Margo L. Mehl

Objectives—To evaluate outcome in dogs with left divisional intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (PSS) treated by partial ligation (PL) or ameroid ring constrictor (ARC) placement on the left hepatic vein.Design—Retrospective study.Animals—Dogs (n=28) with left divisional intrahepatic PSS.Methods—Retrieved data from medical records of dogs with left divisional intrahepatic PSS that had PL (n=17) or ARC (n=11) were signalment, history, clinical signs, preoperative blood work, portal pressure measurements, ARC size, complications and postoperative technetium scintigraphy. Outcome assessed by owner interview 6 months–10 years after surgery was classified as excellent, good or poor. Differences were tested by exact χ²test.Results—Major complications occurred in 3 dogs: coagulopathy (1 PL dog died), ascites (1 PL dog survived) and seizures (1 ARC dog died). Eight PL dogs had technetium portal scintigraphy; 1 dog was negative and 7 dogs positive for persistent shunting. Seven ARC dogs had scintigraphy; 4 dogs were negative and 3 positive for persistent shunting. In PL dogs, long‐term clinical outcome was excellent (92%) or good (8%) whereas, in ARC dogs it was excellent (20%), good (50%) or poor (30%). This outcome difference between treatment groups was significant (P=.0012).Conclusion—Dogs treated by PL had significantly better long‐term outcome compared with ARC treated dogs.Clinical Relevance—Based on these data, ARC placement on the left hepatic vein in dogs with left‐divisional intrahepatic PSS cannot be recommended.

Objective— To determine the relative importance of ischemic injury to delayed graft function (DGF) in cats.Study Design— Experimental study.Animals— Six intact female cats.Methods— Cats had renal autograft transplantation without ureteral transection and reimplantation and a contralateral nephrectomy. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were measured regularly and abdominal ultrasound was performed before surgery, the day after surgery and twice weekly thereafter. Ultrasound‐guided renal biopsy was performed on day 7. Cats were euthanatized on day 21. Histology of the autograft, ureter, bladder, vascular anastomoses sites, and contralateral kidney were performed. Observations were compared with those from an historic group of research cats that had extravesicular ureteroneocystostomy and contralateral nephrectomy.¹Results— Five cats completed the study. Serum creatinine and BUN concentrations increased after surgery, peaking at 3.2±0.8 and 77.6±15.9 mg/dL, respectively, 1–2 days after surgery. Serum creatinine concentration returned to the reference interval by 6 days after surgery. BUN gradually decreased in all cats but did not return to the reference interval by study end. Serum creatinine and BUN concentrations were consistently lower but not significantly so (P=.29 and .56, respectively) compared with the historic ureteroneocystostomy group. No ultrasonographic abnormalities or renal biopsy histologic abnormalities were observed. At necropsy, 1 autograft had generalized interstitial fibrosis.Conclusion— Harvesting the renal graft and the ischemia before revascularization causes impaired renal function after engraftment.Clinical Relevance— The process of harvesting and reimplanting the renal graft can contribute to DGF in cats, independent of ureteral obstruction.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate one versus two doses of local delivery cisplatin in a biodegradable polymer (OPLA-Pt) for the treatment of osteosarcoma (OSA) after amputation in dogs. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively, and 105 dogs were included in the study; 39% of dogs received one treatment (surgical implantation) of OPLA-Pt and 61% of dogs received two treatments of OPLA-Pt after amputation. Administration of two doses of OPLA-Pt did not have a significant effect on disease-free interval or survival time compared to one dose. The anatomic site of the tumour was identified as a prognostic factor, and dogs with proximal humeral OSA had the shortest disease-free interval and survival times. There was no advantage to giving a second dose of local delivery cisplatin following amputation for the treatment of OSA in dogs.

To compare 3 techniques for ureteroneocystostomy in cats. Experimental surgical study. Fifteen adult cats. Cats (15) had ureteroneocystostomy with ureteronephrectomy of the contralateral kidney: 5 cats had an intravesical mucosal apposition technique (modified Leadbetter-Politano; intravesical-MA group), 5 cats had extravesical ureteroneocystostomy (modified Lich Gregoir) using a simple continuous suture pattern (extravesical-SC group) and 5 cats had an extravesical technique using a simple interrupted suture pattern (extravesical-SI group). Renal function was evaluated by measuring serum creatinine concentration. Ultrasonographic assessment of the kidney and ureteroneocystostomy site was performed the day after surgery, twice weekly for 3 weeks and once weekly for the remainder of the study. Cats were euthanatized 50 days after surgery. The kidney and ureter removed at surgery, the remaining kidney, ureter, ureteroneocystostomy site, and bladder were examined histologically. Two extravesical-SC cats were euthanatized because of azotemia and uroabdomen, and 1 died acutely at day 4 for unknown reasons. In the intravesical-MA and extravesical-SI cats, the serum creatinine concentration increased after surgery, peaking at a mean (+/-SD) of 9.4+/-2.4 mg/dL and 4.9+/-3.3 mg/dL on day 3, and decreasing to 3.4+/-5.7 mg/dL and 1.5+/-0.4 mg/dL on day 7, respectively. The extravesical-SI technique was associated with consistently lower serum creatinine concentrations for the first week after surgery compared with the other techniques. The mean serum creatinine concentration was within the reference range in cats in the intravesical-MA and extravesical-SI groups by days 10 and 5, respectively. Renal pelvic dilatation occurred in all cats but resolved more rapidly in cats after extravesical techniques. There was no significant difference in serum creatinine concentrations or renal pelvic dilation between the intravesical-MA and extravesical-SI techniques. Bladder mass height at the anastomosis site was significantly larger and persisted for longer with intravesical-MA technique. An extravesical-SI technique is seemingly the choice for ureteroneocystostomy in cats with undilated ureters. Renal pelvic dilation on ultrasound examination should be expected after ureteroneocystostomy in cats. An extravesical ureteroneocystostomy technique using a simple interrupted pattern for anastomosis should be considered in cats undergoing renal transplantation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the disposition of cyclosporine after intravenous (i.v.) and oral administration and to evaluate single sampling times for therapeutic monitoring of cyclosporine drug concentrations in cats. Six adult male cats (clinically intact) were used. Two treatments consisting of a single i.v. cyclosporine (1 mg/kg) and multiple oral cyclosporine (3 mg/kg b.i.d p.o. for 2 weeks) doses. Whole blood cyclosporine concentrations were measured at fixed times by high performance liquid chromatography and pharmacokinetic values were calculated. Mean values for the i.v. data includedAUC(7413 ng/mL·h),t_1/2distribution and elimination (0.705 and 9.7 h, respectively),C_max(1513 ng/mL), andV_d(ss)(1.71 L/kg). Mean values for the oral data includedAUC(6243 ng/mL·h),t_1/2of absorption and elimination (0.227 and 8.19 h, respectively), andC_max(480.0 ng/mL). Bioavailability of orally administered cyclosporine was 29 and 25% on days 7 and 14 respectively. Whole blood comment cyclosporine concentration 2 h after administration (C₂) better correlated withAUCon days 7 and 14 than trough plasma concentration (C₁₂). The rate of oral cyclosporine absorption was less than expected and there was substantial individual variation. Therapeutic drug monitoring strategies for cyclosporine in cats should be re‐evaluated.