Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the clinical and histologic features of a dog that developed anterior uveitis and uveal depigmentation in association with vitiligo.Animal Studied: A 3‐year‐old, female‐spayed, Bernese Mountain Dog with a history of bilateral idiopathic anterior uveitis developed iris depigmentation, leukotrichia, and skin depigmentation.Procedures: The initial diagnostic evaluation for uveitis was unremarkable, including general bloodwork, urinalysis, infectious disease testing, thoracic radiographs, and abdominal ultrasound. After the development of dermatologic disease, uveodermatologic syndrome was clinically suspected and cutaneous biopsy specimens were collected for histopathology.Results: Cutaneous histopathology was consistent with vitiligo. Progressive and diffuse skin and hair depigmentation occurred over several years, but the dog’s anterior uveitis remained well controlled on relatively minimal topical anti‐inflammatory medications. No posterior segment ocular lesions developed, and the dog remained visual.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This report indicates that anterior uveitis and uveal depigmentation can develop in dogs associated with vitiligo. The presence of bilateral uveitis and uveal depigmentation, concurrent with skin and hair depigmentation, is often considered suggestive of uveodermatologic syndrome in a dog. This report illustrates the importance of cutaneous histopathology to confirm a clinical suspicion even in the most suggestive of clinical presentations.

Objective. The objective of this study was to examine outcomes in dogs with cruciate ligament rupture (CR) that had chronic radiographic cranial tibial subluxation at the time of osteotomy healing after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). Study Design. Retrospective case analysis of 12 dogs with prospective follow-up. Four of the 12 dogs were prospectively studied 12-24 months after surgery to assess long-term radiographic and clinical outcomes. Results. Three of the 4 dogs showed improvement in radiographic cranial tibial subluxation at long-term follow-up. In the other dog, minimally improved cranial tibial subluxation was associated with severe lameness. At long-term follow-up, gait analysis in 3 dogs with improved subluxation showed the symmetry of weight-bearing within 10% for peak vertical force, and no clinically lameness. Preoperative tibial plateau angle (TPA) and radiographic osteoarthritis in dogs with prospective follow-up and all dogs treated with TPLO surgery in the study period were not significantly different. Conclusion. Dogs with chronic radiographic cranial tibial subluxation are acceptable candidates for TPLO. Radiographic improvement in stifle reduction may take more than 10 weeks. The dog with long-term persistent subluxation also had a higher TPA over time, suggestive of ineffective surgical correction with TPLO and treatment failure.

Sternal luxation/dislocation is a rare condition and is most often the result of trauma. Medical and surgical management have been described, with scarce information regarding the best treatment option for these cases. A 1-year-old domestic shorthair cat was presented for severe sternal dislocation and a left humeral fracture. Given the displacement observed at the level of the sternum and pain associated, surgical stabilization was elected. A partial lung lobe hernia was identified during the open stabilization of the sternum. Management of the hernia and sternal luxation stabilization were performed with the aid of video-assisted thoracoscopy. The cat recovered uneventfully, and no postoperative complications were reported.

There are limited reports of mandibular infections and tooth root abscesses in camels (Old World Camelids). This is in contrast to multiple reports and case series detailing diagnosis, management, and therapy of similar infections in New World Camelids such as llamas and alpacas. The purpose of this case series is to present three cases of camels in North America with these infections and to detail the diagnostics, therapeutic interventions, management, and follow-up of these cases. Radiography was utilized in all three cases, as was sedation and/or anesthesia. Similar to llamas, florfenicol was used for antimicrobial therapy and flunixin meglumine was utilized as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory. Some degree of lavage was required for the management of each case. Clinicians should be aware of the potential need for sedation, diagnostic imaging, culture, and extended therapies for the treatment of mandibular and tooth root infections in camels as comparatively described for llamas and alpacas.

An adult male black horse was presented to the UOG veterinary clinic with swelling, discharge, and skin wounds on the chest wall and the right front leg; then, it goes to the lateral and medial hind leg. Inspection and palpation were carried out, and we revealed that the skin was swelled, thickened and hard on clinical examination. There was also nodule rupture, and discharge on the limb and chest skin. Different therapy was applied starting from washing the wound with water-diluted potassium permanganate and then 0.9% NaCl together with paraffin topically placed on the wound. 10% povidone-iodine was also applied by using gauze. Griseofulvin 750 mg/day for one week was given as antifungal therapy orally. The prognosis was poor due to the long incubation period and high resistance of the causative agent.

