Value of echocardiography and electrocardiography as screening tools prior to Doxorubicin administration.

The dose-limiting toxicity of doxorubicin is cardiotoxicosis. The authors of this report hypothesized that by using their institution's adopted guidelines (that involve prescreening echocardiography and electrocardiography), they would detect pre-existing cardiac abnormalities that preclude doxorubicin administration in <10% of dogs. Of 101 dogs, only 6 were excluded from doxorubicin administration based on electrocardiogram abnormalities, with a majority of those arrhythmias classified as ventricular premature contractions. One patient was excluded based on echocardiogram alone due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The incidence of cardiotoxicity in treated dogs was 8% (8/101). Additional pretreatment and ongoing studies are indicated to identify risk factors for cardiotoxicity.

Idiopathic solitary cutaneous xanthoma in a dog.

A 6-year-old female spayed Boxer mix dog was presented with multiple cutaneous masses, one of which was determined to be a xanthoma. Fine-needle aspirates of this mass revealed large round cells that were consistent with macrophages. These macrophages had lightly basophilic cytoplasm that was filled with many clear circular spaces that varied in size. The nuclei of these cells displayed mild anisokaryosis with condensed chromatin and lacked prominent nucleoli. The cytologic interpretation was lipid-laden histiocytic inflammation most consistent with a cutaneous xanthoma, which was confirmed histologically. Mild hypertriglyceridemia and persistent moderate hypercholesterolemia were present. After ruling out other causes of hyperlipidemia, we concluded that the dog likely had idiopathic hyperlipidemia with secondary xanthoma formation.

Craniomandibular osteopathy with a unique neurological manifestation in a young Akita.

This report describes a 4 mo old intact male Akita that presented for evaluation of a life-long history of facial swelling and failure to thrive. Physical examination revealed an enlarged cranium with prominent bony swellings on the maxillary bone, excessive laxity and crepitus involving multiple joints, and proprioceptive deficits. Radiographs demonstrated multiple osseous abnormalities including endosteal thickening of the femurs and ilium. Necropsy revealed gross compression of the cerebellum and brainstem. Physical exam findings, radiographic abnormalities, and histopathology of multiple bony lesions were all consistent with craniomandibular osteopathy. In this unique case of craniomandibular osteopathy, the dog was affected with severe bony proliferations leading to generalized hyperostotic lesions and brainstem compression resulting in neurologic deficits.