Dayle Tyrrell

Disseminated Scedosporium prolificans infection in a German Shepherd dog.

Disseminated Scedosporium prolificans infection in a 1-year-old female spayed German Shepherd dog is described. Clinical signs were predominantly associated with fungal pyelonephritis and the organism was cultured from the urine. The dog was treated with itraconazole and later, terbinafine was added. Subsequent antifungal susceptibility testing of the isolate showed it to be resistant to all available antifungal drugs. The dog was euthanased because of acute abdominal haemorrhage and associated clinical deterioration. Postmortem examination revealed extensive pyogranulomas containing fungal organisms in the renal parenchyma, myocardium, bone marrow, skeletal muscle, liver, lung, spleen, multiple lymph nodes and pancreas.

Pneumatosis coli in a dog.

A 17-year-old, castrated male Maltese was presented with chronic polyphagia and a 2-week history of tenesmus, diarrhea, hematochezia, weight loss, and ribbon-like feces. Pneumatosis coli was diagnosed by abdominal radiography. Concurrent hyperadrenocorticism was suspected. The clinical signs of colorectal disease resolved within 2 days of initiating a lowresidue diet and oral metronidazole. Pneumatosis coli should be considered as a differential diagnosis for colorectal disease in dogs.

EARLY POSTOPERATIVE MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FINDINGS IN FIVE DOGS WITH CONFIRMED AND SUSPECTED BRAIN TUMORS

Early postoperative neuroimaging has been performed in people for over 20 years to detect residual brain tumor tissue and surgical complications. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe characteristics observed using early postoperative magnetic resonance imaging in a group of dogs undergoing craniotomy for brain tumor removal. Two independent observers came to a consensus opinion for presence/absence of the following MRI characteristics: residual tumor tissue; hemorrhage and ischemic lesions; abnormal enhancement (including the margins of the resection cavity, choroid plexus, meninges) and signal intensity changes on diffusion-weighted imaging. Five dogs were included in the study, having had preoperative and early postoperative MRI acquired within four days after surgery. The most commonly observed characteristics were abnormal meningeal enhancement, linear enhancement at margins of the resection cavity, hemorrhage, and a thin rim of hyperintensity surrounding the resection cavity on diffusion-weighted imaging. Residual tumor tissue was detected in one case of an enhancing tumor and in one case of a tumor containing areas of hemorrhage preoperatively. Residual tumor tissue was suspected but could not be confirmed when tumors were nonenhancing. Findings supported the use of early postoperative MRI as a method for detecting residual brain tumor tissue in dogs.

Magnetic resonance imaging appearance of hypertensive encephalopathy in a dog

A 16-year-old female spayed English Staffordshire terrier was presented for evaluation of a 10-month history of intermittent myoclonic episodes, and a one weeks history of short episodes of altered mentation, ataxia and collapse. Magnetic resonance imaging identified subcortical oedema, predominately in the parietal and temporal lobes and multiple cerebral microbleeds.Serum biochemistry, indirect blood pressure measurements and magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities were consistent with hypertensive encephalopathy secondary to chronic kidney disease.

Scintigraphic Assessment of Deposition of Radiolabeled Fluticasone Delivered from a Nebulizer and Metered Dose Inhaler in 10 Healthy Dogs

Background Aerosolized medications are increasingly being used to treat respiratory diseases in dogs. No previous studies assessing respiratory tract deposition of radiolabeled aerosols have been performed in conscious dogs. Hypothesis/Objectives Assess respiratory tract deposition of radiolabeled, inhalant corticosteroid (fluticasone propionate labeled with 99mTc) delivered from a nebulizer and metered dose inhaler (MDI) to healthy dogs. Animals Ten healthy Foxhounds. Methods Prospective, randomized, cross‐over pilot study. Initial inhalation method (nebulizer or MDI) was randomly assigned. Treatments were crossed over after a 7‐day washout period. Treatments initially were performed using sedation. Dogs were imaged using 2‐dimensional planar scintigraphy, with respiratory tract deposition quantified by manual region‐of‐interest analysis. Deposition calculated as percentage of delivered dose. Six of 10 dogs were randomly selected and reassessed without sedation. Results Inhalation method had significant effect on respiratory tract deposition (P = 0.027). Higher deposition was achieved by nebulization with mean deposition of 4.2% (standard deviation [SD], 1.4%; range, 1.9–6.1%); whereas MDI treatment achieved a mean of 2.3% (SD, 1.4%; range, 0.2–4.2%). Nebulization achieved higher respiratory tract deposition than MDI in 7 of 10 dogs. No statistical difference (P = 0.68) was found between mean respiratory tract deposition achieved in dogs when unsedated (3.8%; SD, 1.5%) or sedated (3.6%; SD, 1.7%). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Study confirms respiratory tract deposition of inhalant medications delivered from a nebulizer and MDI in healthy dogs, breathing tidally with and without sedation. Respiratory tract deposition in these dogs was low compared to reported deposition in adult humans, but similar to reported deposition in children.

Molecular diagnosis of sparganosis associated with pneumothorax in a dog.

Pneumothorax was diagnosed in a dog presenting with progressive exercise intolerance and tachypnoea. Needle thoracocentesis failed to resolve the pneumothorax, and an exploratomy thoracotomy was performed. Upon inspection of the thoracic cavity, numerous white nodules (2 to 4mm) were present throughout the mediastinum, parietal pleura and the lung lobes. The owners of the dog elected intra-operative euthanasia, and a post mortem examination was performed. At necropsy, structures consistent with the plerocercoid (larval) stage of a tapeworm were identified in association with inflammation of the pleural cavity. Molecular methods were used to identify the parasite as Spirometra erinacei. Molecular diagnosis, along with the clinical presentation and pathological findings, allowed the diagnosis of proliferative sparganosis.