Treatment of fractures in avian species.

External fixation, with coaptation or Kirschner-Ehmer splints, is a viable treatment for many fractures in captive and wild birds. Important considerations in selecting a device are the weight and size of the device, location of the fracture relative to joints, and prognosis associated with location of the fracture(s). A variety of materials, not limited to traditional medical materials, may be used in coaptation splinting. Straws, plastic spoons, and rubber balls can serve as effective splints. Type I and II Kirschner splints are typically used in birds, although large birds may require a type III splint on leg fractures. The most useful configuration for wing fractures is the type Ia single bar splint using epoxy or acrylic for the connecting bar. This splint is lightweight, positioned close to the patient, and stable for most fractures. The type II splint is an excellent choice for leg fractures at the level of the tibiotarsus and below. The destructive character of psittacines requires all splints be protected from the beak of the bird. Clavicular-furcular and coracoid fractures in small birds may be effectively managed with coaptation splinting. In birds over 400 g body weight, open reduction is needed for best results. Since fractures of the foramen triosseum are usually not surgically repairable, they can be stabilized with coaptation splints. Although humeral fractures may be managed with coaptation in some circumstances, firm stabilization with a type I Kirschner-Ehmer splint or internal fixation is best. Single bone fracture(s) of the radius or ulna can usually be managed with minimal treatment, brailling, or figure-of-eight wraps. Fractures of both the radius and the ulna require a type I Kirschner-Ehmer splint for internal fixation. Coaptation splinting alone is usually indicated for carpal or carpometacarpal injuries. Femoral fractures in small birds may be managed with coaptation splinting, although fractures in large birds or unstable fractures require internal fixation or a type I Kirschner-Ehmer splint. Tibiotarsal fractures, in many species, may be managed with internal fixation or a type II Kirschner-Ehmer splint. Tarsometatarsal fractures can be cast or stabilized with a type II Kirschner-Ehmer splint. Phalangeal fractures are best managed with coaptation splinting.

Total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis in the cat.

Total colectomy with end-to-end ileorectal anastomosis was performed in eight healthy adult cats. Hydration status, body weight, attitude, appetite, and stool consistency were monitored for 24 weeks. Ileal water absorption was determined at weeks 1, 6, 12, 18, and 24 using the double-lumen catheter intestinal perfusion technique with polyethylene glycol as the indicator substance. Bowel adaptation was evaluated by histologic morphometric analysis of full-thickness ileal biopsies taken at the time of total colectomy and at weeks 6, 12, 18, and 24. The anastomoses were examined at necropsy for evidence of leakage and development of strictures. All cats resumed normal activity in 48 hours and maintained or gained weight during the study. Small volumes of watery diarrhea were present immediately after surgery, but by week 1 all cats had a semi-solid nonformed stool. At month 2, three cats developed semi-solid formed stools. One cat had occasional perineal soiling and five cats had at least one episode of hematochezia. There was improvement in ileal water absorption in two cats, and there were significant increases in villus height, enterocyte height, and enterocyte density in all cats. Results of postmortem examination of the anastomosis showed no evidence of stricture in any cat.

Excision arthroplasty for management of coxofemoral luxation in pet birds.

Coxofemoral luxation, although not a common injury, can cause considerable pelvic limb dysfunction in pet birds. Luxation usually is craniodorsal, as it is in dogs. Previously recommended treatments have not always been effective in managing the injury. Sequelae can include dorsolateral deviation of the pelvic limb, with loss of function and bumblefoot in the nonluxated limb, owing to abnormal weight-bearing. Excision arthroplasty combined with a muscular sling constructed from a segment of the iliofibularis muscle was used to treat coxofemoral luxation in a hyacinth macaw, a moluccan cockatoo, and an African gray parrot. The outcome was excellent in 2 of the 3 birds.

Treatment of congenital pulmonic stenosis in two dogs by balloon valvuloplasty.

Balloon valvuloplasty was performed on two dogs with pulmonic valve stenosis. Immediately following balloon valvuloplasty, peak right ventricular systolic pressure declined from 92 to 44 mm Hg in the first dog and from 108 to 46 mm Hg in the second dog. The peak systolic pressure gradient across the pulmonic valve declined from 60 to 12 mm Hg in the first dog and from 84 to 22 mm Hg in the second dog. Hemodynamic improvement was sustained in both dogs at the time of recatheterization 3 months later. Both dogs tolerated the procedure well and there were no serious complications. It was concluded that balloon valvuloplasty offers an alternative to surgery for the treatment of valvular pulmonic stenosis in dogs. The exact indications for and limitations of balloon valvuloplasty must await the results of additional and more long-term studies.

A comparison of steady state and transient thermography techniques using a healing tendon model.

