JAVMA News
Experts in human, animal, and ecosystem health are increasingly collaborating in a one-health approach to problems that cross between disciplines and species. Regulation of race-day medication and veterinarians' status as the primary caregivers for horses were among discussions and topics at November's American Association of Equine Practitioners meeting.
See page 112
Letters to the Editor
See page 144
What Is Your Diagnosis?
See page 147
Theriogenology Question of the Month
See page 151
Pathology in Practice
See pages 155, 159
PUBLIC VETERINARY MEDICINE: PUBLIC HEALTH
National surveillance for human and pet contact with oral rabies vaccine baits
A review of surveillance data from 2001 to 2009 suggests that human and pet contact with oral rabies vaccine baits is infrequent and that surveillance has led to early identification of persons exposed to such baits and rapid intervention.
See page 163
Plasma N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in dogs with and without cardiac disease
Results of a new study suggest that 900 pmol/L is the upper reference limit for plasma N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide concentration in healthy dogs and that measuring plasma NT-proBNP concentration may be helpful in assessing the severity of cardiac disease or identifying cardiac-related coughing or dyspnea in dogs. The study evaluated plasma NT-proBNP concentrations in 974 dogs with cardiac disease, 37 dogs with noncardiac-related disease, and 123 healthy dogs. Plasma NT-proBNP concentrations correlated with cardiac grade and stage, and mean NT-proBNP concentration was significantly increased in dogs with cardiac-related dyspnea or coughing, compared with concentration in dogs in which these signs were not related to cardiac disease.
See page 171
Safety and efficacy of laparoscopic hepatic biopsy in dogs
Results of a review of medical records of 80 dogs that underwent laparoscopic hepatic biopsy because of suspected hepatic disease suggest that this is a safe procedure, with low morbidity and mortality rates, that typically yields sufficient samples for histologic examination. However, because of the possibility of disagreement among histologic diagnoses, multiple samples should be obtained. Overall, 76 of the 80 (95%) dogs survived to hospital discharge. Three (4%) dogs required conversion to laparotomy, but in none of the dogs was conversion to laparotomy needed to control hemorrhage associated with the laparoscopic biopsy procedure. Another 3 (4%) dogs required a blood transfusion; all 3 had been anemic prior to surgery.
See page 181
Results of surgery for atresia ani with or without anogenital malformations in puppies and a kitten
In dogs, atresia ani is classified as type I (anal stenosis without imperforate anus), II (imperforate anus secondary to persistence of the anal membrane), or III (imperforate anus with rectum terminating more cranially in a blind pouch). A review of medical records for 11 puppies and 1 kitten (3 with type I, 6 with type II, and 3 with type III atresia ani) suggested that surgical repair of type I or II atresia ani resulted in long-term survival and fecal continence in most cases, but that animals with type III atresia ani generally had poorer outcomes. Nine animals had anogenital or rectogenital malformations; 8 of these had rectovaginal fistulas. Eleven animals underwent in situ anoplasty, and 1 underwent anal reconstruction.
See page 186
Surgical site infection rates in dogs and cats after minimally invasive versus open surgery
For many surgical procedures in humans, use of minimally invasive surgical techniques is associated with lower surgical site infection rates than is use of open techniques. A new study involving dogs and cats suggests that minimally invasive surgical techniques may also be associated with lower surgical site infection rates in these species. However, confounding factors such as differences in surgery time and preoperative preparation contributed in part to this finding. Therefore, surgical approach (minimally invasive vs open) could not be identified as an independent risk factor for surgical site infection in the study. The study involved 179 dogs and cats undergoing minimally invasive abdominal or thoracic surgery.
See page 193
Alcohol-facilitated ankylosis of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses with osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints is the most common cause of hind limb lameness in performance horses. Arthrodesis or facilitated ankylosis can be a long-term solution, but the only current medical treatment (intra-articular injection of sodium monoiodoacetate) is associated with high morbidity rates. Now, results of a new study suggest that intra-articular injection of 70% ethyl alcohol may be a safe and efficacious method for facilitated ankylosis of the distal intertarsal or tarsometatarsal joints in horses. The study involved 21 horses with hind limb lameness and distal intertarsal or tarsometatarsal joint osteoarthritis. Seventeen of 20 horses for which follow-up information was available were not lame, and 3 were mildly lame.
See page 199
Changes in left ventricular size and valvular regurgitation associated with physical training in Standardbred trotters
Results of a study of 53 Standardbred trotters that underwent 2-D, M-mode, and color flow Doppler echocardiography at 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 (time of maturity), and 5.5 years of age revealed that cardiac size increased significantly over this time period. Part of the increase in cardiac size was a result of normal physical development, but cardiac size continued to increase as a result of training-induced changes after horses were considered physiologically mature, consistent with the definition of athlete's heart. Multivalvular regurgitation also developed in these horses, which was also related to athlete's heart. Data from the study allowed for the development of a model that provides estimates of heart size in young Standardbred trotters.
See page 205