Causal Agent Investigation and Treatment of Dogs Diagnosed with Discospondylitis in a Endemic Region.

Discospondylitis is a well-recognized disease in dogs, but the relative prevalence of causal infectious agents and efficiency of relevant diagnostic tests are not well-established. Medical record review identified 117 dogs diagnosed with discospondylitis in our clinic over a 5-year period. In 32 dogs, discospondylitis was diagnosed as an incidental imaging finding; 24 of these dogs had concomitant neoplasia.

Temporal and sequence-related variability in diffusion-weighted imaging of presumed cerebrovascular accidents in the dog brain.

Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) is often used to guide clinical interpretation of intraparenchymal brain lesions when there is suspicion for a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Despite widespread evidence that imaging and patient parameters can influence diffusion-weighted measurements, such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), there is little published data on such measurements for naturally occurring CVA in clinical cases in dogs. We describe a series of 22 presumed and confirmed spontaneous canine CVA with known time of clinical onset imaged on a single 3T magnet between 2011 and 2021.

Greater trochanter morphology and association with patient demographics, surgical factors, and post-operative stem position: a retrospective assessment of 150 cementless THRs in 135 dogs.

Background: Total hip replacement (THR) in the gold standard surgical treatment for the canine hip. While it has been shown that greater trochanter morphology affects post-operative cementless stem position in humans, trochanter morphology and the effect on cementless stem position has not been extensively evaluated in dogs. The objective of this study was to classify greater trochanter morphology and identify potential associations between trochanter morphology and patient demographics, femoral canal geometry, surgical time, technique modifications, and post-operative stem position in client-owned dogs undergoing cementless THR.

Outcomes and Complications Associated with Acute Gunshot Fractures in Cats and Dogs.

Objective:  The aim of this study was to summarize outcomes and complications of gunshot fracture management in small animals.

Study Design:  Review of cats and dogs with radiographically confirmed acute gunshot fractures, presenting data on signalment, fracture location, fracture management (surgical non-surgical, type of surgical repair), fracture comminution, extent of soft tissue trauma, postoperative complication and overall outcome. A poor outcome was defined as patient death, major postoperative complication or limb amputation (both as primary treatment or secondary to postoperative complications).

The impact of a surgical checklist on surgical outcomes in an academic institution.

Objective: To determine the influence of a surgical checklist (SC) on morbidities and compliance with safety measures.

Study Design: Before-and-after-intervention study.

Sample Population: Three thousand two hundred eighty-six dogs: 1375 dogs pre-SC and 1911 post-SC.

Neurologic Causes of Thoracic Limb Lameness.

Although lameness of the thoracic limb typically is due to orthopedic disease, there are several important neurologic conditions that result in lameness. Neurologic diseases cause lameness due to disease of the nerves, nerve roots, spinal cord, or muscles. Common differentials include lateralized intervertebral disc extrusions, caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy (wobbler disease), brachial plexus avulsion, neuritis, and peripheral nerve sheath tumors.

Assessment of Orthopedic Versus Neurologic Causes of Gait Change in Dogs and Cats.

Diagnosis of forelimb lameness may be challenging, as it not only can be due to multiple common orthopedic diseases but also may occasionally be caused by neurologic disease. A thorough orthopedic and neurologic examination is key to determining which disease category is the likely culprit. Deficits identified on the neurologic examination, such as proprioceptive deficits, changes in reflexes, and presence of spinal hyperesthesia, are key in identifying neurologic causes of forelimb lameness.

Extended durotomy to treat severe spinal cord injury after acute thoracolumbar disc herniation in dogs.

Objective: To report recovery of ambulation of dogs treated with extended thoracolumbar durotomy for severe spinal cord injury caused by intervertebral disc herniation.

Study Design: Descriptive cohort.

Animals: Twenty-six consecutive paraplegic dogs presented with loss of deep pain sensation after acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

Analysis of outcomes following treatment of craniodorsal hip luxation with closed reduction and Ehmer sling application in dogs.

To describe outcomes for dogs after treatment of craniodorsal hip luxation with closed reduction and Ehmer sling placement and investigate potential risk factors for sling-associated tissue injury or reluxation of the affected hip at or near the time of sling removal. Retrospective multicenter cohort study. 92 dogs.

Clinical Evaluation of the Feline Neurologic Patient.

Efficient, gentle, and safe handling of cats can result in complete neurologic evaluations and accurate neuroanatomic localizations. The clinic environment should facilitate the examination by providing a quiet and secure environment for the cat. When direct examination of a cat is not possible, the practitioner should fully use indirect methods of examination and video recordings of cat behavior or clinical signs.

Diagnostic Imaging of Discospondylitis.

Discospondylitis can affect dogs of any age and breed and may be seen in cats. Although radiography remains the gold standard, advanced imaging, such as CT and MRI, has benefits and likely allows earlier diagnosis and identification of concurrent disease. Because discospondylitis may affect multiple disk spaces, imaging of the entire spine should be considered.

Second-look arthroscopic findings after CORA-based leveling osteotomy.

Objective: To describe the arthroscopic appearance of intra-articular structures mid-term (9 months) and long-term (>12 months) after CORA-based leveling osteotomy (CBLO).

Study Design: Case series.

Animals: Dogs (n = 41) with second-look arthroscopy of the stifle after CBLO for treatment of a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficiency.

