ABSTRACT
A 10 yr old female spayed Pomeranian presented with a history of dyspnea and coughing and was diagnosed with a cranial mediastinal mass presumed to be a thymoma. Surgical removal was elected and occurred without intraoperative complications. Histopathology revealed the lesion to be a cholesterol granuloma. The patient developed a brief period of increased respiratory difficulty 3 days postoperatively. Thoracic radiographs showed mild pleural effusion and the patient improved with supportive care. Five months postoperatively, repeat thoracic radiographs revealed no evidence of recurrence or respiratory pathology. This case report describes a cholesterol granuloma in a unique location and reviews the pathogenesis/pathophysiology of this type of mass.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases , Thymus Neoplasms , Animals , Cholesterol , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Dog Diseases/etiology , Dog Diseases/surgery , Dogs , Female , Granuloma/surgery , Granuloma/veterinary , Mediastinum/pathology , Thymus Neoplasms/veterinaryABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate owner perception of outcome following permanent tracheostomy (PT) in dogs. Medical records of dogs who received PT from 2002 to 2016 were reviewed. A questionnaire was given to owners verbally or by e-mail to ascertain their perception of their dog's outcome after PT. Median time to questionnaire administration from PT surgery was 608 days (64-3,708). Owner satisfaction after PT was high (89.7%), with the majority stating they would have the procedure performed again (79.5%). Owners reported an improvement in their dog's personality (30.8%) and increased activity (41%). Median survival time was 1,825 days (64-2,663), with 6 of 39 dogs (15.4%) alive at study end. Of the 33 dogs who died, 11 (33.3%) died from underlying respiratory conditions suspected to be related to the PT. The overall complication rate was 82.1%, with mucus secretion being the most common. Revision surgery was required in 30.8% of dogs (most commonly due to skin occlusion), and aspiration pneumonia occurred in 17.9% of dogs. Overall, owner satisfaction after PT in dogs is high despite intensive postoperative management, and long survival times can be achieved.
