Evaluation of ultrasonographically determined ratios of kidney length to aorta diameter for assessment of kidney size in healthy young dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether previously described cutoffs for ultrasonographically determined kidney length-to-aorta diameter ratio (KL:Ao) for evaluation of kidney size in adult dogs are applicable to healthy dogs 1 to 18 months of age and to assess interobserver and intraobserver variability for ultrasonographic kidney and aorta measurements in these dogs grouped according to age. ANIMALS: 82 dogs. PROCEDURES: 41 university-owned dogs and 41 client- or staff-owned dogs of 3 age groups (approx 1, 6, and 12 to 18 months of age) underwent ultrasonographic examination by 3 observers. Kidney length, kidney width, and diameter of the aorta were measured by each observer 3 times, and KL:Ao and kidney length-to-body weight ratio were calculated for each dog. Measurements and calculated ratios for the 3 age groups were compared by statistical methods; interobserver and intraobserver variability were calculated. RESULTS: Mean kidney length, kidney width, and aorta diameter were smaller, and calculated KL:Ao and kidney length-to-body weight ratio were larger, for dogs of the 1-month age group than for dogs of the 6-month and 12 to 18-month age groups. There were significant interobserver differences for ultrasonographic measurements in all age groups; these were most frequent in the youngest group of dogs and affected KL:Ao for that group only. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results revealed that 1-month-old dogs have larger kidneys relative to body weight and aorta diameter than do older dogs. Interobserver variability for the youngest group of dogs indicated limited usefulness of these measurements and related ratios for neonatal dogs in clinical practice. The KL:Ao values for dogs ≥ 6 months of age in this study were similar to values previously described for dogs > 12 months of age.

Management of a facial partial thickness chemical burn in a dog caused by bleach.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the management and successful outcome of a late-recognition partial thickness bleach burn to the face and corneas of a dog. CASE SUMMARY: A 1-year-old male neutered Fox Terrier mix breed dog was evaluated for sloughing facial epithelium 5 days after coming into contact with an 8.25% household bleach cleaning solution. Severe erythema, edema, and crusting were noted around the muzzle and margins of both eyes, with moderate to severe alopecia in these areas. A partially detached, partial thickness eschar was present on the muzzle, while a firmly attached eschar was present in the region of both frontal sinuses. These injuries were consistent with a focal, superficial, and partial thickness chemical burn. Multiple ocular abnormalities, the most concerning of which was corneal ulceration, were also present. The patient's wounds were managed conservatively with limited surgical debridement of the affected epithelium 11 and 22 days after the initial exposure. Topical ocular medications, corneal debridement, and a superficial keratectomy were also used. All lesions resolved completely by 84 days postexposure, with no residual effects on the patient's quality of life. NEW INFORMATION: Chemical burns caused by contact with alkaline agents such as bleach (sodium hypochlorite) result in extensive necrosis of the skin and underlying structures. This is the first report of management alkaline facial burns in a dog. If inadequate or delayed hydrotherapy following exposure has resulted in superficial partial thickness burns, conservative management can be successful when traditional treatments, especially bandaging, are not feasible.

Imaging characteristics of disseminated Geosmithia argillacea causing severe diskospondylitis and meningoencephalomyelitis in a dog.

A 4-year-old male castrated Labrador Retriever presented for severe spinal pain. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging showed evidence of diskospondylitis and meningoencephalomyelitis. Blood culture revealed a Geosmithia argillacea fungal infection after DNA sequencing, initially misdiagnosed as Penicillium species. Geosmithia argillacea should be considered as a differential for disseminated fungal diskospondylitis.

USE OF CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY TO STUDY THE CRANIAL MIGRATION OF A LUMBOSACRAL INJECTATE IN CADAVER DOGS.

Volumes used in lumbosacral epidural injections for anesthesia have remained unchanged since the 1960s. The goals of this cross-sectional observational study were to characterize the three-dimensional spread of a lumbosacral epidural injection, as well as confirm that the commonly used volume of 0.2 ml/kg injected into the lumbosacral epidural space reaches the thoracolumbar (TL) junction in the majority (≥80%) of dogs. Ten clinically normal, adult, nonpregnant, mixed-breed dogs were obtained within five minutes of euthanasia and 0.2 ml/kg of radiopaque contrast medium was injected into the lumbosacral epidural space. A computed tomography scan of the TL spine was performed immediately following the injection. Migration of contrast reached the TL junction in 8 of 10 (80%) dogs. Contrast was well visualized in all epidural planes with contrast travelling predominantly in the dorsal epidural space in 7 of 10 (70%) dogs. There was no significant difference in the weight of dogs where the epidural injectate reached the TL junction and those where it did not (P = 0.16), or in the weight of dogs where the cranial-most point of the contrast column was in the dorsal versus the ventral epidural space (P = 0.32). This preliminary study supports the use of computed tomography to characterize injectate distribution in the canine thoracolumbar epidural space and provides evidence that a 0.2-ml/kg volume is likely to reache the TL junction in most dogs. Further studies are needed in live dogs to determine if variables affecting human epidural injectate doses have similar effects in the dog.