Reconstruction of a large nasal-facial defect using an augmented temporal myocutaneous tube flap in a dog.

The muzzle region of dogs contains various composite tissues, which are challenging to recreate during reconstruction. Small or moderate facial/nasal defects can be closed primarily or left for second-intention healing. However, larger defects require the application of composite tissue or labial advancement flaps. Axial pattern flaps based on the caudal auricular artery, superficial temporal artery (STA), angularis oris artery, and other cutaneous arteries have been reported. In our case, we aim to report the reconstruction of a large composite defect of the rostral and dorsal nasal regions in a dog using an augmented, axial myocutaneous flap based on bilateral STAs. This is a clinical report on a spayed female mixed-breed dog (age, 7 years; weight, 15 kg), in which a large-scale nasal-facial composite tissue defect was surgically reconstructed using an axial myocutaneous flap based on bilateral STA branches. A delay technique was applied to prefabricate the flap to enrich the blood supply. New nostrils were created on a folded, rostral hard palate. As a result, the axial tube rotational flap was successfully transferred. The use of delay technique for prefabricating the tube flap optimized its size and survival. In addition to the folded rostral hard palate, the flap fully closed the defects on the face and nose. Functional and cosmetic outcomes were satisfactory, with minimal donor-site morbidity. In, conclusion, a large-scale nasal-facial defect in a dog was successfully reconstructed using an augmented tube pedicle flap based on the bilateral STAs, which may, thus, be used to repair very large facial-nasal defects in dogs.

Biomechanical Comparison between Preloaded Position Screw and Lag Screw Fixations for Their Compressive Effects in a Porcine Rib Fracture Model.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the compressive effect between preloaded position screws and lag screws in fracture fixation. METHODS: Pairs of semi-cylindrical bone fragments were created on a porcine rib model to simulate fractured bones. The compressive forces of fracture fixation generated by preloaded position screws (P group) and conventional lag screws (L group) were recorded by a film stress sensor. In the P group, a pair of Angus bone holding forceps was used to compress the interfragmentary interface until reaching the preloading force of 1.3 MPa. Similar preloading procedure was applied on lag screw fixations to explore its potential of additional compressive force. RESULTS: With 1.3 MPa preloading force and 0.2 Nm screw insertion torque force, the interfragmentary compressive force of P group was similar to that of L group. When the insertion torque force was increased to 0.4 Nm, all screws in the L group failed due to thread stripping. When screws in the P group were installed under 0.4 Nm torque and in the L group under 0.2 Nm torque, the P group generated significantly greater compressive force. With preloading device applied on lag screw installation, it did not further increase the interfragmentary compressive force. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Compared with lag screws, preloaded position screws tolerated greater torque in screw installation and provided greater interfragmentary compressive force. The study suggests the applicability of preloaded position screws in fracture fixation requiring interfragmentary compression.

A vascularized preputial free flap for labial reconstruction in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical application of a vascularized preputial free flap in the reconstruction of a large facial-labial defect. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMALS: An adult neutered male mongrel dog with a large left facial-labial defect. METHODS: A preputial free flap was created by elevating the cranial part of the prepuce, using the ipsilateral caudal superficial epigastric vessels as a vascular pedicle. The flap was transferred to the facial-labial defect and the donor vessels anastomosed to the sublingual artery and vein, using standard microvascular technique. RESULTS: The free flap survived, leading to good cosmetic and functional outcomes. No major complications were encountered at either the donor or recipient sites after 2 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Vascularized preputial free flaps can be used to manage composite facial and oral cavity defects involving large areas of skin and mucosa.

Hematologic and serum biochemical parameters of apparently healthy rescued formosan pangolins (Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla).

Natural habitats of pangolins are rapidly deteriorating because of extensive farming, logging, and human construction activities. In addition, the illegal trading of pangolins substantially accelerated the decline of the pangolins' population in southeastern Asia. The maintenance of confiscated pangolins in rescue centers is currently a daunting task for veterinarians and conservation biologists. There is limited information in the literature about the reference values regarding the physiology of pangolins. The purpose of this study is to establish reliable hematologic and serum biochemical reference values for the Formosan pangolin (Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla). Blood samples were collected from 51 apparently healthy pangolins from a population of 117 rescued pangolins at the Taipei Zoo. Sex-related differences were observed in platelet count, alanine aminotransferase level, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and total protein level. Age-related differences were also noted; juveniles have significantly higher platelet counts and alkaline phosphatase levels than their adult counter parts. The hematologic and serum biochemical reference values for the Formosan pangolin presented in this study can be applied in the medical care of this important species during rescue attempts. It is the first systematic report of blood parameters of apparently healthy pangolins and provides a basis for future investigation of this species. The reference values reported in this study may also be applicable to other pangolin species in the genus Manis.

