Clinical outcomes of canine total hip replacement utilizing a BFX lateral bolt femoral stem: 195 consecutive cases (2013-2019).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of total hip replacements (THR) utilizing a BFX lateral bolt stem in dogs with coxofemoral joint disease. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 149 dogs representing 195 THR. METHODS: Consecutive THRs utilizing a BFX lateral bolt stem were studied. Preoperative, immediate postoperative, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 12-month postoperative radiographs were performed. All major and minor complications, revisions, outcomes, subsidence, canal flare index (CFI) were recorded. RESULTS: An intraoperative complication rate of 11.8% was observed. The postoperative complication rate was 13.6%, with 9.2% major and 4.4% minor complications. Complications included: postoperative femur fractures (3.6%), coxofemoral luxation (3.6%), stem failure (0.5%), septic loosening (0.5%), aseptic loosening (0.5%), and acetabular fracture (0.5%). Three dogs underwent prophylactic plating after subjective assessment of cortical thickness. Five of 195 (2.6%) cases underwent explant of their prostheses (median = 3 months). Mean stem subsidence at 1 month postoperatively was 1.22 ± 0.16 mm. An increased CFI was associated with postoperative femur fractures (p < .05). A total of 190 of 195 (97.4%) cases returned to normal function in the long-term follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Use of the BFX lateral bolt stem resulted in minimal postoperative subsidence, a low femoral stem complication rate, and a high rate of achieving normal limb function. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The BFX lateral bolt stem should be considered in canine THR as the femoral failure rate is low and the long-term success rate is high.

Activation of mosquito immunity blocks the development of transmission-stage filarial nematodes.

Mosquito-borne helminth infections are responsible for a significant worldwide disease burden in both humans and animals. Accordingly, development of novel strategies to reduce disease transmission by targeting these pathogens in the vector are of paramount importance. We found that a strain of Aedes aegypti that is refractory to infection by Dirofilaria immitis, the agent of canine heartworm disease, mounts a stronger immune response during infection than does a susceptible strain. Moreover, activation of the Toll immune signaling pathway in the susceptible strain arrests larval development of the parasite, thereby decreasing the number of transmission-stage larvae. Notably, this strategy also blocks transmission-stage Brugia malayi, an agent of human lymphatic filariasis. Our data show that mosquito immunity can play a pivotal role in restricting filarial nematode development and suggest that genetically engineering mosquitoes with enhanced immunity will help reduce pathogen transmission.