Veterinary Referral Hospital Research Articles

Treatment of patellar luxation with polyethylene sulcal ridge prostheses in 44 feline stifles: a retrospective study.

The aim of this study was to assess the complication rates and long-term outcomes, as well as to refine case selection criteria for cats undergoing trochlear ridge augmentation (TRA) using an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene implant (UHMWPEI) for the treatment of patellar luxation (PL). The clinical records from two referral veterinary hospitals were searched for cases that fitted defined inclusion criteria. A short-term assessment was based on examination and radiography at 8 weeks postoperatively. The long-term assessment was carried out at least 2 years postoperatively through examination and radiography, and less commonly via questionnaire. A total of 44 stifles in 39 patients with PL grade 2 (n = 19), 3 (n = 22) or 4 (n = 3) met the inclusion criteria. TRA using UHMWPEI was associated with minor complications in 20% of cases and major complications in 7% of cases. Minor complications included seroma formation (n = 5), superficial wound infection (n = 2), prolonged discomfort for a few weeks postoperatively (n = 1) and transient postoperative azotaemia (n = 1). After surgical correction of medial PL, one skeletally immature case developed transient grade 1 lateral PL, which resolved without intervention. Major complications comprised implant removal for ongoing lameness (n = 3). Degenerative joint disease, with mineralisation that was often marked, was noted in 26/35 (74%) cases that were available for radiographic follow-up 2 years or more after TRA. Nevertheless, good or very good long-term functional outcomes were achieved for 93% of cases. The currently available UHMWPEIs were shown to be suitable for treating PL grades 2, 3 or 4 in cats weighing ⩾3 kg. Delaying TRA until growth is completed is advised. The long-term follow-up suggested that the correction of PL in cats with UHMWPEI was sustained and that good function could be expected in the long term. Mineralisation overlying implants was common, but this was not appreciably correlated with adverse functional consequences.

Signalment, clinical characteristics and outcomes of an Australian population of dogs with steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) - 124 cases (2013-2023).

Variations in canine breeds presenting with steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) have been observed across different geographical regions internationally. However, there are no published studies describing affected dogs in an Australian population to date. This descriptive study aimed to characterise the signalment, as well as the clinical characteristics and outcomes in an Australian population of client-owned dogs with SRMA. Medical records from five veterinary referral hospitals in the state of New South Wales between 2013 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. One hundred and twenty four dogs were included in the study. The breeds which presented with SRMA most commonly included Golden Retriever (19/124, 15.3%), Italian Greyhound (11/124, 8.8%), Boxer (8/124, 6.5%), "Cavoodle" (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Poodle) (8/124, 6.5%), Corgi (7/124, 5.6%), Border Collie (6/124, 4.8%) and Australian Kelpie (5/124, 4.0%). The disease was observed more commonly in males, representing 79/124 (63.7%) of dogs. Presenting concerns, examination findings and laboratory abnormalities were otherwise consistent with international studies. The frequency of ≥1 relapse for dogs with a ≥6-month follow-up period was 32/85 (37.6%). A higher frequency of ≥1 relapse was seen in female dogs and in Corgi and Italian Greyhound breeds. All Corgis who relapsed demonstrated multiple relapses. In conclusion, this study observed a variation in breeds presenting with SRMA compared to international publications, which may reflect both differences in breed popularity, as well as varying interbreed susceptibility dependent on geographical location.

Evaluation of presentation, treatment and outcome in dogs with granulomatous steatitis associated with hypercalcaemia: six cases (2019-2023).

To report the presentation, treatment and outcome of dogs with granulomatous steatitis associated with total and ionised hypercalcaemia. Six dogs diagnosed with ionised and/or total hypercalcaemia and histologically diagnosed granulomatous steatitis were evaluated to determine the clinical signs, clinical findings, response to treatment and outcome. These cases were seen at different primary care and referral veterinary hospitals in the United Kingdom between 2019 and 2023. No alternative aetiology to explain the total and/or ionised hypercalcaemia or steatitis was identified. The most common presenting signs were lethargy, anorexia or hyporexia, vomiting and polyuria/polydipsia. Other clinical signs included weight loss, discomfort and panting. Five out of the six dogs responded to prednisolone. Four dogs were alive at the time of writing, one dog was lost to follow-up and one dog died 2 weeks post-diagnosis. It is well-established that granulomatous disease can cause hypercalcaemia. In this case series we found granulomatous steatitis associated with total and/or ionised hypercalcaemia. Dogs diagnosed with granulomatous steatitis should have ionised calcium measured, which may prompt further diagnostics and treatment options. Dogs with hypercalcaemia should be evaluated for evidence of steatitis where more common differentials have been excluded.