Intra-articular transplantation of porcine adipose-derived stem cells for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis: A pilot study.

AIM: To test whether intra-articular injection of porcine adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) can treat canine osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: To enroll in this study dogs must have stifle joint OA that had lasted ≥ 3 mo and been treated with OA medication without significant improvement. Three dogs fulfilled these criteria and were thus subjects for ADSCs treatment. ADSCs were isolated from abdominal adipose tissue of a 2-mo-old female Yorkshire pig. Their stem cell marker expression was examined by immunofluorescence staining. For treatment, 5 million ADSCs were injected into the diseased joint of each dog. In the next 48 h, the patient was observed for signs of inflammatory and allergic reactions. The patient was then discharged to the owner and, at 2, 6, and 12 wk, followed up with orthopedic assessment, owner questionnaire, X-ray imaging, and force-plate gait analysis. RESULTS: Porcine ADSCs expressed mesenchymal stem cell markers CD90 and CD105. Injection of porcine ADSCs into canine stifle joints did not cause any inflammatory or allergic reactions. Orthopedic evaluation found improvements in two dogs, particularly at the longest time point. Owners' evaluation found increased capacity and decreased pain in all three dogs' activities such as walking and running. Radiographic evaluation did not find statistically significant differences before and after treatment. Force-plate analysis found significant improvements in all three dogs after treatment. CONCLUSION: Xenotransplantation of ADSCs for the treatment of OA is feasible. Further studies are needed to validate this novel treatment modality, which can then be implemented for the routine treatment of OA in veterinary medicine.

Evaluation of ranges of motion of a new constrained acetabular prosthesis for canine total hip replacement.

BACKGROUND: Total hip replacement (THR) is considered to be the most effective treatment option for advanced osteoarthritis of the hip in large breed dogs. However, a proportion of post-THR patients suffer prosthesis dislocation for various reasons, which may be addressed by a constrained acetabular prosthesis design. The study proposed a new THR with constrained acetabular component that aimed to decrease the incidence of postoperative dislocation while maintaining the necessary range of motion (ROM); and, through computer-simulated implantations, evaluated the ROM of the THR with and without malpositioning of the acetabular component. METHODS: A new THR with a constrained acetabular component that had an inward eccentric lining and a 60° cut-out on the dorsal side was designed, and its computer-aided design models were implanted into the pelvic and femoral models reconstructed from the computed tomography data of six healthy Labrador Retriever dogs. The allowable and functional ROM of the implanted THR were determined via computer simulations. The contact patterns between the bone or the prosthetic components at extreme positions of the THR were analyzed. Influence of malpositioning of the acetabular component on the ROM was assessed. RESULTS: The means (SD) of the functional ranges for flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, internal rotation and external rotation were 51.8° (6.6°), 163.3° (7.3°), 33.5° (5.7°), 74.0° (3.7°), 41.5° (8.3°) and 65.2° (9.9°), respectively. Malpositioning of the acetabular component by 20° in one direction was found to reduce ROM in other directions (reducing lateral opening: flexion: 12°, adduction: 20°, internal/external rotations: < 20°; increasing lateral opening: extension and abduction: < 16°; reducing retroversion: extension: < 20°, abduction: 15°, external rotation: < 20°; increasing retroversion: flexion: < 20°, abduction, adduction and internal rotation: 20°). CONCLUSIONS: From the computer-aided surgical simulations, the new THR was found to have sufficient functional ranges for flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and external rotation for Labrador Retrievers. Analysis of the malpositioning of the acetabular component suggests that accurate placement of the acetabular component is critical for achieving desirable ROM for daily activities.

