The outcome of combined urethropexy and colposuspension for management of bitches with urinary incontinence associated with urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence.

OBJECTIVE: To report 1) a combined technique of urethropexy and colposuspension; 2) intra- and postoperative complications; and 3) medium term outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Female dogs (n = 30) with urinary incontinence associated with urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) unresponsive to medical management. METHODS: Through a ventral median celiotomy, the bladder was positioned abdominally to permit the urethra to be anchored with single interrupted polypropylene sutures to the prepubic tendon and linea alba. The vagina was freed from the vesicovaginal and rectovaginal attachments and advanced cranially by traction before attachment to the prepubic tendon with polypropylene mattress sutures. Bitches were re-examined 2 weeks postoperatively; medium term outcome (>6 months) was evaluated by telephone interview of owners. RESULTS: At a median follow up of 39.5 months, 21 bitches (70%) were considered to have an "excellent" medium term outcome with complete resolution of their urinary signs; 8 (26.6%) had a "good" outcome, and 3 (10%) had mild transient dysuria postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Combined urethropexy and colposuspension resulted in complete resolution of urinary incontinence in 70% of bitches with USMI and was not associated with major complications.

Cystocele and rectal prolapse in a female dog.

A case of cystocele and prolapsed rectum is reported. The urinary bladder and rectum were repositioned and fixed by cystopexy, colposuspension, and colopexy concurrently. There was no recurrence after 3 months. This is the first report to describe cystocele in a young female dog never having been pregnant.

Cystocèle et prolapsus rectal chez une chienne. Un cas de cystocèle et de prolapsus rectal est signalé. La vessie urinaire et le rectum ont été repositionnés et réparés par cystopexie, par colposuspension et colopexie de manière concomitante. Il n'y a pas eu de récurrence après 3 mois. Il s'agit du premier rapport pour décrire la cystocèle chez une jeune chienne qui n'avait jamais eu de gestation.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Endoscopy and endosurgery of the chelonian reproductive tract.

The development of endosurgical techniques for chelonians has reduced the need for more invasive approaches such as plastron osteotomy. Surgical access and manipulation of much of the coelomic viscera of chelonians can be accomplished using endoscopy. Endoscopic methods may be used to perform many chelonian reproductive surgical procedures, including oophorectomy, salpingotomy, salpingectomy, gender identification, and removal of ectopic eggs.

Cervicovaginal evaluation in macaques used as a model for topical microbicide safety studies.

INTRODUCTION: Macaques are a commonly used non-human primate (NHP) model to evaluate safety and efficacy of topically applied vaginal microbicides. Cervicovaginal evaluation for topical microbicide safety studies requires proper technique, equipment, supplies, and sequence of sample collection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven rhesus macaques received a comprehensive sequential cervicovaginal examination under sedation before treatment and 24 hours post-instillation of test material. Examination was initiated with colposcopy, followed by diagnostics including vaginal culture, pH determination, cervicovaginal lavage, and cervicovaginal biopsy. RESULTS: Overall, the methods performed yielded samples that were appropriate for diagnostic evaluation and interpretation, and the macaques experienced minimal discomfort and complications. DISCUSSION: This paper provides a descriptive summary of compiled techniques required to conduct a safety evaluation for topically applied vaginal microbicides. This novel method-based approach should be methodically executed when evaluating a vaginally-applied, topical microbicide candidate.

Immediate urodynamic and anatomic response to colposuspension in female Beagles.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize urodynamic function and anatomy before and after colposuspension in anesthetized female Beagles. ANIMALS: 12 adult female Beagles. PROCEDURE; During general anesthesia (thiopental sodium induction and halothane maintenance), urethral pressure profiles, leak point pressure measurements with a 50-ml bladder volume, positive contrast cystograms, and retrograde vaginourethrocystograms were performed. A caudal midline laparotomy was used to perform colposuspension. Urodynamic and radiographic studies were repeated after surgery. RESULTS: Leak point pressures were increased (120 to 168.9 cm H2O), and maximum urethral closure pressures decreased (43.7 to 19.3 cm H2O ) after colposuspension. The urethra and bladder were moved cranially; the external urethral orifice was positioned closer to the pelvic cavity, and the neck of the bladder was positioned more cranially into the abdomen. Length of the urethra, as measured by use of vaginourethrocystograms, was increased by 3%. As measured by use of urethral pressure profiles, total profile length was increased by 19.9%, and functional profile length was increased by 19.2%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Increased leak-point pressure correlated with the expected clinical improvement attributable to colposuspension. Increased exposure of the urethra to abdominal and pelvic cavity pressures may be the mechanism by which incontinent dogs become continent after colposuspension. Results of the leak-point pressure test may correlate with clinical behavior before and after colposuspension for treatment of incontinence.

[Two congenital anomalies of the urinary tract in warmblood horses: ectopia ureteris and diverticulum vesicae]. / Zwei angeborene Anomalien des Harntraktes bei Warmblutpferden: Ectopia ureteris und Diverticulum vesicae.

Two cases of congenital anomalies of the urinary tract of horses are described. In case 1 there was an ectopia ureteris sinistri in an one-year-old mare. The animal showed urinary incontinence without affects of the general condition. The diagnosis was made by rectal, ultrasonic and vaginoscopic examination. Therapeutically a nephrectomy of the left kidney was carried out. In case 2 a six-year-old gelding had a congenital diverticulum at the neck of the urinary bladder. It showed colic during urination, dropping of urine and haematuria. The diagnosis was made by rectal exploration, ultrasonic examination and a diagnostic laparotomy. A surgical treatment was not possible.

