Oriental Shorthair cat presented with an 8-month history of haematochezia, mucoid diarrhoea, tenesmus and vocalisation after a 4-year history of small bowel diarrhoea. Transabdominal ultrasonography confirmed diffuse colonic wall thickening and extensive ulceration and erythema after colonoscopy. Colonic histopathology confirmed periodic acid-Schiff positive macrophages, consistent with granulomatous colitis; Escherichia coli was cultured from colonic biopsy specimens. Fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) identified intracellular E coli, and an 8-week oral course of marbofloxacin, a hydrolysed protein diet and a 5-day course of fenbendazole yielded a transient partial clinical remission of the colitis signs. A reported resolution in the small bowel signs was also reported. Colonoscopy was repeated 5 months later due to the recurrence of colitis signs. Histopathology was not consistent with granulomatous colitis supporting a complete remission; however, a chronic inflammatory enteropathy was confirmed with moderate lymphoplasmacytic, neutrophilic and eosinophilic colitis without a histiocytic component. E coli was again cultured from colonic biopsies with sensitivity to fluoroquinolones; FISH was positive for intracellular E coli. Clinical signs persisted despite a 2-week course of oral marbofloxacin. Relevance and novel information: E coli-associated granulomatous colitis is rare in cats. Colonic biopsy specimen culture is important to guide appropriate antibiotic therapy. Repeat histopathology, culture and FISH have not been previously reported after treatment of a cat with E coli-associated granulomatous colitis. Persistent clinical signs after treatment with oral marbofloxacin alongside a confirmed complete histologic remission support the presence of a concurrent chronic inflammatory enteropathy and pathology for the cat's ongoing colitis.

Clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome in 8 dogs and 2 cats with global hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (2010-2022).

BACKGROUND: Global hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (GHIBI) results in variable degrees of neurological dysfunction. Limited data exists to guide prognostication on likelihood of functional recovery. HYPOTHESIS: Prolonged duration of hypoxic-ischemic insult and absence of neurological improvement in the first 72 hours are negative prognostic indicators. ANIMALS: Ten clinical cases with GHIBI. METHODS: Retrospective case series describing 8 dogs and 2 cats with GHIBI, including clinical signs, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: Six dogs and 2 cats experienced cardiopulmonary arrest or anesthetic complication in a veterinary hospital and were promptly resuscitated. Seven showed progressive neurological improvement within 72 hours of the hypoxic-ischemic insult. Four fully recovered and 3 had residual neurological deficits. One dog presented comatose after resuscitation at the primary care practice. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed diffuse cerebral cortical swelling and severe brainstem compression and the dog was euthanized. Two dogs suffered out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest, secondary to a road traffic accident in 1 and laryngeal obstruction in the other. The first dog was euthanized after MRI that identified diffuse cerebral cortical swelling with severe brainstem compression. In the other dog, spontaneous circulation was recovered after 22 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the dog remained blind, disorientated, and ambulatory tetraparetic with vestibular ataxia and was euthanized 58 days after presentation. Histopathological examination of the brain confirmed severe diffuse cerebral and cerebellar cortical necrosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Duration of hypoxic-ischemic insult, diffuse brainstem involvement, MRI features, and rate of neurological recovery could provide indications of the likelihood of functional recovery after GHIBI.

A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY OF CAPTIVE NORTHERN BALD IBIS (GERONTICUS EREMITA), AFRICAN SACRED IBIS (THRESKIORNIS AETHIOPICUS), AND SCARLET IBIS (EUDOCIMUS RUBER) HOUSED AT THE LONDON ZOO FROM 2000 TO 2020.

Necropsy (n = 144) and medical (n = 121) records of captive northern bald ibis (NBI; Geronticus eremita), African sacred ibis (ASI; Threskiornis aethiopicus), and scarlet ibis (SCI; Eudocimus ruber) housed at the Zoological Society of London's London Zoo (LZ) from 2000 to 2020 were reviewed. Pododermatitis was a common cause of morbidity in all species (79 cases in 247 examinations). Trauma (58 of 144), the majority being caused by suspected collisions with stationary objects in the zoo's habitats, infectious diseases (32 of 144), predominantly valvular endocarditis (10 of 32), and aspergillosis (9 of 32) were major causes of mortality. The odds of a morbidity being related to toxicosis were 4.4 times greater in NBI than for ASI (95% CI, 1.5-13.3; P < 0.05); all cases in the NBI were plumbism. Overall, females of all species had 3.4 times greater odds of undetermined morbidity than males (95% CI, 1.5-7.9; P < 0.05), and the majority (16 of 25) were birds that were thin without an apparent cause. Nestlings had 11.3 times greater odds of nutritional morbidity than adults (95% CI, 1.7-73.0) and 5.5 times greater than juveniles (95% CI, 0.7-41.0; P < 0.05). These data have identified areas that require further study in the population of NBI, ASI, and SCI held at LZ.