Impact of a cell salvage device on blood transfusions to dogs undergoing surgery at a referral veterinary hospital.

To determine the number of homologous blood transfusions received by canine surgical patients after introducing a cell salvage device (CSD), trends in surgeries requiring blood transfusion, and the incidence of transfusion reactions. Retrospective study. Single referral hospital. All dogs having surgery at a single center (November 2015 to February 2021). Medical records of dogs having surgical treatment, including those that received either an autologous or homologous blood transfusion, were reviewed. The surgical patients were the baseline population, and the 2 transfusion groups were compared within this population to analyze the trends. A total of 37 and 86 dogs received autologous and homologous blood transfusions, respectively. There was an upward trend in the number of total monthly blood transfusions. No significant increase in the monthly number of homologous transfusions was observed before or after acquisition of the CSD. There was also an upward trend in total monthly surgeries, including those with higher risks of hemorrhage. Dogs receiving homologous blood transfusions had a higher incidence of clinical signs consistent with transfusion reactions (6.98%). An upward trend in autologous blood transfusions was seen with the introduction of a CSD. Hospitals with large surgical caseloads at high risk of hemorrhage may see a decreased need for outsourced blood products with the use of the CSD. The device can lead to a more responsible use of an increasingly scarce resource and decrease the risk of a blood transfusion reaction in dogs.

Outcome in dogs with invasive adrenal gland tumors that did not pursue adrenalectomy.

To report the survival times in dogs diagnosed with adrenal tumors with vascular or soft tissue invasion that did not undergo adrenalectomy. Retrospective case series of 32 client-owned dogs. The medical records of a referral veterinary hospital were reviewed to identify dogs that were diagnosed with an invasive adrenal mass and did not undergo adrenalectomy between January 2013 and December 2022. Data collected included signalment, examination findings, and diagnostic results from the initial presentation. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize dog signalment information, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed for calculation of median survival time. Most dogs (n = 28) had vascular invasion, primarily into the caudal vena cava. Surgery was offered but not pursued due to perceived risk of sudden death (n = 5), risk of hemorrhage (4), or concurrent diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (1). Only 1 dog pursued stereotactic body radiation therapy, and 1 was prescribed toceranib phosphate (Palladia). Of these 32 dogs, 30 (93.8%) died or were euthanized and 2 (6.2%) dogs survived. The median follow-up time was 49 days (range, 0 to 1,910 days). The median survival time was 50 days (95% CI, 4 to 194 days). The most common cause of death or euthanasia was hemoabdomen (n = 8). Nonsurgical management of invasive adrenal tumors was associated with short survival times in this case series.

Description of outcome and adverse events in 21 cats with locally advanced nasal planum squamous cell carcinoma treated with electrochemotherapy.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common tumour in the nasal planum of cats. Surgery has traditionally been the treatment of choice but might not be feasible in locally advanced scenarios. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) has shown good control in superficial tumours, but there is a lack of robust information about efficacy in locally advanced cases. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of ECT in the treatment of locally advanced stage nasal planum SCC in cats. The clinical database of a veterinary referral hospital was searched retrospectively for cats diagnosed with a locally advanced nasal planum SCC (T3N0M0 or T4N0M0) that had received ECT. Local response, adverse events and outcome were documented. The data were evaluated by inferential statistics and correlations between response, recurrence, feline immunodeficiency virus/feline leukaemia virus status, number of treatments, voltage and severity of adverse events, with Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Statistical significance was set at P <0.05. In total, 21 cats were enrolled over a 4-year period. Nineteen cats achieved a complete response (CR) and two cats a partial response (PR) for an overall response rate of 100%. Cats achieving a CR had a median disease-free interval of 182 days (range 128-327) and those with a PR had a median progression-free survival of 156.5 days (range 122-191). The median time to progression was not reached. The overall survival was 453 days for a median follow-up of 341 days (range 191-989). Of the cats, 62% had grade 3 or 4 toxicities, but no deaths due to the treatment were documented. Only voltage was correlated with longer survival (P = 0.001). ECT appears to be an effective treatment for feline nasal planum SCC and could be considered a first-line therapy for locally advanced cases. Toxicities reported can be severe in the short term and these could be secondary to more invasive lesions and equipment used.

Abnormalities detected on digital rectal examinations in dogs are common and influence diagnostic and treatment plans.

