Risk factors for serious surgical complications in canine cryptorchid castration
Emma Faulkner and others, VCA Animal Hospital, Los Angeles
Cryptorchidism is a common congenital abnormality in dogs, occurring more frequently in small breeds. The condition may be associated with testicular torsion and neoplastic changes. As the condition can also be inherited through a variant of the HMGA2 gene, removal of both gonads is recommended. The authors investigated the risk factors for serious complications following cryptorchid surgery. In a cohort of 202 dogs, there were complications reported in 38 cases, mainly prostate injury, gastrointestinal changes and urinary tract trauma. The authors suggest that prostatic trauma was likely due to inadequate exposure and visualisation of the organs, and so a parapreputial skin incision and a ventral midline abdominal incision may reduce the risk of complications.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 263, 100-105
Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia in dogs
Suppawiwat Ponglowhapan and others, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition caused by the proliferation of glandular epithelial cells in the prostate and occurs more commonly in intact dogs over five years old. It causes painful or strained urination with evidence of blood in the semen, urine or faeces. The authors carried out ultrasonographic measurements of the prostate in healthy male dogs and those with BPH. They found that prostatic dimension-to-aortic luminal diameter ratios were significantly higher in BPH cases, while the prostatic volume-to-luminal diameter ratios were significantly higher in healthy dogs. They suggest that measurements of prostate gland dimensions to aortic luminal diameter ratios in dogs are a promising approach for the detection of prostate gland enlargement and are unaffected by the subject’s body condition score.
Journal of Small Animal Practice, 65, 789-798
Safety assessment for a novel intravaginal contraceptive plug for cats
Sella Sofia Ainun and others, IPB University, West Java, Indonesia
Overpopulation among street cats is commonly encountered in urban areas across the globe and can lead to poor feline welfare and public health risks. The insertion of contraceptive plugs into the vagina of intact females may be a potential option for controlling the cat population in such environments. The authors report their preliminary findings on the safety profile of a novel degradable plug composed of plastic (PEG 4000) and the polysaccharide material chitosan. Three hours after administering an oestrogen injection, the plugs were inserted into the vagina in five healthy, non-pregnant cats. Haematological analyses showed no signs of adverse responses to the plug while vaginal cytology showed an acute inflammatory response in one cat. Overall, these devices showed sufficient biocompatibility to merit further investigations into their contraceptive efficacy.
Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 59, e14736
Management of twin embryos in mares
Sofie Peere and others, Ghent University, Belgium
Twin pregnancies in mares are a leading cause of non-infectious abortion and can lead to the birth of non-viable foals due to placental insufficiency. Dystocia is also common in such cases and may subsequently result in reduced breeding performance in the mare. The authors describe the approach required to ensure early and accurate diagnosis of twin embryos. They state that the practitioner’s methods for managing such cases will depend on the type of embryo fixation and the length of gestation. The best solution is manual twin reduction before the position of the embryos becomes fixed at about 16 days. Transcutaneous ultrasound-guided methods can be effective for up to 130 days, but in advanced pregnancies an elective termination may be the preferred option.
Equine Veterinary Journal, 56, 650-659
Application of DNA tests in guiding mating decisions in breeding catteries
Leslie Lyons, University of Missouri, Columbia
Nearly 130 DNA variants have been identified as the cause of diseases and health problems in cats. Increasing numbers of commercial genetic tests are now available to identify cats with these genes and help select suitable individuals for breeding. But while these tests produce data of high quality and accuracy, some tests may not be appropriate in all feline breeds and the interpretation of the results may be challenging. The author reviews the information on feline DNA variants collected on the University of Sydney’s Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA) website. The author also provides information to help veterinary practitioners understand which genetic tests may be needed by cat breeding clients, where to source appropriate genetic services and how to apply this information to improve breeding policies and feline health.
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 26
Unusual post-operative complication following ovariohysterectomy in a Chihuahua
Corey Fisher and others, University of Florida, Gainesville
Post-operative complications are frequently seen following ovariohysterectomy procedures, occurring in up to 20 percent of cases. The most common problems are haemorrhage in large dogs and ureteral damage in small dogs and cats. The authors describe a case in which an intestinal ligation mimicked the effects of iatrogenic ureteral injury. The patient was an 11-month-old Chihuahua who presented with vomiting, anorexia and severe azotaemia. Using ultrasonography, it was possible to identify intestinal mechanical obstruction and an encircling ligature around a segment of jejunum in which no blood flow was detectable in a Doppler examination. The appearance and blood flow in the ureters and kidneys were normal. The dog was successfully treated with aggressive fluid therapy and circulatory support, along with resection and anastomosis of the necrotic portion of intestine.
Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine
Procedure for enhancing the quality of stored canine semen
Letizia Sinagra and others, University of Messina, Italy
Artificial insemination methods are being used with increasing frequency in dog breeding. As samples may be stored before use, methods to maintain the quality of the ejaculate have attracted the interest of researchers. Chilled or frozen canine semen is often subjected to centrifugation before use to remove debris and seminal plasma from the sample before the addition of semen extenders. The authors investigate the effects of centrifuging the samples for a second time after 48 hours of storage. Their results showed that the second process had a significant effect on the quality of chilled sperm samples that had been stored for up to 48 hours at 5°C. The additional processing appeared to improve the motility of sperm cells and increase the percentage of both morphologically normal cells and those with intact membranes.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 66
Evidence-based approach to canine artificial insemination
Carolynne Joone, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland
Frozen–thawed semen has been used for artificial insemination in dogs for more than 60 years. Despite improvements in understanding of canine reproductive endocrinology, pregnancy rates in bitches treated using such material are lower than when using fresh semen. The author notes that accurate timing is essential for the success of procedures involving frozen–thawed semen and describes the application of different methods for monitoring the oestrus cycle in bitches – vaginal cytology, vaginoscopy, measuring circulating progesterone or luteinising hormone, and behavioural responses to male dogs. As surgical artificial insemination is banned in the UK and Scandinavia, and also likely to be prohibited in Australia, endoscopically guided transcervical insemination has become widely used by specialist practitioners. But there is a place in general practice for carefully performed vaginal insemination methods.
