Lung ultrasound in diagnosing subpleural consolidations in humans and animals
Michal Gajewski, Vetcardia Veterinary Clinic, Warsaw, Poland
Lung ultrasound is a rapidly developing diagnostic modality in human medicine that proved its value during the 2020 COVID pandemic. However, the technology has not been applied widely in studies of lung conditions in veterinary medicine, except in emergencies. The author reviews the published data on lung ultrasound in investigating parenchymal lung disease in humans and companion animals. He suggests that veterinary specialists need to develop the sorts of guidelines and recommendations on the use of lung ultrasound that have emerged in human medicine. Veterinary specialists also need to establish standardised approaches to conducting lung ultrasound examinations and interpreting the results. Wider use of colour Doppler, power Doppler and contrast-enhanced ultrasound is also merited in exploring lung consolidations in companion animals.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 66
Pulmonary bullae and blebs do not predispose dogs to developing a pneumothorax
Donough Healy and others, Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists, Alton, Hampshire
Spontaneous pneumothorax is an uncommon condition in dogs that is usually thought to result from the rupture of bullae or blebs on the lung surface. The authors retrospectively examined thoracic computed tomography images from 2,221 dogs gathered over a six-year period to assess the prevalence of these lesions. The owners of dogs with positive findings were questioned as to whether their pets had later developed a spontaneous pneumothorax. The authors report a low prevalence of pulmonary bullae and blebs as incidental findings, and none of the individuals with evidence of these lesions developed a spontaneous pneumothorax. So, the prophylactic removal of the affected lung tissue in these cases would not be justified.
Pacemaker placement affects complication rate and quality of life in dogs
Matteo Rossanese and others, Royal Veterinary College, Potters Bar
Pacemaker implantation has become a standard treatment for bradycardia in dogs with various forms of heart disease. Transvenous pacemaker implantation is usually considered to be the primary treatment method in this species, but epicardial pacemaker placement is an alternative approach that may be preferred in some patients. The authors investigated the complication rate and quality-of-life effects in 52 dogs treated with the latter method at four UK referral centres. They report that intraoperative and post-operative complications were common, occurring in 11 percent and 23 percent of cases, respectively, but these events did not affect the overall outcomes. Dogs with a co-existing cardiac pathology had a shorter life expectancy after epicardial pacemaker placement; however, their quality of life was good.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262
Haemodynamic parameters and ultrasound findings in canine cardiac tamponade
Yann Moumadah and others, Frégis Veterinary Hospital, Verdun, France
Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening condition resulting from an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial space that restricts cardiac function. In human patients, right atrial pressure (or its surrogate, central venous pressure) is a prognostic indicator of right-sided congestive heart failure. The authors recorded haemodynamic measurements and ultrasound findings before and after cardiocentesis in 22 dogs with cardiac tamponade. Following treatment, there were significant decreases in heart and respiratory rate, as well as an increase in rectal temperature. Meanwhile, median systolic arterial pressure increased, shock index measures decreased and there was a reduction in blood lactate levels. These changes in haemodynamic parameters were accompanied by an increase in the caudal vena cava to aorta ratio.
Journal of Small Animal Practice, 66, 92-99
Thoracic radiography findings in cats with feline infectious peritonitis
Kristin Repyak and others, Texas A&M University, College Station
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) can be a challenging condition in which to achieve a definitive diagnosis. The causative agent, feline coronavirus, can affect a range of body tissues and causes a wide variety of clinical signs. Pleural effusion is a common finding in cats with the effusive form of FIP, and changes on thoracic radiography have been noted in some cases. The authors investigated the thoracic radiography findings in 35 cats with presumptive or confirmed FIP. They state that changes associated with the condition may include variably distributed pleural effusion; interstitial, bronchial and/or alveolar patterns; pulmonary nodules; lymphadenopathy; and cardiomegaly. Hence, FIP should be considered in any patients with one or more of these changes apparent on thoracic radiography, with supportive clinical findings.
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 27
Effect of acclimatisation time on barometric whole-body plethysmography findings
Lina Horner-Schmid and others, University of Munich, Germany
Barometric whole-body plethysmography (BWBP) is a non-invasive method for measuring lung function in cats with lower airway disease (LAD). It involves keeping the patient in a plexiglass box while a defined volume of air is injected into the space. Pressure changes resulting from the cat’s breathing are recorded using highly sensitive transducers and analysed by computer. The authors report the findings from three 10-minute tests on 24 client-owned cats with LAD and eight healthy animals. They report significant differences between the first and third test periods in parameters such as peak expiratory and inspiratory flow in both healthy cats and those with LAD. As such, acclimatisation time has a significant influence on multiple variables in BWBP and manual correction of the data from the tidal volume wave forms may be necessary.
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 38, 2654-2663
Diagnostic imaging findings in inflammatory laryngeal disease in cats
Manabu Kurihara and others, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
Inflammatory laryngeal disease is a common non-neoplastic condition affecting the larynx in cats. Although upper respiratory tract viruses, including calicivirus, have been isolated in some cases, no consistent or definitive underlying cause has been identified. The authors describe the findings from radiographic, endoscopic and echolaryngographic examinations in seven cats in which histopathological findings indicated inflammatory laryngeal disease. They report that echolaryngography was a valuable non-invasive diagnostic tool in these cases, providing detailed insights into laryngeal structure and function. They advise that the technique should be integrated into routine diagnostic protocols used during investigations into feline laryngeal disorders.
Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound, 66, e70014
Feasibility of a novel intercostal thoracoscopic pericardiectomy technique
Jacob Levine and Valery Scharf, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
Pericardiectomy has become a standard treatment for recurrent pericardial effusion and associated cardiac tamponade. Historically, the procedure was carried out using intercostal thoracotomy, median sternotomy or a transdiaphragmatic approach via cranial celiotomy. However, thoracoscopic methods have been shown to offer perioperative benefits in recent years. The authors describe a preliminary study in canine cadavers into an intercostal approach in lateral recumbency, compared with the traditional transdiaphragmatic paraxiphoid approach in dogs in lateral recumbency. Their findings show that the novel technique with bilateral ventilation is a feasible alternative to the established method for performing partial pericardiectomies and does not require an increase in surgical time.