Comparison of postoperative effects between lidocaine infusion, meloxicam, and their combination in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the postoperative analgesic effects of intravenous (IV) lidocaine, meloxicam, and their combination in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS: Twenty-seven dogs aged (mean ± SD) 16.1 ± 7.5 months and weighing 22.4 ± 17.9 kg scheduled for ovariohysterectomy. METHODS: Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Dogs (n = 9 in each group) were allocated to receive just prior to and during surgery one of the following regimens: M group, 0.2 mg kg(-1) IV meloxicam then a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of lactated Ringer's at 10 mL kg(-1) hour(-1); L group, a bolus of lidocaine (1 mg kg(-1) IV) then a CRI of lidocaine at 0.025 mg kg(-1) minute(-1); and M + L group, both the above meloxicam and lidocaine treatments. Pain and sedation were scored, and venous samples taken for serum cortisol and glucose measurement before and at intervals for 12 hours after anaesthesia. Pain scores were assessed using a multi-parameter subjective scoring scale (cumulative scale 0-21) by three observers. The protocol stated that dogs with a total score exceeding 9 or a sub-score above 3 in any one category would receive rescue analgesia. Sedation was scored on a scale of 0-4. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in subjective pain scores, serum cortisol, and glucose concentrations between the three groups. The highest pain score at any time was 5, and no dog required rescue analgesia. None of the three regimens caused any observable side effects during or after anaesthesia. At 1 and 2 hours after extubation dogs in group L were significantly more sedated than in the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study suggests that, with the scoring system used, IV lidocaine and meloxicam provide similar and adequate post-operative analgesia in healthy dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

KIT gene exon 11 mutations in canine malignant melanoma.

The proto-oncogene KIT encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase which has been shown to be upregulated in canine melanomas. KIT mutations lead to constitutive phosphorylation and activation of KIT in the absence of ligand binding. The presence of KIT mutations and KIT protein expression was examined in a cohort of 49 dogs with canine malignant melanoma. An exon 11 synonymous nucleotide 1743C→T mutation was identified in five cases in which one also harbored a L579P mutation. Tumors that harbored the KIT exon 11 mutation(s) correlated significantly with disease recurrence (P = 0.05). All 36 melanomas available for immunohistochemical analysis showed either weak (16 cases, 44.4%) or strong (20 cases, 55.6%) expression of the KIT protein. The five KIT mutation carriers were all strongly positive for KIT by immunohistochemical staining. These findings suggest that a subset of canine malignant melanomas harbors a KIT exon 11 mutation.

Monitoring the gestation period of rescued Formosan pangolin (Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla) with progesterone radioimmunoassay.

Eight species of pangolin have been identified in the world. However, understanding of pangolin reproductive biology has been limited to fragmentary records. In this study, the concentration of serum progesterone in three pregnant and two nonpregnant rescued female Formosan pangolins (Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla) was monitored using a commercial progesterone radioimmunoassay kit. During gestation, the serum progesterone of pregnant pangolins A, B, and C remained at 28.5-55 ng/ml (n = 31 samples), 10.9-50.1 ng/ml (n = 34), and 12.4 and 33.5 ng/ml with a peak at 47.6 ng/ml (n = 19), respectively, whereas the serum progesterone of nonpregnant pangolins D and E remained at 1.99 ± 1.62 ng/ml (n = 80) and 2.27 ± 1.64 ng/ml (n = 27), respectively. From this study, it was found that female pangolin weighing as low as 2.14 kg was already capable of reproduction. For pregnant pangolins to give birth to viable offspring, their body weight must increase significantly, 63.89 and 134.0% in the study, from the time of inception or early pregnancy until parturition. In addition, study has found that both viable offspring were born fully developed and exceeded 80 g in weight. The period of gestation was found to be as short as 318 or longer than 372 days. Therefore, the Formosan pangolin should only be able to reproduce once a year. This study is the first insight into hormone assay for determining the gestation period of pangolin. Further investigations on the same subject are necessary to establish criteria for the recognition of reproductive status in pangolins.

Feline hypertrophic osteopathy: a collection of seven cases in Taiwan.

Between October 2003 and May 2004, seven cats were diagnosed with severe and extensive hypertrophic osteopathy of the appendicular skeleton without detectable underlying causes. All cats showed similar clinical signs of pain with progressive lameness of the limbs. One cat died shortly after presentation, whereas conditions of the others resolved after medical treatment and a change in diet. Regression of the bone lesions was observed radiographically in all surviving six cases.

Maxillary bone epithelial cyst in an adult miniature schnauzer.

