Canine pythiosis--isolation and identification of Pythium insidiosum.

Pythium insidiosum was isolated from the subcutaneous tissue of a 1-year-old tan crossbreed dog and from the intestinal tract of an 18-month-old Samoyed male. Gomori's methenamine silver stain was superior to hematoxylin and eosin in demonstrating the organism in tissue sections. The agent was identified as P. insidiosum by zoospore formation in an aqueous yeast extract solution containing grass blades. Exoantigens produced in culture were shown to be identical to known P. insidiosum antigens by microimmunodiffusion.

Eumycotic mycetoma caused by Pseudallescheria boydii in a dog.

Abdominal eumycotic mycetoma caused by Pseudallescheria boydii was diagnosed in a 3-year-old male Siberian Husky. The dog was examined because of weight loss and signs of depression. Initially, pyrexia was the only clinical finding. Antibiotic and corticosteroid treatment was ineffective. Two weeks later, the dog's appetite had decreased, it had vomited a few times, and the caudal portion of the abdomen was sensitive to palpation. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities consisted of anemia, leukocytosis, hypoglycemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, and high alkaline phosphatase activity. One week later, the dog's condition continued to worsen, and testicular swelling was observed. The dog was castrated. Microscopic examination of specimens obtained at surgery revealed pyogranulomatous periorchitis with mycetoma granules. Ketoconazole treatment was initiated and continued until the dog died one month later. Necropsy revealed multifocal duodenal ulcers, with transmural pyogranulomatous enteritis, pancreatitis, and peritonitis. This case is unique because the etiologic agent apparently entered via the intestinal tract rather than by contamination of an external wound.

Radiotherapy of metastatic seminoma in the dog. Case reports.

Four dogs with metastatic seminoma were treated with cesium 137 teleradiotherapy. Minimum total tumor dose ranged from 17 to 40 gray (Gy) and was usually given through bilateral opposing sublumbar ports in eight to ten fractions, with three fractions given weekly. The tumor regressed in all four dogs. The first dog (case 1) was free of tumor and died of non-tumor related causes at 57 months. The second dog (case 2) was free of tumor but was euthanatized at 37 months for a limb fracture. The third dog (case 3) was euthanatized for undertermined pulmonary disease 43 months after radiotherapy. The fourth dog (case 4) was euthanatized 6 months following radiotherapy because of transitional cell carcinoma and renal failure. No evidence of seminoma was found at necropsy. Radiotherapy was shown to be effective treatment for seminoma with regional metastasis.

Sarcoptes scabiei infestation in a cat.

Sarcoptes scabiei infestation was diagnosed in a cat. Clinical signs included thick, crusty, exudative dermatitis on the feet, caudal aspect of the thighs, and tail. Paronychia and dystrophic nails also were observed. The course of the disease was chronic. Concomitant and potentially predisposing additional health problems were suspected, but were not confirmed.

Hepatic malignant mesenchymoma in a dog.

Hepatic malignant mesenchymoma was diagnosed in a dog with a history of gradual abdominal distension of 2 months' duration. The tumor was polycystic and attached to the caudal border of the left lateral liver lobe. The dog was euthanatized 16 weeks after surgical excision. Necropsy revealed tumor metastasis throughout the liver.

Behavioral and physiological effects of examiner sex on process and reactive schizophrenics.

In the physiological (polygraph) data, the sex of the E (ES) interacted with the sex of the patient (PS) or the patient's process-reactive status (PR) in only 1 of 16 analyses. Only in the heart-rate variability data was the ES by PS interaction significant (p less than .001). Sex of the E had an appreciable effect in two of the three measures of associative disturbance. The ES by PS interaction was significant (p less than .025) in the recall measure of instability of though processes, and the same interaction neared significance (p less than .06) in the multiword response measure of associative disturbance. It appears that the sex of the E should be considered in studies that use measures of associative disturbance and perhaps when heart-rate variability measures are used.