Plasma cortisol response in dairy cows to vaginoscopy, genital palpation per rectum and artificial insemination.

Response of plasma cortisol concentrations after vaginoscopic examination, palpation of the genital organs per rectum and artificial insemination were investigated in six Holstein-Friesian cows weighing between 510 to 620 kg. Blood samples were collected by indwelling jugular catheter. The experiment was begun at 09:00 hours on the day when cows came into estrus. Blood samples were collected from 30 minutes before to 60 minutes after each treatment at intervals of 5 to 10 minutes. Cows were initially blood-sampled for 90 minutes at the same intervals without giving any treatment and then were subjected to vaginoscopy for 1.5 minutes, palpation of the uterus and ovaries per rectum for 4 minutes and artificial insemination by the recto-vaginal method for 5 minutes. No significant increase in plasma cortisol was shown in cows in estrus following vaginoscopy. Palpation per rectum as well as artificial insemination caused a significant increase in plasma cortisol (P < 0.01) 5 to 10 minutes after the initiation of treatments in cows in estrus. There was a tendency for cows in the luteal phase to show higher plasma cortisol levels after the vaginoscopy than cows in estrus. Adrenal response to palpation per rectum in cows in the luteal phase was similar to that in cows in estrus. Thus, in cows in estrus, palpation per rectum as well as artificial insemination may be potential stressors for cows, causing an increase in plasma cortisol levels. However, the pathophysiological importance of the rise in plasma cortisol levels is not known.

Non-surgical intrauterine artificial insemination in bitches using frozen semen.

A total of 46 bitches were inseminated directly into the uterus using non-surgical insemination procedures; the technique used in six bitches involved specially designed metal catheters and abdominal fixation of the cervix, whereas the remainder were inseminated by passing a flexible plastic catheter through the cervix using direct endoscopic visualization to facilitate the process. Twenty-seven bitches were inseminated with semen frozen at the clinic; the remainder were inseminated with imported semen. Insemination timing was based on endoscopic assessment of the vaginal mucosa, vaginal cytology and blood progesterone concentration determined using a rapid, qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Each bitch received between 50 x 10(6) and 200 x 10(6) total spermatozoa per insemination; post-thaw motility varied from 10 to 80%. Two inseminations were performed 48 h apart in the majority of bitches. An overall pregnancy rate of 80% (37/46) was obtained with a mean litter size of 5 +/- 3.14. Subsequent pregnancy rates were comparable for both techniques and both were considered to be effective methods of inseminating frozen semen. Considerably fewer spermatozoa were inseminated in many of these bitches than have previously been reported. In a series of seven bitches using the semen from one dog, each bitch received two inseminations of 30-35 x 10(6) live normal spermatozoa per insemination. A pregnancy rate of 85% (6/7) and a mean litter size of 7.8 was achieved. Rapid ELISA progesterone kits were used to identify the optimum time for insemination.

Carbon dioxide laser ablation combined with doxorubicin hydrochloride treatment for vaginal fibrosarcoma in a dog.

The combined use of CO2 laser ablation and doxorubicin hydrochloride (30 mg/m2) administered twice, 4 weeks apart, resulted in complete remission of vaginal fibrosarcoma in a 10-year-old Miniature Poodle. The tumor had redeveloped when only CO2 ablation was used for treatment and doxorubicin hydrochloride alone has had marginal influence on fibrosarcomas; however, use of both treatments in this dog resulted in a 20-month, disease-free period. This treatment combination was minimally traumatic to the dog, easily accomplished, and effective, and it allowed retention of the normal anatomy and function of the urogenital tract.

Transendoscopic Nd:YAG laser ablation of vaginal septa in a bitch.

A vaginal septum was diagnosed in an English bulldog bitch during routine estrous cycle staging. The septum extended 16 cm from the vestibulo-vaginal junction to just caudal to the cervix. The septum was removed by two applications of an Nd:YAG laser via a flexible fiberoptic endoscope. Complete healing occurred over a 5-week period and was uneventful. The bitch was bred and subsequently delivered four puppies vaginally. Transendoscopic laser ablation provided a noninvasive approach to surgically remove a vaginal septum in the dog.

Baboon cervical colposcopy, histology, and cytology.

Colposcopic cervical/vaginal examinations were performed on 10 healthy adult baboons. Five of the ten baboons had a "satisfactory" colposcopic cervical examination with columnar epithelium visible on the exocervix. However, only three of five with "satisfactory" colposcopic exams had large visible transformation zones. The colposcopic findings were confirmed by histologic study. Probable squamous metaplasia was seen in one of the four animals who underwent cervical biopsies. The histologic and cytologic similarities of the human and baboon cervical transformation zones were noted. Only the three animals with the large visible cervical transformation zones were considered suitable for colposcopic studies of the transformation zone. Thus only 30% of the baboons examined were considered suitable subjects for studies involving colposcopy. Screening colposcopic exams would be necessary to find this subpopulation of baboons with large transformation zones visible on the exocervix. The implications of this study relative to the use of baboons as an animal model for studies of intraepithelial neoplasia are discussed.