Malignant ocular melanoma in a dog

A mongrel male dog of three years old was referred to the Seoul National University Veterinary Teaching Hospital following a one month history of glaucoma. On ophthalmic examination, hyphema, glaucoma, uveitis, iridal mass, and loss of vision were noted in the right eye. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a mass with involvement of the entire uvea. Radiographic evaluation did not reveal any evidence of distant metastasis. The right eye was surgically removed because of the high likelihood of neoplasia. A histologic diagnosis of malignant uveal melanoma was made.

A Case of oculocutaneous albinism in a Maltese

A 4-month-old female maltese dog was admitted to Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Seoul National University for evaluation of abnormal color of bilateral irises. This patient had the photophobia in the light and exhibited the complete absence of pigment resulting in white hair, pink muzzle, eyelids and foot-pads. Central zone of the irises were yellow in color influenced by tapetal reflex, and peripheral zone were pale blue. The iridal capillaries were transparented on the irises. Ophthalmoscopic examination revealed a yellow tapetal fundus but no pigment in the nontapetal fundus.

Effect of intratesticular injection of xylazine/ketamine combination on canine castration

This study was performed to compare the effect of intratesticular (IT) injection of xylazine/ketamine combination for canine castration with those of intramuscular (IM) or intravenous (IV) injection. Xylazine and ketamine was administered simultaneously via intratesticularly (IT group), intramuscularly (IM group) or intravenously (IV group) at doses of 2 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Pain response at the time of injection, mean induction time, mean arousal time, mean walking time and cardiopulmonary function during anesthesia were monitored after the xylazine and ketamine administration. In IV and IM groups, heart rates were significantly decreased 30 and 45 min after xylazine and ketamine administration, respectively (p < 0.05). Respiratory rates were significantly decreased in the IV group (p < 0.05). In the IT group, there was no significant changes in heart and respiratory rates. The occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias was less severe in IT group compared with those in IM and IV groups. The route of administration did not affect rectal temperature. Mean induction time was significantly (p < 0.05) longer in IT group than in IM and IV groups. On the contrary, mean arousal time and mean walking time were shortened in IT group. Clinical signs related to pain response at the time of injection and vomiting were less observed in IT group than in IM group, and head shaking was less shown in IT group than in IM and IV groups during recovery period. These results indicated that intratesticular injection of xylazine/ketamine for castration has several advantages such as less inhibition of cardiopulmonary function and fast recovery from anesthesia without severe complications, and would be an effective anesthetic method for castration in small animal practice.

Effect of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Young Pigs with Induced Escherichia coli Diarrhea

The effect of acupuncture in the treatment of young pigs with induced enteropathogenic Escherichia coli diarrhea was histopathologically evaluated by routine hematoxylin and eosin stain. Thirty two pigs weighed 4-5kg and aged 21days old were used in this study. The animals with diarrhea were treated with traditional acupuncture, or enrofloxacin. In the group treated with traditional acupuncture, acupoint GV1 (Jiaochao) was used and in the group treated with antibiotics, enrofloxacin was injected intramuscularly. Ten pigs were inoculated with E. coli, but were not treated and served as nontreated control group. At postinoculation day 6, all pigs of the acupuncture and antibiotic treated groups recovered from diarrhea. In the ascending and descending colons of the nontreated control group, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria was observed and in the fundic stomach, destruction of the fundic gland architecture and necrotic lesions were observed, however, in the same sites of the acupuncture and antibiotics treated groups, the mucosae of the colon and stomach were relatively similar to those of the normal group. These results indicate that acupuncture treatment is effective in controlling induced E. coli diarrhea in pigs at its early stage.

