Dogs neutered prior to perineal herniorrhaphy or that develop postoperative fecal incontinence are at an increased risk for perineal hernia recurrence.

Objective: To identify risk factors for recurrence and surgical site infection (SSI) after perineal hernia repair surgery in dogs.

Methods: Medical records of male dogs undergoing perineal herniorrhaphy from 2008 to 2023 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Data pertinent to patient signalment, surgical repair methods, risk factors for SSI, and risk factors for recurrence were collected.

A free lunch: microhaplotype discovery in an existing amplicon panel improves parentage assignment for the highly polymorphic Pacific oyster.

Amplicon panels using genotyping by sequencing methods are now common, but have focused on characterizing SNP markers. We investigate how microhaplotype (MH) discovery within a recently developed Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) amplicon panel could increase the statistical power for relationship assignment. Trios (offspring and two parents) from three populations in a newly established breeding program were genotyped on a 592 locus panel.

Risk factors affecting all-cause mortality in cats hospitalized by a referral soft tissue service.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the all-cause mortality rate in cats hospitalized by the soft tissue surgery service of an academic referral hospital over a 5-year period and to identify specific risk factors for mortality. The hypotheses were that the all-cause mortality rate during hospitalization would be low, and cats undergoing emergency surgery and those with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status of 3 or more would be at increased risk for mortality.

Methods: The case log of cats hospitalized by the soft tissue surgery service at the University of Georgia was searched retrospectively to identify all cats hospitalized in the years 2015-2020.

Pericyte ablation causes hypoactivity and reactive gliosis in adult mice.

Capillary pericytes are important regulators of cerebral blood flow, blood-brain barrier integrity and neuroinflammation, but can become lost or dysfunctional in disease. The consequences of pericyte loss or dysfunction is extremely difficult to discern when it forms one component of a complex disease process. To evaluate this directly, we examined the effect of adult pericyte loss on mouse voluntary movement and motor function, and physiological responses such as hypoxia, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and glial reactivity.