Comparison of the recurrence rate of gastric dilatation with or without volvulus in dogs after circumcostal gastropexy versus gastrocolopexy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the recurrence rate of acute gastric dilatation with or without volvulus (GDV) after circumcostal gastropexy (CCGP) or gastrocolopexy (GCP) in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, double-blind, multicenter, randomized, controlled, clinical trial with two groups (A and B). ANIMALS: Fifty-four client-owned dogs presented for treatment of GDV. METHODS: Dogs with acute GDV that had not previously had a gastropexy performed were included. The preoperative treatment before gastropexy was standardized. A CCGP was performed on dogs in group A, and a GCP was performed on dogs in group B. Postoperative treatment was standardized, but deviation did occur according to the special needs of particular patients. A minimal follow-up time of 180 days was required for dogs not excluded from the study. The median follow-up time in group A was 700 days; in group B, it was 400 days. The occurrence of abdominal pain and gastrointestinal problems after surgery were recorded by the owners. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate of GDV between the two groups. At the end of the study, the recurrence rate was 9% and 20% in group A and in group B, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both surgical techniques are effective in preventing recurrence of GDV.

Use of breath hydrogen testing to detect experimentally induced disaccharide malabsorption in healthy adult dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a noninvasive method to detect disaccharide malabsorption in dogs by measuring hydrogen concentration ([H2]) in exhaled breath before and after experimentally induced disaccharide malabsorption. ANIMALS: 8 healthy mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURE: [H2] was measured every 30 minutes for 8 hours after administration of disaccharide solutions (lactose, 0.5 g/kg of body weight; lactose, 1.0 g/kg; sucrose, 2.0 g/kg; maltose, 1.5 g/kg; and lactose [0.5 g/kg] and sucrose [2.0 g/kg]) to determine reference ranges of [H2] for each solution, which were compared with [H2] in dogs with experimentally induced disaccharide malabsorption. To induce disaccharide malabsorption, dogs were given a mild overdose of lactose (1.5 g/kg) or a disaccharidase inhibitor. In the latter experiment, acarbose (10 mg/kg, PO) was given with the combination of lactose (0.5 g/kg) and sucrose (2 g/kg), and with maltose (1.5 g/kg). RESULTS: Overdosing with lactose resulted in [H2] persistently outside the reference range for lactose in 5 of 8 dogs. Acarbose administration resulted in [H2] persistently outside the reference range in 7 of 8 dogs that received a combination of sucrose and lactose but did not consistently affect [H2] after administration of maltose. CONCLUSIONS: Disaccharide malabsorption resulted in [H2] outside the reference ranges in most of the adult dogs studied, suggesting that the technique may be useful in detecting naturally occurring disaccharidase deficiency.

Canine lymphocytic plasmocytic enteritis: an immunopathological investigation of intestinal plasma cells.

The numbers of IgA-, IgG- and IgM-containing plasma cells in the lamina propria of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and coecum were quantitated in 3 patients suffering from lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis and 3 normal control dogs. A great increase was found in all 3 types of plasma cells and at all levels of the intestinal tract. Especially the IgG-containing cells showed a remarkable increase particularly in 2 patients. The possible reasons for these heavy infiltrations of immunologically competent cells are discussed, and chronic antigenic stimulations of food origin is suggested.

Relationship between QRS-duration (heart score) and racing performance in trotters.

Heart scores increased with age and training. Yearlings had average heart scores of approximately 90 milliseconds (msecs). This increased to approximately 110 msecs in 5-year-old horses, after which there was only slight further increase. In horses 4 years or older, regression analysis revealed a highly significant correlation between heart score and kilometre time. In younger horses the level of significance was less. There was a positive correlation between heart scores and earnings in races. Thus, horses with heart scores above 115 msecs had won considerably more than horses with lower heart scores. This relationship was closer in stallions than in mares.

Electrocardiography in the horse. (A report of findings in 138 horses).

Over a period of approx. 3 years, electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded from 138 horses referred as patients to the Medical Clinic. Of these, 22 horses (approx. 16 per cent) has ECG alterations. The 22 ECG's revealed a total of 29 ECG abnormalities. The most frequent ECG alteration was incomplete AV block, that was seen in 9 horses (31 per cent of the ECG abnormalities). Abnormal (i.e. broad, tent-like and, sometimes, inverted) T waves and deviations of the ST segment were seen each in 5 ECG's from 7 horses, 3 of which had both abnormalities which were associated with severe underlying disease (colic, enteritis, pneumonia, strangles a.o.). Premature ventricular beats were seen in 3 horses, two of which had serious cardiovascular dysfunction whereas the third showed no signs of cardiac disease. Atrial fibrillation was observed in two horses. Both were treated with chinidine sulphate but a conversion to sinus rhythm was not achieved in either case. Other ECG abnormalities observed in the study were, parasystole (1 horse), sinus arrhythmia (2 horses), sinoatrial block (1 horse) and wandering pacemaker (1 horse). Each abnormality is discussed with regard to its clinical significance and diagnosis. Cardiac murmurs were detected on auscultation of 26 horses (approx. 19 per cent). The murmurs in 15 horses were short and faint sounds most of which were diastolic. They were considered of no importance. Eleven horses, on the other hand, had distinct, loud (grade 4 or 5), holosystolic or holodiastolic murmurs that were considered pathological. Eight of these horses had actual signs of cardiac disease. Cardiac vector distribution in patients with ECG abnormalities or murmurs showed no systematic differences from vectors in horses showing no cardiac abnormality.

[Entero-colitis in the horse. A description of 46 cases (author's transl)]. / Entero-colitis hos hest. En beskrivelse af 46 tilfaelde.

A description is given of 46 cases of non-parasitic enteritis, treated in the Large Animal Clinic during the period 1965--77. A group of 12 horses showed an acute or peracute clinical course with rapid development of shock and high lethality (83 per cent). A smaller group of 9 horses showed a subacute course while 22 horses had chronic enteritis with intermittent diarrhoea--often semisolid like cow's dung--increased peristalsis, weight loss and, in some cases, hypoproteinaemia with subcutaneous edema. Lethality rate in this group was appr. 40 per cent. Predisposing factors--especially physical stress, medical treatment (antibiotics, anthelmintics) and pulmonary diseases--could be demonstrated in appr. 40 per cent of the cases. Appr. 66 per cent appeared during the period January--July. Recent studies on "colitis X" and chronic enteritis are discussed and it is suggested that the cases described here do not represent one single disease entity but rather several aetiological groups with a similar symptomatology.

[Verminous enteritis and thrombo-embolic colic in the horse. A description of 36 cases (author's transl)]. / Verminøs enteritis og tromboembolisk kolik hos hest. En beskrivelse af 36 tilfaelde.

Based upon case reports from 36 cases of verminous thrombosis of arteria mesenterica cranialis--all of which were verified at necropsy--clinical symptoms, course and pathological lesions are described. Seventy five per cent of the patients were under 3 years old, and 73% of the cases showed initial signs during the period July-December. Salient clinical findings were, unthrifty appearance and emaciation, diarrhoea--observed in two thirds of the patients--and colic--observed in 50 per cent of the cases. Haematological and biochemical findings were inconclusive, yet, hypoproteinaemia was a rather frequent finding. At necropsy, enteritis and/or typhlocolitis were observed in 29 horses of which 8 horses had superficial lesions, 7 horses hyperplastic lesions and 12 horses diphteroid/necrotizing lesions. Fourteen per cent of the horses had renal infarctions. The findings are discussed in relation to recent observations on the epidemiology of Strongylus vulgaris infection and comparisons are drawn to findings in a material of horses with non-parasitic enteritis.