Clitoral cyst in a bitch.

Clitoral cyst can be easily mistaken for a vaginal mass lesion and should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a female dog presenting with an anatomically abnormal external genital examination.

Effects of bilateral arytenoid cartilage stenting on canine laryngeal resistance ex vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Nitinol stents for bilateral arytenoid lateralization on canine laryngeal resistance. STUDY DESIGN: Ex vivo experimental study. ANIMALS: Canine cadaver larynges (n=7). METHODS: Laryngeal resistance was calculated in all specimens with the epiglottis in open and closed positions. Bilateral arytenoid stenting was performed, rima glottidis width measured, and laryngeal resistance calculated. The effects of stenting on laryngeal resistance were evaluated by repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Calculated laryngeal resistance in the 3 stented groups, 2 cm (0.034±0.059 cmH(2) O/L/s), 3 cm (0.034±0.059 cmH(2) O/L/s), and 4 cm (0.034±0.059 cm H(2) O/L/s), was significantly decreased versus the control (unstented) group (0.947±0.624 cmH(2) O/L/s; P=.0098) with an epiglottis in the normal position. Calculated laryngeal resistance in the 3 stented groups, 2 cm (43.407±17.348 cm H(2) O/L/s), 3 cm (70.659±34.705 cmH(2) O/L/s), and 4 cm (92.637±44.509 cm H(2) O/L/s), was significantly increased versus the control (unstented) group (29.561±14.499 cm H(2) O/L/s) (P=.0185) with an epiglottis in the closed position. The width of the rima glottidis correlated with the size of the stent (r=0.95, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral arytenoid stenting significantly reduced calculated laryngeal resistance with an open epiglottis. Stenting resulted in a significant increase in laryngeal resistance versus the control with a closed epiglottis. Use of bilateral arytenoid stenting in clinical cases of laryngeal paralysis may provide an adequate decrease in open-epiglottis airway resistance to alleviate clinical signs, while increasing closed-epiglottis airway resistance. This could potentially lead to a decrease in the risk of postoperative aspiration pneumonia.

Effects of suture tension during unilateral cricoarytenoid lateralization on canine laryngeal resistance in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of abduction suture tension for unilateral arytenoid lateralization on laryngeal resistance. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Canine cadaver larynges (n=16). METHODS: Laryngeal resistance was calculated in all specimens with the epiglottis in open and closed positions. Left cricoarytenoid lateralization was performed under low or high suture tension, and laryngeal resistance was re-calculated. The effects of suture tension on laryngeal resistance were evaluated by repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Cricoarytenoid lateralization under low or high suture tension significantly reduced laryngeal resistance with the epiglottis in an open or closed position. There was no difference in laryngeal resistance with an open epiglottis between the low-tension (1.00+/-0.0001 cm H(2)O/L/s) and high-tension (1.10+/-0.35 cm H(2)O/L/s) groups (P=.33). The low-tension group (22.80+/-14.20 cm H(2)O/L/s) had significantly greater laryngeal resistance than the high-tension group (8.45+/-4.00 cm H(2)O/L/s) with a closed epiglottis (P=.016). There was no difference in laryngeal resistance with a closed epiglottis for the low-tension group before (34.30+/-36.50 cm H(2)O/L/s) and after (22.80+/-14.20 cm H(2)O/L/s; P=.42) arytenoid lateralization. CONCLUSIONS: Cricoarytenoid lateralization under low suture tension significantly reduced laryngeal resistance with an open epiglottis, but resulted in a significantly greater resistance with a closed epiglottis than cricoarytenoid lateralization under high suture tension. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinically, use of a low-tension suture for cricoarytenoid lateralization may provide an adequate decrease in open-epiglottis laryngeal resistance to alleviate clinical signs, while maintaining enough closed-epiglottis laryngeal resistance to reduce the risk of postoperative aspiration pneumonia.

Spontaneous resolution of iatrogenic chylothorax in a cat.

Chylothorax is an uncommon condition of dogs and cats defined by the accumulation of chylous effusion within the pleural space. Chylothorax has been experimentally created in dogs and cats by ligation of the cranial vena cava and has been reported to occur spontaneously in dogs with naturally occurring obstruction of the cranial vena cava. In the cat of this report, iatrogenic chylothorax was caused by surgical ligation and transection of the left brachiocephalic vein during a tracheal resection and anastomosis procedure. The chylous effusion resolved with medical management 9 weeks after surgery.