Evaluation of a modified radiographic union scale for tibial fractures scoring system in staged bilateral tibial plateau leveling osteotomy procedures and comparison of first and second side radiographic bone healing.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) modified radiographic union scale for tibial fractures (mRUST), a semiquantitative scoring system, as compared with the subjective evaluation of radiographic union for staged TPLOs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Forty-eight dogs, 96 stifles. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for dogs with bilateral cranial cruciate ligament injuries diagnosed at presentation that underwent staged bilateral TPLOs within 6 months and had both immediate and recheck postoperative radiographs. Radiographs were anonymized, reviewers were blinded, radiographic union was evaluated subjectively, and TPLO mRUST scores were assigned. RESULTS: The subjective evaluation's intra-rater reliability was 0.72 (Kappa 95% CI 0.65-0.79) and inter-rater reliability was 0.33 (Kappa 95% CI 0.28-0.39). The TPLO mRUST scoring system intra-rater reliability was 0.73 (95% CI 0.68-0.78) and inter-rater reliability was 0.56 (95% CI 0.41-0.68). There was no difference in the degree of bone healing quantified by the TPLO mRUST scoring system (95% CI - 0.1-1.2, P = .09) or subjective evaluation (P = .48) between the first and second side TPLOs. The TPLO mRUST scores were positively correlated with subjective healing (r = 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.96, P < .0001, and for scores ≥10/12, 99%, 244/246) were subjectively assigned as radiographically healed. CONCLUSION: The TPLO mRUST scoring system improved inter-rater reliability compared to subjective evaluation of radiographic union. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The TPLO mRUST scoring system should be considered as a semiquantitative supplemental tool for evaluating radiographic union.

Prevalence of malignancy in masses from the mammary gland region of dogs with single or multiple masses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of malignancy in masses from the mammary gland region of dogs with single or multiple masses. ANIMALS: 95 female dogs from which mammary gland masses had been excised. PROCEDURES: Medical records of all female dogs from which mammary gland tissue was submitted to the Angell Animal Medical Center Pathology Department from 2009 through 2014 were reviewed. For each dog, data were obtained on breed, body weight, age, reproductive status, and number, location, and histologic classification of masses. The prevalence of malignancy was compared between dogs with single versus multiple masses and among the 5 pairs of mammary glands. Dogs with single versus multiple masses were also compared with respect to age and reproductive status. RESULTS: Among 161 evaluated masses, 137 (85%) were classified as benign or nonneoplastic and 24 (15%) as malignant. Five of 95 (5%) dogs had masses that were not of mammary gland origin. Age, reproductive status, and quantity of masses (single vs multiple) were not significantly associated with the prevalence of malignancy. The prevalence of malignancy in masses from the fourth (caudal abdominal) mammary gland was significantly lower than that in the other 4 mammary glands combined. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dogs with multiple masses in the mammary gland region were not significantly more likely than dogs with single masses to have a malignancy, suggesting that these 2 groups could be managed similarly. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical relevance of the lower prevalence of malignancy in masses from the fourth mammary gland.