ABSTRACT
The clinical signs and symptoms, radiographic and echocardiographic findings, and the results of cardiac post-mortem and histopathological examination of a 1-year-old female European shorthair cat with a double-chambered right ventricle (DCRV), small ventricular septal defect, and double caudal vena cava are described. A review of the literature is given with respect to the symptoms, diagnostic techniques, and therapy of DCRV in the cat. DCRV is a rare congenital defect in which stenosis inside the right ventricle causes symptoms similar to those seen in pulmonary stenosis. A diagnosis can be made by echocardiography. Little is known about its natural history and prognosis. Medical treatment, balloon dilatation, and surgery have been used to treat this defect with variable outcome. A double caudal vena cava is not clinically relevant.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Multiple/veterinary , Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Double Outlet Right Ventricle/veterinary , Heart Defects, Congenital/veterinary , Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular/veterinary , Venae Cavae/abnormalities , Abnormalities, Multiple/diagnosis , Abnormalities, Multiple/pathology , Animals , Cat Diseases/pathology , Cats , Diagnosis, Differential , Double Outlet Right Ventricle/diagnosis , Double Outlet Right Ventricle/pathology , Echocardiography/veterinary , Electrocardiography/veterinary , Fatal Outcome , Female , Heart Defects, Congenital/diagnosis , Heart Defects, Congenital/pathology , Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular/diagnosis , Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular/pathology , PrognosisABSTRACT
REASONS FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY: Clinical evidence of motor neuron involvement in equine grass sickness (EGS) has not been reported. HYPOTHESIS: Quantitative electromyography (EMG) analysis can elucidate subtle changes of the lower motor neuron system present in horses with EGS, performed ante mortem. METHODS: Fourteen horses diagnosed clinically with acute, subacute or chronic EGS were examined and quantitative EMG performed. Previously published data on healthy horses and horses with proven lower motor neuron disease (LMND) were used as controls. In 8 horses post mortem examination was performed, and in 7 muscle biopsies of the lateral vastus muscle underwent histopathology and morphometry. RESULTS: Clinical electrophysiological evidence of neuropathy was present in 12 horses. Analysis of data from the first 4 horses resulted in 95% confidence intervals (CI) of nontransformed data for motor unit action potential (MUP) duration in subclavian, triceps and lateral vastus muscle of 11.0-13.7, 14.8-20.3 and 12.2-17.2 msecs, respectively, and for MUP amplitude 291-453, 1026-1892 and 957-1736 microV, respectively. For number of phases the 95% CI was 3.6-4.4, 2.9-3.6 and 2.9-3.4, respectively, and for number of turns 5.0-6.5, 4.3-5.3 and 3.7-4.6, respectively. No changes in duration of insertional activity were measured. Pathological spontaneous activity was observed in all horses. EGS as evidenced by degenerative changes in the autonomic ganglia in combination with minor degenerative changes of the spinal lower motor neurons was observed on post mortem examination in all 8 available autopsies. In muscle biopsies of 4 out of 7 horses changes consistent with slight neurogenic atrophy were found. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: EMG results demonstrated the presence of a neuropathy of skeletal muscles in all horses suspected to have EGS. The combination of clinical and electrophysiological evidence may aid differential diagnosis of neurogenic disease in cases of weight loss and colic.
Subject(s)
Autonomic Nervous System Diseases/veterinary , Electromyography/veterinary , Horse Diseases/pathology , Muscle, Skeletal/physiopathology , Action Potentials , Acute Disease , Animals , Autonomic Nervous System Diseases/diagnosis , Autonomic Nervous System Diseases/pathology , Autonomic Nervous System Diseases/physiopathology , Biopsy , Case-Control Studies , Chronic Disease , Diagnosis, Differential , Electromyography/methods , Female , Horse Diseases/diagnosis , Horse Diseases/physiopathology , Horses , MaleABSTRACT
Local interleukin-2 (IL-2) is effective in a number of experimental animal models and in veterinary and human cancer patients without discomforting side effects. The primary goal of this study was to compare the therapeutic effects and side effects of the local intratumoral administration of five or ten low doses of IL-2 with those of a combination of cisplatin and a single high dose of IL-2 in the treatment of equine sarcoids. The therapeutic effect (complete and partial regression) of local cisplatin together with a single high dose of IL-2 was significantly better than the combined effect of low doses of local IL-2 administered daily over 5 or 10 days (80% and 43%, respectively; P=0.02). Cisplatin/IL-2 and low doses of IL-2 induced 53% and 14% complete regressions, respectively ( P=0.02). Histological changes after cisplatin/IL-2 treatment were far more pronounced than after IL-2 only treatment and in several cases showed an enormous eosinophilic infiltrate.
