Surgical management of a lumbar far lateral intervertebral disc extrusion in a cat.

Case Summary: A 9-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented with a 2-week history of acute, progressive left pelvic limb lameness. Gait evaluation revealed a grade 3/5 left pelvic limb lameness with no apparent orthopedic cause for the lameness based on orthopedic examination or radiographs. The neurological examination was otherwise normal.

Pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous ketamine administration via the Omnipod® system in dogs.

Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic agent with analgesic and antidepressant effects that can prevent maladaptive pain. Ketamine is metabolized by the liver into norketamine, an active metabolite. Prior rodent studies have suggested that norketamine is thought to contribute up to 30% of ketamine's analgesic effect.

Clinical and imaging findings in dogs with nerve root signature associated with cervical intervertebral disc herniation.

Background: Intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) is the most common spinal cord disease in dogs. Little information is available regarding the clinical presentation of nerve root signature (NRS) associated with cervical IVDH.

Hypothesis/objective: To detail the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in dogs with NRS associated with cervical IVDH.

Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of atlanto-axial subluxation in 42 dogs: Analysis of joint cavity size, subluxation distance, and craniocervical junction anomalies.

Background: Atlanto-axial (AA) subluxation can be a complex syndrome in dogs. Accurate identification and assessment of this condition are key to providing treatment and resolution.

Aim: The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of AA subluxation and associated neurologic deficits.

Presumed pituitary apoplexy in 26 dogs: Clinical findings, treatments, and outcomes.

Background: Pituitary apoplexy refers to hemorrhage or infarction within the pituitary gland resulting in acute neurological abnormalities. This condition is poorly described in dogs.

Objectives: To document presenting complaints, examination findings, endocrinopathies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), treatments, and outcomes of dogs with pituitary apoplexy.

Craniectomies for Dogs With Skull Multilobular Osteochondrosarcoma Using the Misonix Bone Scalpel: Cadaveric Evaluation and Retrospective Case Series.

To evaluate the Misonix bone scalpel (MBS) for craniotomies in dogs and describe clinical findings and surgical experience in 3 dogs with large multilobular osteochondrosarcoma (MLO) of the skull. Cadaver evaluation and retrospective case series. One canine cadaver; 3 client-owned dogs.

Diagnostic traction and dorsal locking plate stabilization of a fifth and sixth thoracic vertebral fracture/luxation in a golden retriever: Case report.

Traction was used to diagnose instability of a T5-T6 traumatic luxation that was stabilized with locking plates in the laminae and dorsal pedicles. A two-year-old, 27 kg, female spayed golden retriever was presented to a veterinary teaching hospital after being referred for possible mandibular and spinal fractures after being hit by a car. The dog presented non-ambulatory paraparetic with intact pain perception.

Novel subcutaneous cytarabine infusion with the Omnipod system in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and pharmacokinetics of cytarabine delivery as a subcutaneous continuous-rate infusion with the Omnipod system.

Animals: 6 client-owned dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology were enrolled through the North Carolina State University Veterinary Hospital.

Procedures: Cytarabine was delivered at a rate of 50 mg/m2/hour as an SC continuous-rate infusion over 8 hours using the Omnipod system.

Pathology in Practice.

In collaboration with the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Subaxial cervical articular process subluxation and dislocation: Cervical locked facet injuries in dogs.

Objective: To describe neurologic signs, diagnostic imaging findings, potential treatments, and outcomes in dogs with subaxial cervical articular process subluxation and dislocation, or a "locked facet."

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: Ten client-owned dogs.

Computed tomography evaluation of proposed implant corridors in canine thoracic vertebrae.

Objective: Identify acceptable implant corridors in the normal canine thoracic vertebrae (T) from T1 to T9.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Sample Population: Computed tomographic (CT) studies of normal canine thoracic spines (n = 39).

Vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs with neoplastic or inflammatory central nervous system disorders.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key molecular driver of angiogenesis and vascular permeability and is expressed by a wide variety of neoplasms. Although blood VEGF concentrations have been quantified in intracranial tumors of dogs, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VEGF concentration might be a more sensitive biomarker of disease.

Objective: Concentrations of VEGF in CSF are higher in dogs with central nervous system (CNS) neoplasia compared to those with meningoencephalomyelitis and other neurologic disorders.

The bioavailability of cytarabine in dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology through iontophoresis and rectal delivery.

Background: Cytarabine (CA) is used to treat dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology (MUE) by subcutaneous or intravenous administration.

Aim: The objective was to investigate transdermal iontophoresis and rectal administration as alternative routes of CA delivery.

Methods: Two client-owned dogs with MUE were studied.

Ultrasound-guided paravertebral perineural glucocorticoid injection for signs of refractory cervical pain associated with foraminal intervertebral disk protrusion in four dogs.

Case Description: 4 dogs, 7.5 to 10 years of age, were presented for evaluation of signs of chronic cervical pain and forelimb lameness secondary to cervical foraminal intervertebral disk protrusion (IVDP). All dogs were refractory to ≥ 2 weeks of conservative management including strict rest and pain management with anti-inflammatory drugs, methocarbamol, and gabapentin.

Outcomes and prognostic indicators in 59 paraplegic medium to large breed dogs with extensive epidural hemorrhage secondary to thoracolumbar disc extrusion.

Objective: To evaluate outcomes and prognostic factors after decompressive hemilaminectomy in paraplegic medium to large breed dogs with extensive epidural hemorrhage (DEEH) and thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (TL-IVDE).

Study Design: Retrospective, cohort, descriptive study.

Animals: Fifty-nine client-owned dogs.

Surgical Resection of a Parietal Osteoma in a Domestic Ferret Using Advanced Neurosurgical Techniques.

A 3.5 yr old male neutered ferret presented with progressive enlargement of a right dorsocaudal skull mass that had occurred over 18 mo. Computed tomography imaging revealed a large (2.

Continuous rate infusion of midazolam as emergent treatment for seizures in dogs.

Background: Midazolam delivered by continuous rate infusion (CRI) might be effective in dogs with cluster seizures (CS) or status epilepticus (SE).

Objective: To describe the use and safety of midazolam CRI in dogs with CS or SE.

Animals: One-hundred six client-owned dogs presenting to a veterinary teaching hospital with CS or SE.

Cerebrospinal fluid lactate concentrations in dogs with seizure disorders.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate concentrations increase after seizure activity in many human patients independent of the underlying disease process. The effect of seizure activity on CSF lactate concentration in dogs is unknown.

Hypothesis/objectives: Cerebrospinal fluid lactate concentration is unaffected by seizure activity in dogs and is more dependent on the underlying disease process causing the seizures.

Traumatic skull fractures in dogs and cats: A comparative analysis of neurological and computed tomographic features.

Background: Traumatic skull fractures (TSF) are relatively frequent in dogs and cats, but little information is available regarding their clinical and imaging features.

Hypothesis/objectives: To describe the neurological and computed tomographic (CT) features of a large cohort of dogs and cats with TSF.

Animals: Ninety-one dogs and 95 cats with TSF identified on CT.

Influence of Duration of Injury on Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Acute Canine Spinal Cord Injury.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) quantifies microstructural lesion characteristics, but impact of the interval between spinal cord injury (SCI) and examination on imaging characteristics is unclear. Our objective was to investigate the impact of duration of injury on DTI indices in dogs with acute, spontaneous SCI from thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) and explore associations with clinical severity. Twenty-six dogs with acute thoracolumbar IVDH of variable severity who underwent DTI were included.

An update on hemilaminectomy of the cranial thoracic spine: Review of six cases.

Background: The optimal surgical approach to relieve spinal cord compression in the cranial thoracic spine is not well described, and the anatomy of the cranial thoracic vertebrae creates added surgical difficulty.

Aim: This study describes the surgical approach, treatment, and outcome of three dogs and three cats that underwent a cranial thoracic hemilaminectomy for the treatment of extradural spinal cord compression. Surgical positioning was tailored to avoid extensive dissection and provide for a restricted, careful approach.

Association between anesthesia duration and outcome in dogs with surgically treated acute severe spinal cord injury caused by thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation.

Background: Retrospective research recently identified a possible relationship between duration of surgery and outcome in severely affected dogs treated surgically for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation (TL-IVDH).

Hypothesis: That increased duration of surgery is associated with poorer outcome in dogs with absent pain perception treated surgically for TL-IVDH.

Animals: Two hundred ninety-seven paraplegic dogs with absent pain perception surgically treated for acute TL-IVDH.

Evaluation of a collar-mounted accelerometer for detecting seizure activity in dogs.

Background: The majority of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy continue to have seizures despite appropriate treatment.

Objectives: To assess the use of a commercially available, collar-mounted accelerometer to detect generalized seizures in dogs.

Animals: Twenty two client-owned dogs with idiopathic epilepsy.