Ana Carolina Brandão de Campos Fonseca Pinto

Electro-acupuncture and Chinese herbs for treatment of cervical intervertebral disk disease in a dog

A non-ambulatory dog with tetraparesis following a pain episode that had evolved over 2 months was submitted for medical treatment and diagnosed with intervertebral disk disease at C3-C4 and dorsal extradural compression at C1-C2 and C3-C4 using myelography and computed tomography. The dog experienced ambulation recovery after 15 days of treatment with only electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, with marked improvement occurring after only 10 treatments. Six months of follow-up demonstrated that the dog was stable and had no recurrence of symptoms. Therefore, it was concluded that the combination of electroacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine was responsible for motor rehabilitation.

Localization of the mandibular canal in brachycephalic dogs using computed tomography.

For some surgical procedures in veterinary dentistry including exodontia, orthognathic surgery, orthopedic surgery, oncologic surgery, and for the placement of dental implants, it is important to know the accurate location of the neurovascular structures within the mandibular canal. The aim of this research was to determine the course of the mandibular canal in the mandible and its relationship with other anatomical structures in brachycephalic dogs using computerized tomography. Mandibles from 10 brachycephalic cadaver dogs were evaluated. Measurements were taken in relation to the lingual, vestibular, alveolar crest, and ventral surfaces. These measurements indicated that the mandibular canal descends slightly from the mandibular foramen to the molar area, decreasing the distance of the mandibular canal from the mandibular ventral border. The mandibular canal is slightly closer to the lingual surface than the vestibular surface except in the molar tooth region. The mandibular canal continues in a rostral direction occupying the ventral region of the mandibular body, reaching its maximum distance from the alveolar crest at the level of the first molar and fourth premolar teeth. In the third and fourth premolar tooth region, the mandibular canal maintains a similar distance between the vestibular and lingual borders; then, at the level of the second premolar tooth, the distance of the mandibular canal from the lingual and ventral border increases before its termination at the mental foramen. The study reported here documents the feasibility of using CT to determine the location of the mandibular canal in relation to bony and dental parameters. Although the difference in mandible size of the group of brachycephalic dogs reported here resulted in broad ranges of measurements, it is clear that the MC course may vary between individual dogs.

Comparison of Standard Radiography and Computed Tomography in 21 Dogs with Maxillary Masses

Imaging of patients with oral cancer is required to determine tumor extension in order to assist in prognosis and surgical planning. Conventional screen-film radiography (SFR) used to be the most common method for oral assessment, but computed tomography (CT) has become more available and is being used for obtaining complementary information. CT examinations eliminate superimposition by acquiring cross-sectional images of the region of interest. The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of SFR compared with CT examinations for evaluation of oral masses in dogs. Twenty-one dogs received head and thorax SFR, and pre- and post-contrast head CT. Bony changes were observed in 80.9 % and 95.2 % of the cases in SFR and CT studies, respectively. Invasion of adjacent structures (i.e. nasal cavity, frontal and sphenoidal sinuses, orbit, maxillary recess, nasopharynx) was observed in only 30 % of cases with SFR while CT showed 90.4 % involvement. CT is an important preoperative examination modality and is more effective in identifying bone changes and tumor invasion of adjacent structures compared with SFR.

Imagem radiográfica da cavidade torácica de cães Golden Retriever acometidos pela distrofia muscular

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder with clinical signs of muscular weaknesses and progressive atrophy. Golden Retriever dogs show similar genotypic and phenotypic characteristics to Human Muscular Dystrophy and are considered a proper animal model for DMD studies. Latero-lateral and dorso-ventral thoracic radiographies were obtained from 10 Golden Retriever dogs affected by muscular dystrophy, to investigate possible radiographic alterations. Thorax radiographic examination revealed (a) interstitial and alveolar pattern, (b) initial phases of pneumonia and pulmonary edema, (c) cardiomegaly as a principal alteration in the thoracic cavity, (d) megaesophagus displacing the trachea and heart silhouette, and (e) cranial protrusion of the diaphragm lining into the thorax with development of a hiatus hernia displacing the stomach to the caudal mediastinum. Postmortem examination showed pleural effusion, pulmonary emphysema, degenerative and metaplasic processes in the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. Radiographic examination was considered essential for the diagnosis of cardiac and respiratory disease in Golden Retriever dogs affected by muscular dystrophy, and to identify the primary pulmonary process and to provide the establishment of suitable therapeutic treatment, with a reserved prognosis in advanced stage of the disease.

Avaliação radiográfica da silhueta cardíaca pelo método de mensuração VHS (vertebral heart size) em cães da raça Poodle clinicamente normais

Many measurement methods have been proposed in order to minimize the subjectivity of the empire radiographic evaluation of the cardiac silhouette. This study intended to establish the VHS (vertebral heart size) value in Poodle dogs, which are a widely spread breed, applying the Buchanan e Bucheler1 measurement method. Thirty healthy dogs, males and females, 1 to 6 years old were selected and undergone to right lateral and ventrodorsal thoracic radiographs that were first empirically evaluated. Then, Buchanan e Bucheler1 method was applied to the cardiac silhouette and thoracic depth and width. Empiric evaluation did not show any important radiographic changes in twenty one dogs (70%). VHS measurements noticed to be smaller or equal as 10.5 vertebrae in 80% of dogs. The range of minimum (9.2 vertebrae) and maximum (11.1 vertebrae) VHS values had normal distribution with a 10.12 media and 0,51 standard deviation. Normal distribution was also noticed in depth/width ratio, with a 0,84 media and a 0.09 standard deviation with minimum and maximum values of 0.64 and 1.04 respectively. 40% of dogs showed VHS values greater than the 10.12 vertebrae found in this study, it suggests that this value should be used as upper limit for Poodle dogs. The upper limit should be 11 vertebrae as 96.67% of the dogs of this study presented VHS smaller than it. Based on the results, we suggest that a 10,5 to 11 vertebrae interval should be considered the upper limit value to Poodles with 0,84 + 0,09 depth/width ratio as once only one dog showed a measure that exceeded 11 vertebrae.

