Bronchogenic cyst with concurrent chronic suppurative bronchopneumonia in a 10-year-old German shepherd dog.

A 10-year-old spayed female German shepherd dog was transferred for acute respiratory distress and a bulla-like pulmonary lesion identified on referral radiographs. Computed tomography (CT) imaging identified a bronchiole from a dilated left cranial lobar bronchus terminating into a partially fluid-filled, cyst-like pulmonary lesion and surrounding multilobar pulmonary hyperattenuation. After failure of medical management, a left cranial lung lobectomy was done. Histopathology was consistent with a bronchogenic cyst and chronic, suppurative bronchopneumonia of the remaining parenchyma. Bronchogenic cysts with concurrent bronchopneumonia should be considered in older German shepherd dogs with acute respiratory distress that fail medical management. Key clinical message: Canine bronchogenic cyst is an uncommon condition that previously has only been reported in younger German shepherd dogs. This case highlights the importance of considering this condition in a senior German shepherd dog with no prior respiratory history, as well as the difficulty of medical management with concurrent bronchopneumonia.

Kyste bronchogénique avec bronchopneumonie suppurée chronique concomitante chez un chien berger allemand de 10 ans. Une chienne berger allemand stérilisée âgée de 10 ans a été transférée pour une détresse respiratoire aiguë et une lésion pulmonaire de type bulle identifiée sur les radiographies de référence. L'imagerie par tomodensitométrie (TDM) a identifié une bronchiole d'une bronche lobaire crânienne gauche dilatée se terminant par une lésion pulmonaire ressemblant à un kyste partiellement rempli de liquide et une hyperatténuation pulmonaire multipolaire. Après échec de la prise en charge médicale, une lobectomie pulmonaire crânienne gauche a été effectuée. L'histopathologie était compatible avec un kyste bronchogénique et une bronchopneumonie suppurée chronique du parenchyme restant. Les kystes bronchogéniques avec bronchopneumonie concomitante doivent être envisagés chez les chiens berger allemand âgés souffrant de détresse respiratoire aiguë qui échouent à la prise en charge médicale.Message clinique clé :Le kyste bronchogénique canin est une affection rare qui n'a été signalée auparavant que chez les jeunes bergers allemands. Ce cas met en évidence l'importance de considérer cette condition chez un chien berger allemand âgé sans antécédents respiratoires, ainsi que la difficulté de la prise en charge médicale avec une bronchopneumonie concomitante.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Brucella canis discospondylitis in 33 dogs.

Objective: To describe the clinical and imaging findings of 33 dogs with Brucella canis discospondylitis (BDS). Animals: 33 client owned dogs from four veterinary specialty hospitals within Colorado and Arizona with at least one positive B. canis test and spinal diagnostic imaging. Procedures: Retrospective review of signalment, physical and neurological examination findings, laboratory results, B. canis serology, and diagnostic imaging of 33 dogs with BDS. All imaging was reviewed by a board-certified veterinary neurologist. Radiographs were reviewed by a board-certified veterinary radiologist blinded to MRI and CT findings. Results: 31/33 (94%) dogs were <5 years old (median = 2.5 years, mean = 2.9 years, range 0.5-10 years). 21/29 (72%) dogs had signs of nonspecific pain, spinal pain, or lameness for >3 months (median = 6 months, mean = 8.2 months, range 5 days-4 years). Fever was seen in only 4/28 (14%) dogs. Multifocal lesions were evident on radiographs in 21/29 (72%) dogs and MRI in 12/18 (67%) dogs. Smooth, round, central end-plate lysis, defined as "hole punch" lesions, were identified radiographically in 25/29 (86%) dogs. Vertebral physitis or spondylitis without discitis was evident on MRI in 7/18 (39%) dogs. Clinical relevance: Dogs with BDS typically present at a young age with a long duration of clinical signs. Identification of radiographic "hole punch" lesions and MRI evidence of vertebral physitis, spondylitis, and paravertebral inflammation without discitis should increase suspicion for BDS. BDS may be increasing in frequency in the southwestern United States, and dogs with signs of chronic spinal pain and/or lameness should be screened for B. canis.

Evaluation of two objective methods to optimize kVp and personnel exposure using a digital indirect flat panel detector and simulated veterinary patients.

It is important to optimize digital radiographic technique settings for small animal imaging in order to maximize image quality while minimizing radiation exposure to personnel. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two objective methods for determining optimal kVp values for an indirect flat panel digital detector. One method considered both image quality and personnel exposure as endpoints and one considered only image quality. Phantoms simulated veterinary patients of varying thicknesses with lesions of varying sizes. Phantoms were exposed to a range of kVp values (60, 81, 100, and 121), using different mAs settings for each phantom. Additionally, all phantoms were exposed to a standard test exposure of 100 kVp/2.5 mAs. Scattered radiation was recorded and used as a measure of personnel exposure. When personnel exposure was considered, a figure of merit was calculated as an endpoint of optimization. The optimal kVp value for each phantom was determined based on the highest signal difference-to-noise ratio with or without inclusion of the figure of merit. When personnel exposure was not considered, increasing kVp resulted in higher signal difference-to-noise ratios and personnel exposure increased when both patient thickness and kVp increased. Findings indicated that a single standard technique of 100 kVp/2.5 mAs was only optimal for most medium-sized patients. Images of thinner patients should be made with a lower kVp. Very large patients require a higher kVp than 100 regardless of the optimization method used. Personnel exposure from optimized techniques was low and not expected to exceed annual occupational dose limits.

Efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of feline Tritrichomonas foetus infection.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of ronidazole (RDZ), tinidazole (TDZ), and metronidazole (MDZ) against Tritrichomonas foetus in vitro and of RDZ for treatment of feline naturally occurring or experimentally induced T. foetus infection. ANIMALS: A cat naturally infected with T. foetus infection and diarrhea. Ten specific-pathogen-free (SPF) kittens. PROCEDURE: RDZ, TDZ, and MDZ were tested for activity against 3 different feline isolates of T. foetus in vitro. RDZ then was administered to a naturally infected cat at 10 mg/kg PO q24h for 10 days. SPF kittens were infected orogastrically with feline T. foetus and treated with either placebo or RDZ (10 mg/kg PO q12h for 14 days). Cats with relapsing infection or those receiving placebo were treated subsequently with RDZ (either 30 or 50 mg/kg PO q12h for 14 days). Feces were examined for T. foetus by direct microscopy, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing weekly. RESULTS: Both RDZ and TDZ killed T. foetus at concentrations >0.1 microg/mL in vitro. In the naturally infected cat, RDZ abolished diarrhea and T. foetus infection for 85 days after treatment, at which time infection and diarrhea relapsed. Retreatment with RDZ eradicated diarrhea and T. foetus infection for over 407 days. In experimentally induced infection, RDZ at 10 mg/kg caused initial improvement, but infection relapsed in all 5 cats 2 to 20 weeks after treatment. At 30 or 50 mg/kg, 10/10 cats were negative for T. foetus infection for follow-up durations of 21 to 30 weeks after treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Oral administration of RDZ at 30 to 50 mg/kg q12h for 14 days resolved diarrhea and eradicated infection (on the basis of polymerase chain reaction [PCR] testing) in 1 naturally infected cat and 10 experimentally inoculated cats receiving a different isolate of T. foetus.