Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To document the long-term outcome of surgically treated primary and dental-related sinusitis in horses and to describe a simple protocol for postoperative management.
METHODS
All surgically treated sinusitis cases referred between January 2016 and June 2022 were reviewed. Cases diagnosed with primary and dental-related sinusitis and with a follow-up of at least 6 months after hospital discharge were included. Cases with other sinus pathology were excluded.
RESULTS
130 cases met the inclusion criteria. 104 out of 130 were treated with sinoscopy and 26/130 with sinusotomy. 86 out of 130 cases (66.2%) were diagnosed with a dental pathology as a cause of sinusitis that required tooth extraction. Diagnostics were refined with the help of CT in 55/130 (42%) cases. Short-term complications were encountered in 8/130 (6.2%), and full response after initial treatment was successful for 107/130 cases (82.3%). The mean number of postoperative daily flushes was 3.15, and horses were discharged after a mean hospitalization period of 6.4 days.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Thorough debridement of sinuses affected by primary or dental-related sinusitis followed by a simple aftercare protocol can lead to a positive long-term outcome.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To report the prevalence and document the treatment and outcome of odontogenic abscesses and associated jaw osteomyelitis in pet rabbits.
ANIMALS
200 client-owned rabbits.
METHODS
Pet rabbits surgically treated using extraoral teeth extraction with marsupialization for abscesses of dental origin and jaw osteomyelitis were included in the study (February 2018 to February 2023). A case must have had pre- and postoperative computed tomographic study and a follow-up period of at least 4 months.
RESULTS
In total, 113 male and 87 female rabbits were treated surgically. The mean age at the time of the diagnosis at the authors' clinic was 3 years and 11 months. Male rabbits suffered from odontogenic abscesses significantly more often than females. The mean surgical time varied from 25 to 95 minutes, based on the severity of the pathology and location. The wound healed completely in an average of 39.7 days (range, 14 to 145 days; 95% CI, 36.9 to 42.5 days). Major complications detected in 18.5% (37/200) cases were associated with prolonged healing time mostly due to the formation of a bone sequestrum and gingival suture failure. The disease-free time following abscess resolution was on average 29 months (range, 4 to 60 months). The recurrence of the odontogenic infection was 8% (16/200 cases).
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The radical surgical technique with the extraction of all the infected teeth with the removal of all affected tissue and osteomyelitic bone and regular follow-up wound management is an effective method for the treatment of odontogenic abscesses with jaw osteomyelitis.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Determine diagnostic yield of chest, abdomen, and 4-site screening to diagnose metastatic disease and secondary diseases of prognostic significance in dogs with oral cancer.
SAMPLE
Medical records from 381 dogs with histologically confirmed oral tumors that underwent preoperative screening were retrospectively reviewed.
RESULTS
Thoracic metastasis was diagnosed in 4.9% (0.9% odontogenic, 6.5% nonodontogenic) of oral tumors. Oral malignant melanoma and multilobular osteochondrosarcoma were most at risk. Abdominal metastasis was diagnosed in 2% of oral tumors (0% odontogenic, 3.1% nonodontogenic) and cytologically confirmed in 2 cases (0.6% [2/295)] of all abdominal ultrasounds (AUS) 5.5% [2/36] of all AUS that had cytology). Both cases had oral malignant melanoma. Incidental disease was diagnosed in 53.1% and 81.3% of thoracic and abdominal screenings, respectively. Major findings were more common in AUS (7.8%) compared to thoracic screening (1.9%). The prevalence of incidental findings was similar for odontogenic and nonodontogenic tumors. Both metastasis and major findings were diagnosed more commonly with thoracic CT compared to radiographs. Metastasis or a major finding of prognostic significance was diagnosed in at least 1 test in 27.8% of patients that had head CT, lymph node cytology, thoracic screening, and AUS (n = 115).
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Major incidental findings were more commonly detected with AUS and were diagnosed in 1 in every 12 patients. However, metastatic disease was most commonly detected with thoracic screening. When all 4 screening tests are performed, there is an approximately 1 in 4 chance of diagnosing metastasis or major significant disease regardless of tumor type.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey was used to evaluate factors associated with manner of death (euthanasia vs unassisted death), including cause of death (CoD), reason for euthanasia (RFE) if performed, medical symptoms, old age characteristics, and perimortem quality of life (QoL).
SAMPLE
Responses collected between the End of Life Survey launch (January 20, 2021) through December 31, 2021, from 2,570 participants whose dogs died.
METHODS
Response frequencies were described. Associations between manner of death and medical symptoms or old age characteristics were evaluated using logistic regression. Factors associated with RFE were evaluated using multinomial regression. The effects of CoD, age at death, and QoL on the frequency of euthanasia as the manner of death were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression.
RESULTS
2,195 (85.4%) dogs were euthanized, and 375 (14.6%) experienced unassisted death. The most frequent owner-reported CoD was illness/disease (n = 1,495 [58.1%]). The most frequently reported RFE was pain/suffering (n = 1,080 [49.2% of those euthanized]). As age increased, RFE was more likely to be “poor QoL” than any other response. In a multivariate regression including CoD, chronologic age, and QoL, euthanasia as the manner of death was not significantly associated with age.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Euthanasia was a common manner of death for dogs in the US. Compared with unassisted death, euthanasia was associated with CoD illness/disease, lower QoL scores, and the presence and number of medical symptoms and old age characteristics. Understanding factors associated with manner of death is important to veterinarians who care for dogs at the end of life.