To determine the frequency of abnormal findings on digital rectal examination (DRE) performed during physical examinations at a tertiary referral veterinary hospital, to establish what abnormal findings are most common and whether they impact diagnostic and treatment plans, and to assess whether patient signalment or admitting service influences the frequency of abnormalities. Client-owned dogs (n = 440). Veterinarians performed DREs on dogs as part of a physical examination. Patient signalment and DRE findings were recorded in a standardized survey. Findings were deemed normal or abnormal and described. Whether the findings changed the diagnostic or treatment plan was also recorded. Abnormalities were detected on DRE in 160 of 440 (36%) dogs. Changes to the diagnostic plan occurred in 41 of 160 (26%) cases when an abnormality was found. Changes to the treatment plan occurred in 20 of 160 (12.5%) cases when an abnormality was found. Age (P = .2), sex (P = .9), and breed (P = 1) did not significantly influence the frequency of abnormal findings. Abnormal findings were significantly more common in dogs presenting to the emergency service than elective services (P = .005). Among dogs presenting to a tertiary veterinary hospital, abnormalities found on DRE are common and change the diagnostic plan in 1 out of 4 dogs and treatment plan in 1 out of 8 dogs. This study supports the continued practice of DREs in dogs, especially in emergency settings, regardless of signalment.

Retrospective evaluation of a right heart parameter score in the assessment of precapillary pulmonary hypertension in dogs (2017-2021): 135 cases.

To determine if emergency and critical care residents can identify moderate to severe precapillary pulmonary hypertension on cardiologist-obtained cineloops using a pulmonary hypertension score (PHS) and report the interobserver variability of the PHS. Multicenter, retrospective, case-control study from 2017 to 2021. Private referral center and veterinary teaching hospital. One hundred and thirty-five client-owned dogs that underwent diagnostic echocardiography. None. Medical records of dogs with stage B1 myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and dogs diagnosed with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PCPH) via echocardiograms were reviewed. Dogs were categorized by a cardiologist into 5 groups (normal, B1 MMVD, mild, moderate, and severe PCPH) based on Doppler pulmonary pressure gradients and right heart morphology. Cineloops from each case were subjectively evaluated by emergency and critical care residents for the presence of right atrial and ventricular enlargement, right ventricular hypertrophy, interventricular septal flattening, and pulmonary artery and trunk enlargement to form a composite pulmonary hypertension score out of 8 (PHS8). When available, signs of peritoneal effusion and distention of the caudal vena cava were subjectively assessed to generate a pulmonary hypertension score out of 10 (PHS10). There was excellent discrimination of moderate to severe PCPH versus grouped absent to mild PCPH using PHS8 (area under the receiver operator curve [AUC] [95% confidence interval, CI]=0.90 [0.84-0.95], P<0.0001) and PHS10 (AUC [95% CI]=0.89 [0.81-0.97], P<0.0001). PHS8≥3 was 64% sensitive and 98% specific for moderate to severe PCPH (positive likelihood ratio [LR+] 32, negative likelihood ration [LR-] 0.37). PHS10≥3.3 was 64% sensitive and 92% specific for moderate to severe PCPH (LR+ 8, LR- 0.39). Interobserver agreement was good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.74 [95% CI: 0.66-0.80], n=135). Residents identified moderate to severe PCPH in dogs using PHS on cineloops previously obtained by a cardiologist. The interrater agreement was good to excellent with limited training. Prospective studies to determine if residents can obtain diagnostic images for PHS are warranted.

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance at two private veterinary referral hospitals.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging human and animal issue. The frequency of resistance to high importance antimicrobials, isolation of microbes of One Health importance and the nature and frequency of multi-drug resistant (MDR) profiles in Australian small animal referral practice have not been described previously. Medical databases of two private small animal referral hospitals in Queensland, Australia were reviewed for culture and susceptibility (C&S) results from 1 January to 31 December 2020. Hospital site (H1 and H2), culture sample, C&S results and MDR were documented for samples from services operating at both locations. There were 631 microbial isolates and 386 susceptibility profiles from 438 samples. The predominant organism was Staphylococcus pseudintermedius at H1 (n = 95) and Escherichia coli at H2 (n = 23). The majority of samples were integumentary (H1 n = 216, H2 n = 75) or urogenital (H1 n = 74, H2 n = 70). MDR isolates were reported at both hospitals, and were significantly more likely at H1 (69/262, 26.3% vs. 12/121, 9.9%; P < 0.001). High levels of AMR including MDR profiles were reported at the two hospitals evaluated, but they had significantly different resistance patterns and microbial profiles. These results highlight the need to practice appropriate antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary medicine, and are supportive for individual hospital surveillance with antibiograms.

