Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts in nine dogs and two cats.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical presentation, imaging findings, treatment, and outcome in dogs and cats with traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts (TPP). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. ANIMALS: Nine client-owned dogs and two cats. METHODS: The hospital database of Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists was reviewed for cases with a diagnosis of TPP based on computed tomography (CT). Clinical presentation, additional injuries, treatment, and outcome were recorded. RESULTS: Eleven patients with TPP were identified. The ratio of TPP detected by radiographs when compared to CT was 7:11 (64%). Seven cases were managed conservatively, and three underwent lung lobectomy. One cat was euthanized due to the severity of concomitant injuries. The decision to perform thoracic surgery was due to refractory pneumothorax (2) or very large TPP (1). Ten patients survived to discharge. No patients died as a result of the TPP. CONCLUSION: Radiographic lesions were identified in about two-thirds of cases diagnosed by CT. TPPs were not fatal in our population but were commonly associated with severe concomitant injuries. Conservative treatment led to the resolution of smaller TPPs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Conservative management of TPP is appropriate in most cases, although selected cases may benefit from surgical treatment.

Pubic fractures secondary to extended transpelvic urethrostomy in a cat.

OBJECTIVE: To report the occurrence and describe the management of pubic fractures after the use of an extended transpelvic urethrostomy (TPU) to treat postprostatic intrapelvic urethral obstruction and laceration in a cat. ANIMAL: One 6-year-old domestic short-haired cat. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. METHODS: A cat was presented with urethral obstruction and laceration confirmed by positive contrast retrograde urethrography. Temporary urinary diversion was performed. An attempt was made to perform perineal urethrostomy, but the cranial location of the laceration precluded this technique. An extended TPU was performed, which required removal of 30% to 60% greater length of pelvic bone than has been previously described. RESULTS: Bilateral pubic ramus fractures occurred 1 week after surgery, from which the cat clinically improved with cage rest, and exhibited evidence of healing according to computed tomography after 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: Extended TPU used to treat postprostatic intrapelvic urethral laceration may lead to pubic fractures postoperatively. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: It may be prudent to rest any cat that has had a TPU or extended TPU to reduce fracture risk.

CT findings in 20 dogs and six cats with confirmed nasal foreign bodies.

The diagnosis and treatment of nasal foreign bodies usually includes a combination of rhinoscopy and imaging techniques, such as CT. The purpose of this retrospective, multicenter study was to describe the CT characteristics of nasal foreign bodies in dogs and cats and to determine if different nasal CT features exist between acute and chronic cases. Twenty dogs and six cats met the inclusion criteria. Eleven nasal foreign bodies (42%) were detected confidently with CT. The foreign body had a linear shape in 81% of cases and displayed a "tubular-like appearance" in 54% of cases. In five cases (19%), a foreign body was suspected but not clearly visible. Additional CT changes were present in the nasal passages in 96% of the cases. The presence of turbinate destruction (P = .021) and mucosal thickening (P = .014) on CT were associated with the presence of a chronic nasal foreign body. In this sample, the nature of the foreign body did not influence its visibility and was not associated with specific CT characteristics. Computed tomography may be useful in the investigation of nasal foreign bodies, however, a negative CT examination does not exclude their presence.

Sonography of the soft tissue structures of the canine tarsus.

Currently, there are no available anatomic descriptions of the soft tissue structures that are visible with ultrasound in the canine tarsus. Eight cadaver hindlimbs and 10 clinically normal dogs (15-37 kg) were examined with ultrasound to establish which structures could be visualized in normal dogs. The structures always identified included the long digital extensor tendon, the tibialis cranialis tendon, the joint space, and the three bellies of the extensor digitum brevis muscle on the cranial/dorsal aspect of the tarsus. The lateral digital extensor tendon and the peroneus longus tendon were identified as a single structure on the lateral aspect of the tarsus. The caudal/plantar approach allowed identification of the calcaneal tendon, the deep and superficial digital flexor tendons, the plantar ligament, and the lumbricales and interosseus muscles. The medial collateral ligament can be identified on the medial tarsus of larger dogs. This technique has proved useful in the diagnosis of soft tissue injuries of the canine tarsus, and clinical examples of tibialis cranialis tendinopathy, deep digital flexor tendinopathy, fibrosis surrounding the medial collateral ligament and extent of invasion of a tarsal hemangiosarcoma are described.

Ultrasonographic appearance of jejunal lymph nodes in dogs without clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease.

The jejunal lymph nodes of 57 dogs without clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease were examined to characterize their ultrasonographic appearance on B-mode and power Doppler examination, and to obtain ultrasonographic measurements. The lymph nodes were mildly hypoechoic to the mesentery in 71% of dogs and isoechoic in 29%. All dogs, 6 years of age or older had jejunal lymph nodes of uniform echogenicity. In dogs less than 6 years of age, nonuniform lymph nodes with different echopatterns were observed. Although most lymph nodes had no blood flow based on power Doppler examination, hilar blood flow was detected in 33% of dogs, which were generally less than 2 years of age. The median maximum thickness of the jejunal lymph nodes was 3.9 mm (range 1.6-8.2 mm), and their median maximum width 7.5 mm (range 2.6-14.7 mm). There was a significant correlation between larger lymph node diameter and younger age and higher body weight. We concluded that patient age should be considered when interpreting the echopattern and vascularity of jejunal lymph nodes in dogs, and that the jejunal lymph nodes of dogs without clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease may exceed the previously stated upper limit of 5-6 mm thickness.