Introduction. We describe a case of canine Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) using an open-source canine tissue delivery device. Case Presentation. We follow the four-year outcomes of a 1.5-year-old Tibetan Terrier who presented with difficulty seeing, diffuse corneal edema, and central corneal thickness of 1400 microns in the left eye. To perform DSEK, a polycarbonate carrier and insertion device was designed for canine corneas that measure up to 15 mm in diameter. The tissue was loaded into the inserter prior to surgery with the endothelium facing inwards and the stroma facing the cartridge wall. From the cartridge, the graft was pulled into the eye using microforceps and an anterior chamber maintainer. We assessed preoperative endothelial cell count, postoperative corneal clearance, and graft adhesion. The donor was a two-year-old Airedale Terrier who died one day prior to surgery, with endothelial cell density of 3149 cells/mm2. One week after DSEK, the cornea began to clear, and pachymetry of the donor and graft total was 1410 microns. This improved to 800 microns at 4 months and continued improving in its clarity at the last postoperative visit 4 years after surgery. Discussion. We demonstrate the feasibility of conducting canine endothelial keratoplasty with a specially designed tissue delivery device and the potential of long-term corneal clearance after DSEK in canine eyes.

A 9-month-old mixed-breed dog was presented for bilateral proximal tibial deformity resulting in an excessive tibial plateau angle and cranial cruciate ligament insufficiency. Initial surgical management of the right pelvic limb was done by performing a cranial closing wedge ostectomy. Inadequate leveling of the plateau resulted in a postliminal meniscal tear which was addressed during a revision tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. The left pelvic limb was managed in a single-session surgery using three-dimensional (3D) virtual surgical planning and custom 3D-printed surgical guides to perform a combined cranial closing wedge ostectomy and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. Postoperative 3D analysis of the left tibia revealed the accuracy of the surgical result within 2° of the virtual surgical plan. The dog developed a transient grade II/IV left medial patellar luxation following surgery but ultimately attained a full functional recovery and was actively engaged in competitive agility work 46 months following surgery on the left pelvic limb.

There have been few reports of emergency cases of proximal tracheal foreign bodies in dogs and cats. Here, we report a dog and a cat that underwent an emergency tracheotomy for a foreign body in the proximal trachea. Case 1 was a dog with respiratory arrest caused by a large stone in the proximal trachea. The stone was immediately removed via tracheotomy without anesthesia. After intubation and ventilation under anesthesia, hypoxia persisted but improved after aspiration of 100 mL of bloody fluid from the lower trachea. Case 2 was a cat with dyspnea because of a proximal tracheal stone and increased radiopacity in the right lung. The stone was removed via tracheotomy after mask induction of anesthesia, followed by intubation and incision closure. Radiographs immediately after extubation showed worsened right lung atelectasis, alleviated by reintubation and positive pressure ventilation. Both patients recovered completely after surgery. An emergency tracheotomy may be indicated for a large foreign body in the proximal trachea. Additionally, concurrent conditions in the lower respiratory tract should be addressed.

A one-year-old alpine wether was presented for emergency evaluation of stranguria. Diagnostics identified a moderately distended bladder and mild dehydration. Preliminary lateral radiographs identified two metallic structures consistent with projectile pellets in the pelvic and perineal regions and no evidence of radiopaque uroliths. A tube cystostomy was performed, and a contrast urethrogram revealed one of the pellets in the perineal region was in proximity to the urethral obstruction. Subsequent radiography and ultrasound identified the pellet as being within the lumen of the urethra. Examination of the trichotomized skin revealed two scars, including a scar over the paralumbar fossa in the region of the urinary bladder suggestive of a projectile injury. The pellet was removed by a perineal urethrotomy. The patient was able to spontaneously urinate after urethrotomy, passed a tube cystostomy challenge two weeks after surgery, and was discharged. No complications were reported. While uncommon in the veterinary and comparative medical literature, clinicians should consider the potential for projectile pellets to migrate into the urinary tract after initial injury.

An 11-year-old male neutered Yorkshire Terrier was presented with a cervical mass that developed a draining tract. Aside from the dysphagia reported by the owner, his neurologic exam was normal. Three years prior, the patient was diagnosed with an atlantoaxial subluxation that was ventrally stabilized with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and self-tapping titanium screws. There were no postoperative complications until presenting with the cervical mass and dysphagia. Computerized tomography (CT) of the cervical spine confirmed caudal migration of the PMMA and screws with an abscess surrounding the implant. A surgical explant of the PMMA and screws was performed without complication. The atlantoaxial joint remained normally aligned on postoperative radiographs. Cultures of the implant grew Streptococcus bovis. He was treated with cephalexin (22 mg/kg PO BID) for 30 days. At the time of his one-month recheck, he was swallowing normally with no neurologic deficits. He remains normal at the time of this report (17 months later). This case reports a successful explant of a chronic atlantoaxial implant infection.