Powering into a new role as hospital director from outside the profession.

Julie Davis started her working life as a sports journalist then sought a change of direction and joined the NHS. Fifteen years later she is now applying her skills and knowledge in a veterinary referral hospital.

Improved owner quality of life following surgical repair of canine myxomatous mitral valve disease.

To determine quality-of-life changes in owners of dogs undergoing mitral valve repair for myxomatous mitral valve disease, up to 12 months postoperatively. Owners of 26 dogs undergoing mitral valve repair at a single UK veterinary referral hospital. Dogs underwent mitral valve repair under cardiopulmonary bypass as previously described. Owner quality of life was assessed by self-completion of a previously validated questionnaire preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. There was a statistically significant improvement in quality-of-life scores from preoperatively up to 3 months postoperatively and a statistically significant improvement in individual question scores up to 6 months postoperatively. Results suggested that owner quality of life is significantly improved following surgical repair of their pet's myxomatous mitral valve disease, and this improvement continues beyond the immediate postoperative period. These results may be useful when counseling owners of surgical candidates and is another useful outcome measure.

Micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation in canine glaucoma: A retrospective study evaluating sweep velocity.

To report preliminary results of MP-TSCP in canine patients with glaucoma while evaluating sweep velocity, treatment efficacy, and safety utilizing standardized surgical parameters. Client-owned dogs that underwent MP-TSCP at a veterinary referral hospital. Medical records of 19 eyes (14 dogs) treated with MP-TSCP were reviewed. Eleven eyes were treated with a 10 s/sweep (s) velocity and 8 eyes with a 20 s/s. Laser duty cycle was set at 31.3%, mean laser energy was 2766 mW, and mean duration was 120 s per hemisphere. Minimum post-operative follow-up was 6 months. Outcomes of intraocular pressure (IOP), vision status, degree of antiglaucoma medications, and complications were evaluated. There was a significantly lower median (IQR) IOP (<25 mmHg) at each timepoint postoperatively compared to IOP pre-operatively (p < 0.05). The overall success rate for IOP control at 6 months was 84%, 100% for the 10 s/s and 62.5% for the 20 s/s. Vision was preserved in 10/11 (90%) eyes from the 10 s/s group and 4/8 (50%) eyes from the 20 s/s group at 6 months. Average number of glaucoma medications in the 10 s/s group decreased from 4.4 to 1.5 and from 3.3 to 2.5 in the 20 s/s group. Post-operative complications were mild and resolved within 1 week. MP-TSCP is a non-invasive treatment alternative for canine glaucoma. Employing higher energy levels rendered long-term IOP control while retaining a high safety profile with minimal postoperative complications. There was no statistical difference between a 10 s/s and 20 s/s surgical velocity, both leading to successful surgical outcomes up to 6 months post-operatively.

Microbes on Clipper Blades after Use and Disinfection in Small Animal- and Equine Practice.

Clipping hair on animals can produce microtraumas of the skin and the dislodgement of microorganisms to the clipper blade. This study evaluates if clipper blades in animal hospitals in Sweden are contaminated with bacteria and/or dermatophytes after disinfection. Eleven clipper blades from three veterinary referral hospitals, including one with a small animal department and an equine department, were sampled for bacteria and dermatophytes. All the hospitals had disinfection routines in accordance with the national recommendations for hygiene in veterinary medicine. The sampled clipper blades were supposed to be disinfected and they were considered to be ready for use by staff. Five sterilized clipper blades were used as controls. The results showed that 64-100% of the disinfected clipper blades, from all three hospitals, were contaminated with bacteria, whereas all the sterilized clipper blades were negative for bacterial growth (p < 0.05). One clipper blade from the equine department was contaminated with dermatophytes. The results indicate that the disinfection routines were not sufficient for removing bacteria from used clipper blades, and that sterilization would be a more reliable way to minimize the risk of contamination.

Relationship between Respiratory Rate, Oxygen Saturation, and Blood Test Results in Dogs with Chronic or Acute Respiratory Disease: A Retrospective Study.

