Vertebral heart size in chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) usingradiography and CT.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the vertebral heart size in chinchillas using right and left lateral radiographic views and CT images. To evaluate the agreement between radiographic and CT modalities. METHODS: Twenty-one clinically healthy chinchillas and seven chinchillas with cardiovascular abnormalities underwent cardiovascular examination before thoracic radiographs and thoracic CT obtained under dexmedetomidine-ketamine anaesthesia. Two observers calculated vertebral heart size for radiographic and CT studies. Reference intervals were calculated with the robust method. Agreement between radiographic and CT-derived vertebral heart size was evaluated with Bland-Altman plots and Deming regression. RESULTS: Mean ±sd vertebral heart size for lateral radiographs was 8·9 ±0·62 (reference interval: 7·5 to 10·2) and for CT-derived vertebral heart size was 8·2 ±0·55 (reference interval: 7·1 to 9·4). CT significantly underestimated the radiographic vertebral heart size by 0·66 vertebrae. There was no significant difference between vertebral heart size for right and left lateral radiographic views, or between female and male chinchillas. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Radiographic vertebral heart size for chinchillas is larger than that reported for similar rodents. Vertebral heart size can be calculated using radiography or CT in chinchillas, but these techniques are not interchangeable.

Reconstruction of chronic triceps tendon avulsion using synthetic mesh graft in a dog.

Avulsion of the triceps tendon insertion was diagnosed in a two-year-old Poodle mixed breed dog 10 weeks after traumatic injury. Diagnosis was confirmed with clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The tendon was reconstructed using tension-relieving sutures augmented with a synthetic degradable porous polyurethane urea onlay mesh graft. The repair was immobilized using a transarticular external skeletal fixator with staged increases in elbow flexion. Treatment was successful, with signs of healing confirmed by MRI and normal clinical function one year after surgery. The successful outcome in this case suggests that surgical repair of a chronic triceps tendon injury using a synthetic mesh augmentation may be successful in similar cases.

Amyloid deposition in 2 feline thymomas.

Two cases of feline thymoma with amyloid deposition were encountered between 1982 and 2010. Neoplastic cells were separated by abundant, pale eosinophilic, homogeneous material that was congophilic and birefringent. Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells were connected by desmosomes, and the extracellular deposits were composed of nonbranching, hollow-cored fibrils, 8-10 nm in diameter. In the case with sufficient archived tissue for additional sections, the amyloid remained congophilic following potassium permanganate incubation, and the neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for pancytokeratin. The histologic, histochemical, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical features of both neoplasms are consistent with epithelial-predominant thymoma with the unusual feature of intratumoral amyloid deposition. The affinity of the amyloid for Congo red following potassium permanganate incubation is consistent with non-AA amyloid. The ultrastructural findings were consistent with amyloid production by the neoplastic epithelial cells.

Ultrasonographic appearance of exogenous isobutane gas in the mammary glands of dairy cows.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether exogenous isobutane gas infused into the udders of dairy cattle could be detected ultrasonographically, and if so, what effects volume of gas infused and infusion pressure had on how long after infusion exogenous isobutane gas could be detected. DESIGN: Randomized block design. ANIMALS: 8 Holstein cows 28 to 32 days after parturition. PROCEDURE: In each cow, 1 mammary gland was not treated and the other 3 received 1 of 3 treatments by means of intramammary infusion: low volume-high pressure, low volume-low pressure, and high volume-high pressure infusion of isobutane gas. Mammary glands were examined ultrasonographically 1 hour before and 1, 3, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 hours after treatment. RESULTS: After intramammary infusion of isobutane gas, bright echoes and associated acoustic shadows were seen ultrasonographically; echoes were no longer seen 72 hours after gas infusion. Percentages of mammary glands in which bright echoes were detected were not significantly different among the 3 treatment groups at any time during the study. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that exogenous isobutane gas infused into the mammary glands to enhance the appearance of the udder of show dairy cattle can be readily detected by ultrasonography.