Dimitri Leperlier

An 11‐year‐old neutered female Labrador was presented with dyschezia and dysuria associated with a large perineal mass that had been present for 2 years. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a large bilobed, cavitated mass localized ventrally to the rectum and dorsally to the urethra at the level of the vagina, with hypoattenuating contents and a contrast‐enhancing peripheral wall. Surgical excision was performed and confirmed the cystic nature of the mass. Histopathological findings were compatible with a benign vaginal cyst, most likely originating from the Müllerian or paramesonephric ducts. The CT provided relevant information for surgical planning and enabled accurate assessment of the mass’s location, extent, and relationship with adjacent structures.

Case historiesThe medical records of cats and dogs admitted to the Department of Small Animal Surgery of the Centre Hospitalier V & eacute;t & eacute;rinaire Pommery (Reims, France) with a history of vehicular trauma or falls from the first floor or higher were screened for occurrences of a lower urinary tract (LUT) rupture. Signalment, reported injuries, diagnostic imaging findings, and blood test results were extracted from the medical records.Clinical findingsA total of 585 animals were included in the study: 339 cats and 246 dogs. The overall prevalence of LUT rupture was 1.36% (8/585) and was 1.2% (3/246) in dogs and 1.4% (5/339) in cats. The most common site of rupture was the bladder (5/8 cases). All orthopaedic injuries were pelvic fractures and animals with pelvic fractures were 6.4 (95% CI: 1.67-24.41; p = 0.012) times more likely to incur urinary tract rupture than those without pelvic fractures. However, three cases had LUT rupture without associated orthopaedic injury. All affected patients had free abdominal fluid identified by abdominal focused assessment with sonography for trauma. Serum urea and creatinine concentrations were elevated in 5/8 cases of LUT rupture, and 4/8 cases were able to urinate.Clinical relevanceAlthough LUT injury and pelvic fracture were significantly associated in this study, 3/8 cases of LUT rupture in this study had no orthopaedic injury and half retained the ability to urinate. Thus, lack of associated fractures and ability to urinate should not be used to rule out a LUT rupture. The possibility of bladder or urethral rupture should be considered in all patients with a history of severe blunt trauma.

Bruwier A, et al. J Vet Sci. 2022 Jul;23:e65. https://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.22109

During minimally invasive spinal surgery, correct identification of the affected intervertebral disc space is critical. Percutaneous palpation is commonly used, but results may be unreliable. Fluoroscopy is the gold standard but can be cumbersome and exposes operators to ionizing radiation. Spinal ultrasound has been described in veterinary medicine and could be a feasible alternative. This prospective, methods comparison study mimicked a minimally invasive spinal surgery in 10 canine cadavers and compared the accuracy of ultrasound and percutaneous palpation for thoracolumbar intervertebral disc space identification, using fluoroscopy as the reference standard. For each experiment, a disc space was randomly chosen. Identification was then attempted using both percutaneous palpation and ultrasound. For ultrasound, a linear probe was used to guide the operator to the correct location. The time necessary to perform each method was recorded. Accuracies for each method were calculated and statistically compared. Effects of body condition score, location of the targeted thoracolumbar intervertebral disc space and learning curve for each method were also evaluated. Ultrasonographic identification was more accurate (96.7% vs. 76.7%; P < 0.03) but took longer (147 s vs. 29 s; P < 0.0001) than percutaneous palpation. Findings from this cadaver study indicated that percutaneous palpation alone had low accuracy for correctly identifying a targeted thoracolumbar intervertebral disc space and supported the use of ultrasound as a method for improving the accuracy. Future studies are needed to assess the method in clinical cases, especially in obese dogs and/or those in which the targeted site is distant from palpable anatomical landmarks.

Objectives This article aimed to describe olecranon fracture in dogs and cats and their stabilization with tension band wiring or plate osteosynthesis, and to evaluate complications associated with each technique. Methods Medical records of cats and dogs that had been surgically treated for olecranon fractures with either tension band wiring or plate osteosynthesis were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical technique, complications and long-term outcomes were assessed. Results Forty-one olecranon fractures were included. Fractures were articular, comminuted and open in 90, 31 and 27% of cases, respectively. Tension band wiring and plate osteosynthesis were performed in 22 and 19 fractures, respectively. Complications occurred more commonly after tension band wiring (74%) compared with plate osteosynthesis (27%) (p = 0.002) and these were probably related to it being used in comminuted fractures (p = 0.01) or to errors in technique. Minor complications included Kirschner wires migration (n = 5), pain (n = 3), osteomyelitis (n = 3), skin breakdown (n = 3) and seroma (n = 1). Implant failure requiring further fixation (n = 4) was observed only in the tension band wiring group. Other major complications included skin wound debridement and closure (n = 1) and chronic lameness requiring implant removal (n = 7). Long-term functional outcomes were excellent regardless of the technique used. Clinical Significance Plate osteosynthesis should be performed for olecranon fracture repair if technically feasible.