Early Blockade of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Spinal-Cord-Injured Dogs Results in a Long-Term Increase in Bladder Compliance.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is often accompanied by reduced bladder compliance, which contributes to adverse conditions including urinary tract infections and vesicoureteral reflux. Reduced compliance is, in part, attributed to extensive remodeling of the bladder wall, including the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we tested the hypothesis that blockade of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), known for their ability to remodel the ECM, improves bladder compliance in dogs with SCI.

The Effect of Sliding Humeral Osteotomy (SHO) on Frontal Plane Thoracic Limb Alignment: An Ex Vivo Canine Cadaveric Study.

Objective: To determine the effect of sliding humeral osteotomy (SHO) on frontal plane thoracic limb alignment in standing and recumbent limb positions.

Study Design: Canine cadaveric study.

Sample Population: Canine thoracic limbs (n=15 limb pairs).

Multi-Center Retrospective Evaluation of Screw and Polymethylmethacrylate Constructs for Atlantoaxial Fixation in Dogs.

Objective: To evaluate outcome and adverse events following ventral stabilization of the atlantoaxial (AA) joint in dogs with clinical AA subluxation using screw/polymethymethacrylate (PMMA) constructs in a retrospective, multi-center cohort study.

Study Design: Historical cohort study.

Animals: 35 client-owned dogs.

Combined physeal fractures of the distal radius and ulna: complications associated with K-wire fixation and long-term prognosis in six cats.

Objectives The objective was to describe the complications and long-term outcome associated with Kirschner (K)-wire fixation of combined distal radial and ulnar physeal fractures in six cats. Methods Medical records (2002-2014) of six referral institutions were searched for cats with combined distal radial and ulnar physeal fractures. Cases with complete clinical files, radiographs and surgical records were retrospectively reviewed.

Outcome Following Surgical Correction of Grade 4 Medial Patellar Luxation in Dogs: 47 Stifles (2001-2012).

Grade 4/4 medial patellar luxation (MPL) is a complex disease of the canine stifle that often requires surgical realignment of the patella to resolve clinical lameness. Outcome following surgery remains poorly described. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for surgical correction of grade 4 MPL.

Acute Phase Proteins in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Dogs with Naturally-Occurring Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects thousands of people each year and there are no treatments that dramatically improve clinical outcome. Canine intervertebral disc herniation is a naturally-occurring SCI that has similarities to human injury and can be used as a translational model for evaluating therapeutic interventions. Here, we characterized cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) acute phase proteins (APPs) that have altered expression across a spectrum of neurological disorders, using this canine model system.

Relationships between cerebrospinal fluid characteristics, injury severity, and functional outcome in dogs with and without intervertebral disk herniation.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is commonly acquired in dogs with intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH) and is a common method to assess inflammatory responses following spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to describe relationships between cisternal CSF characteristics, behavioral measures of SCI, T2- weighted (T2W) hyperintensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and long-term outcome in dogs with IVDH. Diagnostic accuracy of CSF for differentiating IVDH from other myelopathies was also assessed.

Efficacy of a metalloproteinase inhibitor in spinal cord injured dogs.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 is elevated within the acutely injured murine spinal cord and blockade of this early proteolytic activity with GM6001, a broad-spectrum matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, results in improved recovery after spinal cord injury. As matrix metalloproteinase-9 is likewise acutely elevated in dogs with naturally occurring spinal cord injuries, we evaluated efficacy of GM6001 solubilized in dimethyl sulfoxide in this second species. Safety and pharmacokinetic studies were conducted in naïve dogs.

Cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in naturally occurring canine spinal cord injury.

Canine intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH) is a common, naturally occurring form of spinal cord injury (SCI) that is increasingly being used in pre-clinical evaluation of therapies. Although IVDH bears critical similarities to human SCI with respect to lesion morphology, imaging features, and post-SCI treatment, limited data are available concerning secondary injury mechanisms. Here, we characterized cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytokines, and chemokines in dogs with acute, surgically treated, thoracolumbar IVDH (n=39) and healthy control dogs (n=21) to investigate early inflammatory events after SCI.

In vitro biomechanical comparison of 3.5 mm LC-DCP/intramedullary rod and 5 mm clamp-rod internal fixator (CRIF)/intramedullary rod fixation in a canine femoral gap model.

Objective: To compare the biomechanical properties of clamp rod internal fixation (CRIF)/rod and LC-DCP/rod constructs in a canine femoral gap model.

Study Design: Cadaveric biomechanical study.

Sample Population: Canine femora (n = 10 pair).

Thoracic limb alignment in healthy labrador retrievers: evaluation of standing versus recumbent frontal plane radiography.

Objective: To report thoracic limb alignment values in healthy dogs; to determine if limb alignment values are significantly different when obtained from standing versus recumbent radiographic projections.

Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Animals: Labrador Retrievers (n = 45) >15 months of age.

Evaluation of the WARP-turbo spin echo sequence for 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging of stifle joints in dogs with stainless steel tibial plateau leveling osteotomy implants.

Susceptibility artifacts caused by ferromagnetic implants compromise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the canine stifle after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedures. The WARP-turbo spin echo sequence is being developed to mitigate artifacts and utilizes slice encoding for metal artifact reduction. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the WARP-turbo spin echo sequence for imaging post TPLO canine stifle joints.