This study aimed to investigate the association of respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and blood findings with respiratory disease in dogs and to compare the examination findings in the chronic and acute phases. Dogs that visited a veterinary referral hospital with respiratory symptoms were classified into the chronic disease group (GC), and those that visited the emergency veterinary hospital were classified into the acute disease group (GA). In total, 704 and 682 dogs were included in GC and GA, respectively. The RR and SpO2 were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in patients with lung disease compared to other disease sites in both groups. White blood cell counts were significantly increased in patients with lung and pleural diseases in both groups. Respiratory alkalosis and respiratory acidosis were most common in GC and GA, respectively. The C-reactive protein levels were elevated in both groups, primarily in patients with lung disease. Associations between the results of several tests for understanding and diagnosing respiratory conditions and diseases were recognized, and differences in the trends of the chronic and acute phases were clarified. These tools may be used as adjuncts to other tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment responses.

Outbreaks of nosocomial feline calicivirus-associated virulent systemic disease in Korea.

Feline calicivirus (FCV)-associated viral systemic disease (VSD) is a severe systemic disease caused by virulent FCV strains and has a very poor prognosis. To evaluate the clinical characteristics of a nosocomial FCV-VSD outbreak involving 18 cats in Korea. Medical records of cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD from March to September 2018 at a referral veterinary hospital were reviewed. The patient's signalment, history, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were evaluated. Two outbreaks involving 18 cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD occurred over a 6-month period at a referral hospital in Korea. Anorexia, lethargy, fever, and limb edema were the most commonly observed clinical symptoms. Lymphopenia and macrothrombocytopenia were the most common hematological findings, and hyperbilirubinemia and increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and serum amyloid A were the most frequent results of serum biochemistry. FCV was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 11 patients and the remaining 7 were suspected with FCV-VSD. The overall mortality rate was 72.2%. The hospital was closed and disinfected twice, and no additional outbreaks have occurred since the last patient. The clinical and diagnostic characteristics and outcomes of FCV-VSD described in this study can be used to recognize and contain infectious diseases through quick action. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a nosocomial outbreak of FCV-VSD in Asia.

Surgical treatment of canine urethral prolapse via urethropexy or resection and anastomosis.

The objective was to report and compare the complications and recurrence rates of urethral prolapse in dogs when treated with urethropexy, resection and anastomosis or a combined surgical technique. Retrospective study. A total of 86 dogs were identified from the medical records of 10 veterinary referral hospitals from February 2012 and October 2022. Dogs were included if they underwent surgery for a urethral prolapse at first presentation. Complications were classified as minor or major based on the necessity of further surgical intervention. Complications leading to death were also considered major complications. Seventy-nine dogs were included, urethropexy (n=44), resection and anastomosis (n=27) and a combined surgical technique (n=8). Minor complications were identified in 41 of 79 dogs (51.9%): urethropexy 19 of 44 (43.2%), resection and anastomosis 18 of 27 (66.6%) and a combined surgical technique four of eight (50%). Major complications occurred in 23 dogs (29.1%), of which 21 were recurrence (26.6%). Recurrence occurred in 17 of 44 dogs following a urethropexy (38.6%), three of 27 dogs following resection and anastomosis (11.1%) and one of eight dogs treated with a combined surgical technique (12.5%). Recurrence of a urethral prolapse was significantly more likely following urethropexy in comparison to resection and anastomosis. Resection and anastomosis was associated with a lower recurrence rate in comparison to urethropexy for the surgical treatment of urethral prolapse. Based on these results, we concluded that resection and anastomosis may be preferable to urethropexy for treatment of urethral prolapse at first presentation. Urethropexy, and resection and anastomosis combined surgical technique was associated with low recurrence rate; however, further studies will be needed to clarify if it provides any benefit over resection and anastomosis.

A retrospective study of vector borne disease prevalence among anemic dogs in North Carolina.

Anemia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs. Further understanding of the prevalence of vector borne diseases (VBD) in anemic dogs is needed. The objective of this retrospective study was to describe the rate of exposure to or infection with VBD among anemic dogs presented to a teaching hospital in North Carolina and to further characterize the anemia in dogs with VBD exposure. A total of 597 anemic dogs that were concurrently tested for VBD were examined at a referral veterinary hospital between January 2012 and December 2018. Retrospective descriptive study. Demographic, clinicopathologic, and VBD testing data were obtained from medical records. Of the 597 anemic dogs examined, 180 (30.15%; 95% CI: 26.49-34.01%) tested positive for one or more VBD. There was no difference in the severity of anemia or the proportion of dogs displaying a regenerative anemia between dogs testing positive and negative for VBD. A large proportion of anemic dogs from this region test positive for exposure to or infection with VBD. Our study supported the use of PCR and serology run in parallel to maximize the chance of detecting exposure to or infection with VBD compared to either serology or PCR alone. At this time, it is unknown whether infection with VBD contributed to the development of anemia in these patients. However, given the prevalence of VBD exposure in anemic dogs, testing for VBD in anemic patients from this region of the United States is warranted.

