Computed tomographic findings in a Bluetick Coonhound with a longitudinal thoracic tracheal tear.

A 9-year-old intact male Bluetick Coonhound presented for progressive subcutaneous emphysema of 5 days' duration due to a suspected tracheal tear. Cervical computed tomography (CT) and thoracic CT were performed after failure to identify the tracheal tear with tracheoscopy. A longitudinal tracheal tear was identified starting 4.3 cm cranial to the tracheal bifurcation and extending caudally over a distance of 3.6 cm. Severe pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, and retroperitoneal gas were also present. A follow-up CT 7 days postoperatively confirmed the successful repair of the tear with partial resolution of the presurgical secondary pathology and the patient recovered uneventfully.

Lesions in canine stifle joints due to trochleoplasties as treatment for medial patellar luxation.

Lesions in canine stifle joints after previous trochleoplasty surgery were documented. In four clinical cases arthrotomies were performed due to stifle pain after previous trochlear deepening procedures. A small area of hyaline cartilage remained in the groove of the stifles in cases where previous wedge trochleoplasties had been performed. All of the stifles had significant areas of eburnation on the axial aspect of the medial trochlear ridge. The stifle joints of a dog that was euthanased due to severe irreversible osteoarthritis were photographed. The dog had undergone previous surgery for patellar luxation and cranial cruciate ligament ruptures. The trochlear grooves in this dog had almost no visible articular cartilage left.