The aim of this case series was to describe a novel technique of single‐incision laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs using the SILS Port (Covidien), a single‐port multiple‐access device, in 40 client‐owned dogs. A single 3 cm incision was made caudal to the umbilicus and the SILS Port device was bluntly introduced. Three cannulae were inserted in the SILS Port through the access channels. In the first 20 cases, a transabdominal suspension suture was used to transfix the ovaries. In all cases, ovariectomy was performed using a standard straight non‐roticulated laparoscopic grasper and a vessel sealer/divider device. Mean (sd) duration of the ovarian resection was 25.1 (6.1) minutes (range 16 to 39 minutes). In five dogs (with transabdominal suspension suture), minor bleeding in the mesovarium or in the spleen was observed. Since the SILS Port allows simultaneous use of two instruments and a telescope through a single incision, the suspension suture is not mandatory. The lack of a transabdominal suspension suture increased collision between instruments and the telescope, but triangulation capabilities remained sufficient to achieve visualisation, sufficient manoeuvrability and safe vessel sealer/divider device application. The time to perform ovarian resection remained unaltered with or without suspension suture and regardless of the fat score of the ovarian ligament. Complications were less frequent without a suspension suture.

Golden retriever andLabrador retriever muscular dystrophy are inherited progressive degenerative myopathies that are used as models ofDuchenne muscular dystrophy in man. Thoracic lesions were reported to be the most consistent radiographic finding in golden retriever dogs in a study where radiographs were performed at a single‐time point. Muscular dystrophy worsens clinically over time and longitudinal studies in dogs are lacking. Thus our goal was to describe the thoracic abnormalities of golden retriever andLabrador retriever dogs, to determine the timing of first expression and their evolution with time. To this purpose, we retrospectively reviewed 390 monthly radiographic studies of 38 golden retrievers and sixLabrador retrievers with muscular dystrophy. The same thoracic lesions were found in both golden andLabrador retrievers. They included, in decreasing frequency, flattened and/or scalloped diaphragmatic shape (43/44), pulmonary hyperinflation (34/44), hiatal hernia (34/44), cranial pectus excavatum (23/44), bronchopneumonia (22/44), and megaesophagus (14/44). The last three lesions were not reported in a previous radiographic study in golden retriever dogs. In all but two dogs the thoracic changes were detected between 4 and 10 months and were persistent or worsened over time. Clinically, muscular dystrophy should be included in the differential diagnosis of dogs with a combination of these thoracic radiographic findings.

Objectives:To describe stapled 1‐stage functional end‐to‐end intestinal anastomosis for treatment of small intestinal obstruction in dogs and evaluate outcome when the technique is performed by nonexpert surgeons after limited training in the technique.Study Design:Case series.Animals:Dogs (n=30) with intestinal lesions requiring an enterectomy.Methods:Stapled 1‐stage functional end‐to‐end anastomosis and resection using a GIA‐60 and a TA‐55 stapling devices were performed under supervision of senior residents and faculty surgeons by junior surgeons previously trained in the technique on pigs. Procedure duration and technical problems were recorded. Short‐term results were collected during hospitalization and at suture removal. Long‐term outcome was established by clinical and ultrasonographic examinations at least 2 months after surgery and from written questionnaires, completed by owners.Results:Mean±SD procedure duration was 15±12 minutes. Postoperative recovery was uneventful in 25 dogs. One dog had anastomotic leakage, 1 had a localized abscess at the transverse staple line, and 3 dogs developed an incisional abdominal wall abscess. No long‐term complications occurred (follow‐up, 2–32 months).Conclusion:Stapled 1‐stage functional end‐to‐end anastomosis and resection is a fast and safe procedure in the hand of nonexpert but trained surgeons.