Long-term outcomes of atrophic/oligotrophic non-unions in dogs and cats treated with autologous iliac corticocancellous bone graft and circular external skeletal fixation: 19 cases (2014-2021).

To determine the short- and long-term outcomes and complications in dogs and cats undergoing surgical treatment for viable oligotrophic and nonviable atrophic non-unions using circular external skeletal fixation and autologous corticocancellous bone graft. In this case series, the medical records and radiographs of all dogs and cats with radius/ulna and tibia/fibula viable oligotrophic and nonviable atrophic non-unions treated with corticocancellous bone graft and circular external skeletal fixation at two referral veterinary hospitals between 2014 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The long-term follow-up was 1 year or greater. Thirteen dogs and six cats with 19 non-union fractures met the inclusion criteria for the study. Eighteen non-union fractures (94.7%) healed and one did not. Five patients (26%) had minor perioperative period complications (<3 months). The patient that did not achieve bone union underwent revision surgery with internal fixation (plate and screws) and autologous cancellous bone graft. Fifteen (78.9%) cases returned to full function and three (15.8%) cases returned to acceptable function in the long-term follow-up period. The use of circular external skeletal fixation associated with autologous corticocancellous bone graft for the treatment of radius/ulna and tibia/fibula atrophic/oligotrophic non-union fractures in dogs and cats was considered successful in the majority of patients and was free of major or catastrophic complications.

Outcome of Permanent Canine Teeth Following Extraction of Linguoverted Deciduous Mandibular Canine Teeth in 28 Dogs.

Linguoverted mandibular canine teeth (LMC) are a common cause of class 1 malocclusion, which may result in a traumatic occlusion. When deciduous LMC are diagnosed, extraction is commonly performed to alleviate traumatic occlusion. This retrospective study was designed to observe the outcome of the permanent dentition in dogs with a class 1 malocclusion receiving treatment for deciduous LMC. Medical records from a veterinary dental referral hospital were used to identify patients that underwent extraction of deciduous LMC's prior to the eruption of the permanent mandibular canine teeth. The permanent occlusion was then evaluated once the permanent mandibular canine teeth were erupting. Of the 28 dogs identified and treated for deciduous LMC's, 78.6% (22/28) had a normal permanent occlusion. The 6 patients identified with permanent LMC's were all diagnosed when the patients were between 20 and 29 weeks of age. Of these 6 patients, 5 received gingivectomy and gingivoplasty treatment to correct the permanent LMC. Treatment was declined by the pet owner of the sixth patient. Overall, the majority of dogs in this study with a class 1 malocclusion and deciduous LMC's treated with extractions prior to the eruption of the permanent mandibular canine teeth had a normal permanent occlusion.

Pre-illness dietary risk factors in dogs with chronic enteropathy.

Dietary factors have been extensively studied as potential triggers of inflammatory bowel disease in humans. Scant literature exists regarding diet as a pre-illness risk factor in dogs with chronic enteropathy (CE). To evaluate possible pre-illness dietary risk factors in dogs with CE. Ninety-five client-owned dogs; 48 with CE (25 presumptive and 23 confirmed) and 47 without a history of signs of gastrointestinal disease. Retrospective case-control questionnaire-based study at a veterinary referral teaching hospital in the United Kingdom. Diet history was obtained relating to the onset of initial presenting signs for all dogs. The main diet consumed underwent ingredient analysis and caloric distribution calculation using a guaranteed analysis convertor software. Length of time the main diet was fed and adherence to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Nutrition Committee guidelines was also recorded. The frequency of the main diet containing no carbohydrate was greater for controls (5/47 dogs, 11%) vs the combined presumptive and confirmed CE dogs (0/48 dogs, 0%; P = .05). Fewer dogs with confirmed CE were fed a main diet containing red meat as the primary protein source (2/23 dogs, 9%) vs controls (15/47 dogs, 32%; P = .03). A main diet moisture percentage of ≤14% as fed was significantly associated with confirmed CE in logistic regression analysis (OR 5.71 [95% CI: 1.18-27.69]; P = .03). The presence of dietary carbohydrate, protein source, and dietary moisture content, or factors related to moisture content such as preservatives, might play a role as potential pre-illness dietary risk factors in dogs with CE.