Summary. A 7-month-old female Jack Russell Terrier weighing 4.6 kg was referred to a veterinary hospital for persistent urinary incontinence. Blood test results and vital signs were within the normal range. Computed tomography allowed the diagnosis of extramural ectopic ureter and unilateral renal agenesis. After the first neoureterocystostomy surgery, the dog had severe complications, such as hydroureter and hydronephrosis, so a second surgery was performed. A commercial ureteral stent was not an option, and it was decided to fabricate a homemade stent to avoid euthanasia. The stent used was a soft, DEHP-free PVC tube with a lumen of 3 × 4.1  mm and a length of approximately 40 mm that connected the ureter to the urinary bladder. Two years after surgery, the dog is in good general condition, and the results of regularly performed blood and urine tests are within the normal range for dogs.

In this report, an incidence of sweating sickness-like symptoms in a crossbred Holstein Friesian cow was diagnosed. The cow was suffering from vaporization of the skin, dehydration, wet hair coat, and matting of hair due to excessive sweating. There were several ticks, flies, and mosquitoes in tail switch and other parts of the body. Blood and urine parameters were tested. We treated the patient successfully with ivermectin as ectoparasite control, ceftiofur sodium antibiotic to treat bacterial infections, ketoprofen as analgesics and antipyretics, chlorpheniramine maleate as H2-blocker, and trichlorfon and povidone-iodine skin spray to prevent fly invasion and prevent opportunistic bacterial infection, respectively. Acyclovir and oil of turpentine were suggested to be sprayed on the floor and wall of the shed for viral and ectoparasitic control. Our treatment regime successfully recovered the cow with no recurrence.

Objective. The objective was to study clinical outcomes in dogs with chronic cruciate ligament rupture (CR) treated with palliative arthroscopy as the sole surgical treatment. Methods. Thirteen client-owned dogs with CR underwent physical examination, stifle radiography, and arthroscopy with resection of damaged meniscal tissue. Records were evaluated, and orthopaedic examination, radiographs, and arthroscopy images were assessed. Long-term clinical outcome was also assessed by use of an owner questionnaire. Results. Thirteen dogs that underwent arthroscopy at the UW Veterinary Care between 2001 and 2020 were included. Long-term follow-up was available for 7 of 13 dogs. Lameness was static to improved in all dogs in which arthroscopy was performed. Subsequent stifle stabilization was performed after arthroscopy in only 1 of 7 dogs with follow-up data. Conclusion. Palliative arthroscopy and resection of damaged meniscal tissue in combination with medical management of osteoarthritis can be considered in dogs with chronic CR and cranial tibial subluxation with little passive laxity during examination. Revision surgery with TPLO is uncommon after arthroscopy based on this study.

Objective. To document a case of limbal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in an adult Black Baldy cow treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an adjunctive therapy following surgical excision. Animals Studied. One privately owned 8-year-old female, entire, Black Baldy cow. Procedures. A complete ophthalmic examination was performed on an adult Black Baldy cow for assessment of a mass affecting the left eye. Following a routine partial incision superficial lamellar keratectomy and conjunctivectomy under local analgesia using a Peterson retrobulbar block, photodynamic therapy was performed as an adjunctive treatment to lower the chance for recurrence and improve the prognosis for the globe. Results. Histopathologic analysis of the limbal mass was reported to be consistent with a squamous cell carcinoma, removed with clean margins. The patient was comfortable and visual with no signs of tumor recurrence 11 months after surgery. Conclusion. Superficial lamellar keratectomy and conjunctivectomy with adjunctive photodynamic therapy is an effective treatment for limbal squamous cell carcinoma and may be performed as an alternative to enucleation, exenteration, euthanasia, or slaughtering in cattle.

Leishmaniases are a group of diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and transmitted mainly by the bite of sand fly vectors. Cats are infected with at least 6 species of Leishmania. Significant associations have been found between feline leishmaniosis and coinfections mainly with FIV and/or FeLV. A 7-year-old castrated male, domestic short-haired cat was presented with unknown history and cutaneous and ocular lesions. A raised, semifirm swelling on the forehead was observed along with periocular hypotrichosis and conjunctival and third eyelid edema. The indications for pursuing a diagnosis of leishmaniosis are variable, and differing presentations may require the use of different tests. Diagnosis of feline leishmaniosis with panniculitis caused by Leishmania infantum was made by cytology, histopathology, and PCR and Leishmania antibodies (IFA). The cat responded to therapy with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol.