Case report: Palliation of right pulmonary artery compression with overlapping, self-expanding vascular stents and toceranib phosphate in a dog with a large, compressive chemodectoma.

Acquired pulmonary artery branch stenosis without main pulmonary artery involvement due to external compression by neoplasia has been described in human and veterinary medicine. Over time, this can result in right ventricular hypertension and right-sided heart failure. Endovascular stenting offers quick relief from signs, while the underlying cause is addressed.

The effects of alfaxalone on cardiac and pulmonary vascular size in cats evaluated by thoracic radiography and echocardiography.

Alfaxalone is a neuroactive steroid that modulates the GABA receptor, which has shown recent widespread use as a sedative and anesthetic agent in cats, especially in patients being screened for cardiovascular disease. This prospective, partially blinded, randomized experimental study aimed to determine if sedation with alfaxalone would alter the appearance of the cardiac silhouette or pulmonary vasculature on thoracic radiographs or echocardiographic indices of cardiac or pulmonary vascular size. Eleven apparently healthy adult cats were recruited from a research colony.

Thoracic Trauma Causing an Acquired Gerbode Defect, Aortic Sinus Rupture, and Third-Degree Atrioventricular Block With Secondary Endocarditis in a Dog.

• Gerbode defects are high-velocity, systolic LV-RA shunts. • Gerbode defects are rare across species; the most common etiology is acquired. • IE and arrhythmias can be fatal complications of Gerbode defects.

Hybrid Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty in an Adult Dog with Congenital Mitral Stenosis and Left Atrial Thrombus.

• Congenital MS is a rare cardiac disease in canines. • BMV may improve the mobility of stenotic mitral leaflets. • AF and LA thrombi may occur in congenital MS.

Evaluation of right ventricular diastolic function, systolic function, and circulating galectin-3 concentrations in dogs with pulmonary stenosis.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases with increased right ventricular (RV) afterload induce RV diastolic and systolic dysfunction, and myocardial fibrosis in humans. Studies in dogs with pulmonary stenosis (PS) evaluating RV diastolic function and markers of myocardial fibrosis are lacking.

Hypothesis/objectives: Dogs with PS have echocardiographic evidence of RV diastolic and systolic dysfunction and increased serum concentrations of galectin-3 (Gal-3), a surrogate biomarker for myocardial fibrosis.

Transvalvular Pulmonary Stent Angioplasty for Management of an Intraluminal, Compressive Chemodectoma in a Dog.

• Chemodectomas are a common type of heart-base mass in dogs. • Chemodectomas may cause compression or invasion of adjacent structures. • Vascular stent placement may improve blood flow across a vascular obstruction.

Effect of recombinant equine interleukin-1β on function of equine endothelial colony-forming cells in vitro.

Objective: To investigate the effects of recombinant equine IL-1β on function of equine endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) in vitro.

Sample: ECFCs derived from peripheral blood samples of 3 healthy adult geldings.

Procedures: Function testing was performed to assess in vitro wound healing, tubule formation, cell adhesion, and uptake of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3' tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate-labeled acetylated low-density lipoprotein (DiI-Ac-LDL) by cultured ECFCs.

Effects of pimobendan on left atrial transport function in cats.

Background: Arterial thromboembolism is a sequela of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats related to left atrial (LA) enlargement and dysfunction.

Hypothesis: Pimobendan improves LA transport function in cats.

Animals: Twenty-two client-owned cats with HCM and 11 healthy cats.

Acquired left-to-right shunting through a valve-incompetent foramen ovale in a cat with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

Case Summary: An 8-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was presented for a recheck evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and chronic kidney disease. Three years prior to presentation, the patient was diagnosed with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and started on atenolol. The left ventricular outflow tract obstruction subsequently resolved.

Pharmacokinetics of Pimobendan and Its Metabolite O-Desmethyl-Pimobendan Following Rectal Administration to Healthy Dogs.

This study describes the pharmacokinetics of parent pimobendan (PIM) and its active metabolite, o-desmethyl-pimobendan (ODMP), after oral and rectal administration of pimobendan to healthy dogs. A total of eight healthy privately owned dogs were used in this study. The dogs received a single dose (0.

Development of Spontaneous Echocardiographic Contrast After Transarterial Occlusion of a Patent Ductus Arteriosus in an Adult Dog With Concurrent Pulmonary Hypertension.

An 8-year-old intact female Chihuahua was presented for evaluation and possible occlusion of a previously diagnosed patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Transthoracic echocardiography revealed left ventricular and left atrial enlargement, enlargement of the main pulmonary artery, and a PDA with bidirectional shunting. Tricuspid regurgitant velocities suggested moderate pulmonary hypertension.

Cell engraftment, vascularization, and inflammation after treatment of equine distal limb wounds with endothelial colony forming cells encapsulated within hydrogel microspheres.

Background: Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) may be useful therapeutically in conditions with poor blood supply, such as distal limb wounds in the horse. Encapsulation of ECFCs into injectable hydrogel microspheres may ensure cell survival and cell localization to improve neovascularization and healing. Autologous ECFCs were isolated from 6 horses, labeled with quantum nanodots (QD), and a subset were encapsulated in poly(ethylene) glycol fibrinogen microspheres (PEG-Fb MS).

Pharmacokinetics of a commercially available product and a compounded formulation of extended-release levetiracetam after oral administration of a single dose in cats.

Objective: To compare pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam in serum and CSF of cats after oral administration of extended-release (ER) levetiracetam.

Animals: 9 healthy cats.

Procedures: Cats received 1 dose of a commercially available ER levetiracetam product (500 mg, PO).

A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease.

Background: The effects of sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) are currently unknown.

Objectives: To determine the pharmacodynamic effects of S/V on the RAAS, natriuretic peptide concentrations, systolic arterial pressure (SAP), tests of renal function, and serum electrolyte concentrations in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to MMVD.

Animals: Thirteen client-owned dogs weighing 4-15 kg with American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Stage B2 MMVD.

Adeno-Associated Virus Gene Therapy in a Sheep Model of Tay-Sachs Disease.

Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hexosaminidase A (HexA). TSD also occurs in sheep, the only experimental model of TSD that has clinical signs of disease. The natural history of sheep TSD was characterized using serial neurological evaluations, 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiograms, electrodiagnostics, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers.

Multicenter evaluation of signalment and comorbid conditions associated with aortic thrombotic disease in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To assess signalment and concurrent disease processes in dogs with aortic thrombotic disease (ATD). DESIGN Retrospective case-control study. ANIMALS Dogs examined at North American veterinary teaching hospitals from 1985 through 2011 with medical records submitted to the Veterinary Medical Database.

Encapsulation of Equine Endothelial Colony Forming Cells in Highly Uniform, Injectable Hydrogel Microspheres for Local Cell Delivery.

A common challenge in cell therapy is the inability to routinely maintain survival and localization of injected therapeutic cells. Delivering cells by direct injection increases the flexibility of clinical applications, but may cause low cell viability and retention rates due to the high shear forces in the needle and mechanical wash out. In this study, we encapsulated endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) in poly(ethylene glycol)-fibrinogen (PF) hydrogel microspheres using a custom-built microfluidic device; this system supports rapid encapsulation of high cell concentrations (10 million cells per mL) and resulting cell-laden microspheres are highly uniform in shape and size.