Steady state and transient thermal techniques were used to define the thermal signatures of surgically sectioned and sham-operated common calcanean tendons in four dogs. All limbs were imaged from the lateral side using an Inframetrics 525 system at - 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after surgery. Individual video frames were used to compute absolute surface temperatures and rewarm curves for five predetermined 1 cm2 skin areas. Angiography was performed at each observation period to correlate changes in vascular morphology and thermal data. Thermal signatures and angiograms were similar in all animals before surgery. At 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, the absolute surface temperatures of the entire lateral crus area were elevated in three of four animals. During weeks 6 and 8, the surface temperatures, rewarm curves, and angiograms returned to presurgical values for the controls. Skin areas over the repaired tendons remained warmer and were shown to correlate with vascular proliferation by transient but not steady state techniques. Steady state and transient thermal imaging techniques can be used to detect vascular changes in the area around a healing tendon. However, our data indicate that transient thermal techniques are more suitable than steady state methods for localizing vascular disturbances in tissues. Thermographic imaging techniques may become a reliable noninvasive method to monitor wound healing processes if starting temperatures, cool down techniques, and time intervals for data collection are fully evaluated in future studies using transient thermal imaging protocols.

Healing of transverse humeral fractures in pigeons treated with ethylene oxide-sterilized, dry-stored, onlay cortical xenografts and allografts.

Transverse humeral fractures were created in adult male pigeons (Columbia livia). They were bridged with an allograft or a xenograft, or they were allowed to heal without treatment. Tissues were examined for wound healing, bony union, infection, and sequestration of the graft at 28, 43, 85, 106, and 168 days after surgery. Neither allografts nor xenografts contributed to nor interfered with bone healing. In nontreated pigeons (controls), bony union with marked callus formation developed between misaligned fragment ends. When onlay grafts were used, bone fragments remained aligned, with minor callus formation. There was a significant (P = 0.0001) increase in the number of wounds opening after surgery and infections of the surgical site (xenograft, P = 0.0026; allograft, P = 0.0021) associated with graft use. A significant (P = 0.0001) frequency of graft sequestration was observed, regardless of graft type. A significant (P = 0.0001) frequency of foreign body reaction also was observed. Under these circumstances, the application of a graft should be considered as an alignment device, rather than a stimulus to healing.

Amikacin therapy for Pseudomonas cellulitis in an Amazon parrot.

Amikacin sulfate, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, was used successfully to treat a case of severe Pseudomonas cellulitus in an Amazon parrot. Side effects of polyuria and polydipsia occurred, but resolved without treatment 3 weeks after the antibiotic regimen. Amikacin sulfate was given at a dosage of 0.04 mg/g of body weight, IM, twice a day, based on antimicrobial sensitivity results. Amikacin sulfate is indicated for P aeruginosa cellulitis that is resistant to gentamicin sulfate. Although it is potentially nephrotoxic, it can be used successfully in birds without permanent clinically evident renal effects.

Physiologic features of the canine esophagus: effect of modified Heller's esophagomyotomy.

The effects of the modified Heller's esophagomyotomy on function of the lower esophageal sphincter in the dog were studied. In normal dogs, this surgical procedure produced a les competent lower esophageal sphincter that still maintained the ability to prevent esophageal reflux.

Physiologic features of the canine esophagus: effects of tranquilization on esophageal motility.

Esophageal motility was studied in clinically normal dogs. Mean values as to the time and pressure functions of esophageal peristaltic pressure curves are presented. Effects of two dosage levels of tranquilization on the time and pressure functions are reported.

Necessity for end colostomy with transection of the descending colon in guinea pigs.

Surgical procedures for resection and transection of the descending colon in the guinea pig were studied. Wedge resection with removal of less than 1 cm diameter of tissue resulted in an 80% (8 of 10 guinea pigs) survival rate. Colonic transection with restorative anastomosis, either end-to-end or side-to-side, resulted in a 94% (35 of 37 guinea pigs) death rate due to colonic impaction proximal to the site of anastomosis. A modified procedure for ventral end colostomy resulted in a 79% (19 of 24 guinea pigs) survival rate. These results indicated that caution should be taken in surgical manipulations intended to treat or study diseases of the colon in the guinea pig.

Clinicopathological manifestations of selected neoplasms.

This report provides a general overview of the pathobiology of neoplasia, and an update on the clinicopathological manifestations of lymphosarcoma, mastocytoma, histiocytoma, melanoma, sarcoid and circumanal gland tumors in domestic animals. Neoplasia represents a continuum of events from reversible hyperplasia to irreversible and pathological changes in tissue growth patterns. In some instances the causes of this disease process have been identified, but the etiology of the majority of naturally occurring neoplasms remain unknown. Surgical excision is the preferred treatment for tumors, but is often more beneficial when combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy. The successful diagnosis and management of neoplastic disease in domestic animals necessitates a thorough awareness of the clinical presentation and biologic behavior of specific tumors on the part of veterinarians who provide health care for these species.

Cranial cruciate ligament repair in a calf.

A 1-month-old calf was unable to use its right pelvic limb because of rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament. The ligament was replaced with a wedge of bone from the cranial one-third of the patella and the attached portion of the middle patellar tendon. Postoperative complications limited function of the joint.