Maxillary bone epithelial cyst is rare in dogs. A 5-year-old, spayed female miniature schnauzer developed a swelling below the nasal canthus of left eye. Plain radiograph demonstrated a 1.5 cm diameter of radiolucent lesion on the maxillary bone anteroventral to the eye, and contrast dacryocystorhinography confirmed an obstructed nasolarcrimal duct. The swelling showed poor response to antibiotic treatment but responded well to oral prednisolone. Exploratory surgery revealed a cyst-like structure filled with brown serous fluid. Histopathological examination of the removed cyst revealed a double cuboidal epithelial cyst. The dog recovered rapidly after surgery, and the swelling had not recurred for a 36-month follow-up. It is the first case of periorbital bone epithelial cyst reported in an adult miniature schnauzer.

Clinical comparison of recovery from total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and inhalation anesthesia with isoflurane in dogs.

The characteristics of recovery from total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol and inhalation anesthesia with isoflurane was clinically compared in 149 client-owned dogs that anesthetized for surgical or diagnostic procedures. In all dogs, anesthesia was induced with an intravenous injection of propofol following premedication with acepromazine or diazepam. As a result, 58 dogs anesthetized with propofol-TIVA showed slower but smoother recovery than 91 dogs anesthetized with isoflurane anesthesia. The dogs stood at 34.5 +/- 19.3 and 27.7 +/- 17.2 min after propofol-TIVA and isoflurane anesthesia, respectively. Adverse effects, including hypersalivation, neurologic excitement (paddling, muscle tremor/twitching, opisthotonos) and vomiting/retching, were observed in similar infrequent incidences during the recovery from both anesthetic protocols. Propofol-TIVA is suggested to be an alternative anesthetic protocol for canine practice.

Surgical outcome and ocular complications of evisceration and intraocular prosthesis implantation in dogs with end stage glaucoma: a review of 20 cases.

Surgical outcome and complications following evisceration and implantation of intraocular silicone prosthesis (ISP) in 20 canine eyes with end-stage glaucoma were analyzed, including clinical signs, complications, cosmetic appearance, and owners' responses. The mean postoperative follow-up time was 312 days. Major short-term surgical complications were central corneal ulceration (6/20) and infections (3/20), while long-term complication was keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) (2/20). All patient owners (100%) showed satisfied with the surgical outcome and postoperative cosmetic effect including 85% of the owners gave an excellent or good rating of satisfaction. No more medication needed for long term control except the KCS cases. With careful case selection and post-operative care, evisceration with ISP implantation proves a good and safe surgical procedure with minimal complications for end stage glaucoma.

Use of chemical ablation with trichloroacetic acid to treat eyelid apocrine hidrocystomas in a cat.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 7-year-old Persian cat was evaluated for recurrence of multiple cystic periocular masses. A number of cyst-like lesions had been resected from the left eyelids 18 months earlier, with lesions recurring within 6 months after surgery. The cat had blepharospasm and signs of discomfort following rupture of the largest cyst the day prior to examination. Previous histologic examination of the cysts had revealed apocrine hidrocystomas. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Multiple pigmented nodules were seen around the skin of the upper and lower left eyelids. The nodules were brownish to black, round, soft, and fluid-filled. Signs of pain were not evident during palpation of the nodules. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: The largest cyst on the upper eyelid was removed by means of a V-shaped full-thickness excision. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination of the excised tissue confirmed the diagnosis of apocrine hidrocystoma. The remaining periocular cysts were surgically debrided and then treated topically with 20% trichloroacetic acid. All lesions healed rapidly without any signs of discomfort. During a recheck examination 12 months later, the upper and lower left eyelids appeared morphologically normal, and there was no evidence of recurrence. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggested that chemical ablation with trichloroacetic acid may be a useful treatment for apocrine hidrocystomas in cats.

Hypertrophic osteopathy associated with disseminated metastases of renal cell carcinoma in the dog: a case report.

A 6-year-old, mixed breed, intact male dog showed signs of left carpal joint swelling and weakness of the forelimbs one month before presentation. The symptoms gradually progressed to bilateral carpal and tarsal joint swelling and tetraparalysis. There were a number of radiographically identified lytic-proliferative bone lesions noted on the axial skeleton. Hypertrophic osteopathy of the metacarpi and all distal long bones was also evident. Because of the deteriorating quality of life and guarded prognosis, the patient was euthanized and a complete necropsy was performed. Renal cell carcinoma, with metastasis to the lung, thoracic vertebrae, ribs, and the right adrenal gland, was diagnosed. To our knowledge, renal cell carcinoma with bone metastases and hypertrophic osteopathy has not been reported in dogs.