Electroacupuncture and Moxibustion for Correction of Abomasal Displacement in Dairy Cattle

This study was performed to investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture and moxibustion on abomasal displacement in dairy cattle.After acupuncture needles were inserted bilaterally into the acupoints, 'Pi yu', 'Wei yu' and 'Guan yuan yu', electronic stimulation (5 Hz and 10 V, 20 minutes) was conducted once a day for 3 days consecutively. Modified moxa patch was also applied at the same acupoints as in acupuncture for 3 days consecutively.Ten among twelve cows with abomasal displacement were recovered by electroacupuncture and moxibustion, but two were treated with paramedian abomasopexy. It is considered that electroacupuncture and moxibustion may be convenient, safe and economical therapeutic alternatives available instead of surgical procedures on abomasal displacement in dairy cattle.

Effects of Corticosteroid and Electroacupuncture on Experimental Spinal Cord Injury in Dogs

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture, corticosteroid, and combination of two treatments on ambulatory paresis due to spinal cord injury in dogs by comparing therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture and corticosteroid. Spinal cord injury was induced in twenty healthy dogs (2.5~7 kg and 2~4 years) by foreign body insertion which compressed about 25% of spinal cord. There was no conscious proprioception, no extensor postural thrust, and ambulatory. Dogs were divided into four groups according to the treatment; corticosteroid (group A), electroacupuncture (group B), corticosteroid and electroacupuncture (group AB), and control (group C). Neurological examination was performed everyday to evaluate the spinal cord dysfunction until motor functions were returned to normal. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were measured for objective and accurate evaluations. The latency in measured potentials was converted into the velocity for the evaluation of spinal cord dysfunctions. Pain perceptions were normal from pre-operation to 5 weeks after operation. Recovery days of conscious proprioception in groups A, B, AB, and C were 21.2+/-8.5 days, 19.8+/-4.3 days, 8.2+/-2.6 days, and 46.6+/-3.7 days, respectively. Recovery days of extensor postural thrust in group A, group B, group AB, and group C were 12.8+/-6.8 days, 13.8+/-4.8 days, 5.4+/-1.8 days, and 38.2+/-4.2 days, respectively. There were no significant differences between group A and group B. However, recovery days of group AB was significantly shorter than that of other groups and that of group C was significantly delayed (p<0.05). Conduction velocities of each group were significantly decreased after induction of spinal cord injury on SEPs (p<0.05) and they showed a tendency to return to normal when motor functions were recovered. According to these results, it was considered that the combination of corticosteroid and electroacupuncture was the most therapeutically effective for ambulatory paresis due to spinal cord injury in dogs.

Effect of BL-21 (Wei-Yu) acupoint stimulation on gastric motility following preanesthetic treatment in dogs

In acupuncture practice of animals, preanesthetics sometimes are needed. The purpose of this study was to select the ideal chemical restraint at acupuncture for gastric motility. Nine healthy mixed breed dogs weighed 10-21 kg and aged 1-3 years old were used in this study. Two EMG surface electrodes were placed between the seromuscular and the mucosal layer of pylorus. Twenty minutes after feeding normal gastric motility was recorded for 60 minutes using physiograph (Narco-Biosystem). Then preanesthetic treated-gastric motility was observed for 30 minutes. Preanesthetics used were xylazine, diazepam, and acepromazine. Acupuncture needles were inserted to BL-21 (Wei-Yu) acupoint, and then changes of gastric motility were recorded for 60 minutes. The gastric motility following xylazine administration (1 mg/kg, IV) was markedly decreased. BL-21 (Wei-Yu) acupoints stimulation did not alter xylazine-induced depression of gastric motility. The diazepam (1 mg/kg IV) treated-gastric motility was increased mildly 20 minutes after drug administration. BL-21 (Wei-Yu) acupoint stimulation after diazepam administration enhanced gastric motility significantly. The gastric motility following acepromazine (0.3 mg/kg, IM) administration was not changed compared with normal gastric motility. Application of traditional acupuncture at BL-21 (Wei-Yu) significantly increased the gastric motility. Based on these results, acepromazine and diazepam could be acceptable chemical restraints for acupuncture therapy of gastric motility, but xylazine couldn't be.