Feasibility and Acceptability of a Multiple Mini-interview Format for Evaluation of Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency and Internship Candidates.

The multiple mini-interview (MMI) format assesses candidates' performance in various competencies and is becoming commonplace in medical school and residency programs. This interview format compares to and surpasses the traditional interview in validity, reliability, feasibility, and acceptability. We developed a MMI to assess resident and specialty intern candidates for Small Animal Internal Medicine over a 3-year period.

Management of a urethral tear with porcine small intestinal submucosa-augmented urethroplasty and balloon dilation for subsequent urethral stricture in a cat.

Case Description: As a result of vehicular trauma, a 3-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat sustained luxation of the sacrocaudal joint and a urethral tear.

Clinical Findings: Retrograde contrast urethrocystography revealed a urethral tear at the level of the ischiatic tuberosity. Conservative treatment for 7 days with a urethral catheter was unsuccessful.

Gastrointestinal Tract Dysfunction With Critical Illness: Clinical Assessment and Management.

The gut is the site of digestion and absorption as well as serving as an endocrine and immune organ. All of these functions may be affected by critical illness. This review will discuss secondary effects of critical illness on the gut in terms of gastrointestinal function that is clinically observable and discuss consequences of gut dysfunction with critical illness to patient outcome.

Evaluation of a Human Virtual-Reality Endoscopy Trainer for Teaching Early Endoscopy Skills to Veterinarians.

Competency in flexible endoscopy is a major goal of small animal internal medicine residency training programs. Hands-on laboratories to teach entry-level skills have traditionally used anesthetized laboratory dogs (live dog laboratory [LDL]). Virtual-reality endoscopy trainers (VRET) are used for this purpose in human medicine with the clear benefits of avoiding live animal use, decreasing trainee stress, and allowing repeated, independent training sessions.

Minimally invasive treatment of sino-nasal aspergillosis in dogs.

Background: Sino-nasal aspergillosis is a common nasal disease in dogs. Recommended treatment protocols typically involve trephination of the frontal sinuses or the use of an antifungal solution instilled into the frontal sinus under anesthesia, both of which have associated morbidity and complications.

Objectives: To assess a minimally-invasive topical treatment protocol for sino-nasal aspergillosis in dogs.

Effect of sucralfate on gastric permeability in an ex vivo model of stress-related mucosal disease in dogs.

Background: Sucralfate is a gastroprotectant with no known systemic effects. The efficacy of sucralfate for prevention and treatment of stress-related mucosal diseases (SRMD) in dogs is unknown.

Hypothesis/objectives: To develop a canine ex vivo model of SRMD and to determine the effect of sucralfate on mucosal barrier function in this model.

Context-specific protection of TGFα null mice from osteoarthritis.

Transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα) is a growth factor involved in osteoarthritis (OA). TGFα induces an OA-like phenotype in articular chondrocytes, by inhibiting matrix synthesis and promoting catabolic factor expression. To better understand TGFα's potential as a therapeutic target, we employed two in vivo OA models: (1) post-traumatic and (2) aging related OA.

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS-A CASE OF SPONTANEOUS HEPATIC PORTAL VEIN GAS IN AN 11-MONTH-OLD WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER.

An 11-month-old female entire West Highland White Terrier presented for chronic diarrhea with acute deterioration in demeanor and progression to systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography identified colonic ulceration and secondary mucosal gas. Suspected hepatic portal vein gas and hepatic parenchyma gas were also visualized.

Effect of a zinc L-carnosine compound on acid-induced injury in canine gastric mucosa ex vivo.

Objective: To examine whether a zinc L-carnosine compound used for treatment of suspected gastric ulcers in dogs ameliorates acid-induced injury in canine gastric mucosa.

Sample: Gastric mucosa from 6 healthy dogs.

Procedures: Mucosa from the gastric antrum was harvested from 6 unadoptable shelter dogs immediately after euthanasia and mounted on Ussing chambers.

Cystoscopic guided removal of ectopic eggs from the urinary bladder of the Florida cooter turtle (Pseudemys floridana floridana).

Three gravid, female, wild Florida cooter turtles (Pseudemys floridana floridana) were evaluated and treated by the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine Turtle Rescue Team as a result of traumatic injuries or infection. As part of medical management, oviposition was induced using oxytocin, which was only partially effective. In all three cases, ectopic eggs were subsequently identified in the urinary bladder by ultrasound and were successfully removed via a minimally invasive cystoscopic-guided technique.