Evaluation of vacuum phenomenon in dogs with coxofemoral degenerative joint disease using computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a common orthopedic lesion in the coxofemoral joint of canine patients. Concurrent with the sign of degeneration, the vacuum phenomenon (VP), or intra-articular gas, has been observed in several locations in both human and canine patients. A cadaveric study described VP in small breed dogs without DJD but with hip laxity. However, none of the canine VP reports mentioned coxofemoral DJD. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective study was to describe the distribution of coxofemoral VP revealed on computed tomography (CT) imaging in canine patients with DJD. RESULTS: A total of 282 dogs (564 coxofemoral joints), comprising 142 small, 85 large, and 55 medium breeds, were included in the present study. DJD was found in 31.02% of all dogs. The incidence of DJD was highest in large breed dogs (50%), followed by medium (31.81%) and small (19.36%) breed dogs. In addition, VP was detected with CT using the pulmonary window in 31 joints of 25 dogs that received a diagnosis of hip degenerative disease. VP was found most frequently at the laterodorsal area of the acetabulum. The incidences of VP in large, small, and medium breed dogs were 35.94%, 17.14% and 8.33%, respectively. The presence of coxofemoral VP was significantly and positively correlated with DJD (odds ratio = 17.58, 95% CI 2.32-133.42). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of coxofemoral joint DJD and VP was more likely to be detected in large breed dogs, especially in those with established DJD. CT is an advanced diagnostic imaging modality that can be used to reveal VP lesions, most of which are reported at the laterodorsal acetabulum. Further studies, including comparisons of different patient positions, may reveal more information regarding coxofemoral VP.

Morphophysiological Assessment of the Cervix during the Reproductive Cycle and Early Pregnancy in Does Using Computed Tomography and Oxytocin Receptor Immunohistochemistry.

This study aimed to elucidate the morphophysiology and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) expression in the cervix of doe goats during various reproductive stages to enhance reproductive management strategies. A total of 40 cervical samples were categorized into follicular (n = 15), luteal (n = 10), and early pregnancy (n = 15) stages. Utilizing advanced imaging based on functional and morphological markers, the study employed computed tomography (CT) scans, histochemical staining (Masson trichrome and alcian blue), immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) to assess structural changes in the cervix and in OXTR expression during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. CT scans revealed consistent cervical folds and a significant reduction in cervical width during pregnancy, suggesting structural adaptations for gestational integrity. Histochemical analyses indicated a well-organized collagen network and presence of mucins, essential for cervical function and integrity. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting demonstrated elevated OXTR protein levels during the follicular stage, which were markedly reduced during pregnancy, indicating a role in facilitating cervical relaxation and sperm transport during estrus and maintaining cervical closure during gestation. qPCR analysis showed stable OXTR mRNA levels during follicular and luteal stages with a slight, non-significant increase during pregnancy, pointing towards posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that cervical morphology and OXTR expression in doe goats undergo significant changes across reproductive stages, with elevated OXTR protein levels during the follicular phase and notable reductions in cervical width and OXTR protein levels during pregnancy, indicating structural and functional adaptations for both reproductive processes and gestational integrity.

Use of contrast-enhanced computed tomography to detect kidney infarction in dogs.

BACKGROUND: Kidney infarction is a renovascular disease diagnosed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in humans. OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency of kidney infarction and to determine the detection of kidney infarction with CECT in dogs. ANIMALS: Eight hundred and twenty-six abdominal CECT studies of 826 dogs. METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective study. Dogs with abdominal CT scans including CECT were retrospectively retrieved. Kidney infarction was classified into 3 grades based on the extent of infarction relative to total kidney area. The location and number of kidney infarctions in each kidney were expressed as number and percentage. The ability of visualization of kidney infarction in each multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) image plane was evaluated by agreement of 2 observers. RESULTS: The frequency of kidney infarction in dogs was 3.15% (26/826 dogs; 95% CI = 2.05-4.61). Most kidney infarctions were classified as grade 1, or the lesions were less than 25% of the kidney (47/56, 83.93%) and most were detected at the caudal pole of the kidney (31/56, 55.35%) on the sagittal plane. On MPR image planes, the sagittal plane had the highest proportion (34/56, 60.71%) of excellent visual category to detect kidney infarction. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The CECT, especially the sagittal plane, is a useful diagnostic tool for the detection of kidney infarction in dogs.

Comparison of fine-needle cytologic diagnosis between the left and right liver lobes of dogs and cats with diffuse liver disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Ultrasound-guided fine-needle sample collection for cytology with manual restraint is frequently used for the primary assessment of diffuse liver disease in veterinary patients in Thailand. For better diagnosis, repeated collection of samples ensures the collection of adequate, representative samples, which increase diagnostic accuracy. However, in those that are unable to receive general anesthesia, it is difficult to collect the samples from several liver locations in manually restrained dogs and cats. The study aimed to compare the cytologic diagnosis of the ultrasound-guided fine-needle non-aspiration technique between the left and right liver lobes in dogs and cats with neoplastic and non-neoplastic diffuse liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 25 client-owned dogs and cats with diffuse liver diseases. Two liver samples were randomly collected from the left and right liver lobes under ultrasound guidance for cytologic examination. All slides were subsequently examined blindly by experienced pathologists for cytologic analysis with cytologic agreement scores (CASs). RESULTS: Among all 50 samples obtained from ultrasound-guided fine-needle sample collection of the left and right liver, 78% were diagnostic and 22% were non-diagnostic. In the diagnostic group, 73.3% of fine-needle samples had concordant results between the left and right liver, which exhibited 100% cytologic agreement in lymphoma and 63.6% in non-neoplastic groups. Samples collected from the left liver had slightly higher CAS and higher cytologic quality than had those from the right liver lobe (p=0.053). CONCLUSION: The location and number of sample collections did not have a significant difference in the cytologic diagnosis of diffuse liver disease, especially in patients with lymphoma. For manually restrained patients, one time ultrasound-guided non-aspiration cytology procedure from the left liver lobe not only decreased restraint duration and minimized tissue trauma but also allowed for an adequate cytologic diagnosis in diffuse liver disease compared to multiple collections.