Morphology and morphometry of the foramen magnum in Toy Poodle and Yorkshire terrier dogs

The occipital dysplasia has been characterized by a dorsal enlargement of the foramen magnum which can vary in size and shape. Clinical signs may be present or not in animals with occipital dysplasia. The purpose of this study was to radiographically analyze the morphology and morphometry of the foramen magnum of thirty healthy dogs. This study chose to use fifteen Yorkshire terrier dogs and fifteen Toy Poodle dogs in order to characterize the radiographic aspects of the foramen magnum and contribute to the diagnosis and critical analysis of the occipital dysplasia importance. According to the foramen magnum morphology and tracings, it was possible to classify the radiographic aspects into different shapes varing from oval and quadrangular. Out of 26 (86.7%) animals had a dorsal enlargement and 4 (13.3%) showed normal foramen magnum. Animals without any clinical signs that are radiographically classified as dysplastic dogs may simply represent an anatomic variation of the foramen magnum.

Parâmetros ecocardiográficos em modo unidimensional de cães da raca Poodle miniatura, clinicamente sadios

In Brazil, the canine population of the Poodle, mainly the Miniature variation, grows in geometric progression, beeing this breed frequently affected by congenital and adquired cardiopathies. The main objective of this study was the standardization and evaluation of the echocardiographic parameters in unidimensional (M) mode, from clinically normal Miniature Poodle dogs. Thirthy Miniature Poodle dogs, 09 males and 21 females ageing between 2 and 7 years old (3.87±1.55), and weight varying from 2.0 to 8.7 kilogram (4.49±1.38) were studied. To be included in this study, physical exam, hemogram, biochemical profile, urinalysis, detection of circulating microfilaries as well as ELISA test for Dirofilaria immitis, electrocardiographic, radiographic exams and meansurement of the blood pressure were performed. After the analysis of obtained echocardiographic results, reference values for the echocardiographic data, in healthy Miniature Poodle dogs, were determined. The statistical analysis also showed that factors, as weight and height, may have some influence on the echocardiographic parameters.

Aspectos radiográficos da doença valvar crônica

The radiographic examination is one of the most applied diagnostic method in chronic valvular disease, evaluating the cardiac silhouette and/or lung abnormalities. The radiographic cardiac image can be measured by the “vertebral heart size” system, proposed by BUCHANAN and BUCHELER (1995). Seventy dogs who presented murmur on auscultation, symptomatic or not, were studied, and the radiographic examination of them were evaluated by the “VHS” method. Clinical and radiographic findings were compared, indicating that the worse the severity of symptoms the higher the probability of finding cardiomegaly in radiographies. Besides, the higher the murmur intensity the more often the radiographic signs of cardiomegaly were observed.

Vertical forces assessment according to radiographic hip grade in German shepherd dogs

OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation between radiographic hip grade and kinetic parameters in German shepherd dogs. METHODS Dogs were distributed into five groups of eight dogs each according to hip grade (A, B, C, D or E). Dogs were submitted to clinical evaluation and kinetic analysis. Five valid passages were analysed using data collected from a pressure walkway. Peak vertical force, vertical impulse and stance phase duration were evaluated at velocity (1 · 2 to 1 · 4 m/s) ±0 · 1 m/s(2) acceleration. Kinetic data between groups were compared. RESULTS In pelvic limbs, mean peak vertical force decreased progressively from grade C (mild) to grade E (severe) hip dysplasia. The vertical impulse was decreased in groups C and E compared to groups A, B and D; stance phase duration did not differ significantly between groups. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Mean peak vertical force was lower in dogs with severe hip dysplasia compared with mildly dysplastic dogs. These results suggest that hip dysplasia degree can affect lameness severity.

Morphology and topographic anatomy of the spinal cord of the red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria Spix, 1824)

The aim of this study was to describe the topography of the spinal cord of the red-footed tortoise to establish a morphological basis for applied research in anesthesiology and morphology. Six tortoises from the state of Maranhao (Brazil) that had died of natural causes were used. The common carotid artery was used to perfuse the arterial system with saline solution (heated to 37oC) and to fix the material with a 20% formaldehyde solution. The specimens were then placed in a modified decalcifying solution for 72 hours to allow dorsal opening of the carapace with a chisel and an orthopedic hammer. Dissection of the dorsal musculature and sectioning of the vertebral arches were performed to access the spinal cord. The results revealed the spinal cord of G. carbonaria to be an elongated, whitish mass that reached the articulation between the penultimate and last caudal vertebrae. The cervical intumescence (Intumescentia cervicalis) was located between vertebral segments C5 and T1, whereas the lumbosacral intumescence (Intumescentia lumbalis) was located between T6 and Ca1.