JAVMA News
The horse-racing industry could implement new rules on medication use and penalties for violations if all 38 U.S. racing commissions approve. In other news, the American Association of Equine Practitioners plans to use two new programs to promote riding and help veterinarians keep clients satisfied.
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Letters to the Editor
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commentary
Writing diagnostic laboratory requisition form histories
Providing an organized, complete history on diagnostic laboratory requisition forms will facilitate case analysis. Given the importance of providing a complete history when submitting samples for diagnostic testing, veterinarians should consider using a template to ensure that all critical information is included.
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Use of cage-side blood cardiac troponin I concentrations to differentiate cats with cardiac and noncardiac causes of dyspnea
Stabilization of cats with respiratory emergencies requires rapid assessment and appropriate initial intervention, but diagnostic testing is often limited because even minimal stress may lead to decompensation or death. Because dyspnea may be attributable to a number of causes, a minimally invasive test that aids in the identification of patients with heart failure would be useful. In a study involving 44 cats with dyspnea and 37 healthy cats, blood cTnI concentrations determined with a cage-side analyzer were significantly higher in the 25 cats with a cardiac cause of dyspnea than in the 37 healthy cats or the 14 cats with a noncardiac cause of dyspnea.
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Risk factors for complications and nonsurvival in dogs receiving packed red blood cell transfusions
Previous studies have suggested that packed RBC or whole blood transfusions are associated with a 3.3% to 13% incidence of transfusion reactions in dogs, but information is lacking on risk factors for complications. In a review of medical records for 211 dogs receiving stored packed RBC transfusions, administration of larger doses of other non–packed RBC blood products was a risk factor for transfusion-associated complications, and higher pretransfusion PCV and administration of larger dose of packed RBCs were risk factors for nonsurvival. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether conservative transfusion strategies will reduce transfusion-associated complications and improve outcome in dogs.
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Use of a carpal brace as a treatment for carpal ligament instability in dogs
Management of carpal ligament injuries has typically included immobilization on a temporary or permanent basis. However, immobilization can result in slower recovery of tensile strength in healing ligaments, prompting a need for alternative treatments. In a review of 14 athletic dogs with varus or valgus instability of the carpus in which a period of forced inactivity had not yielded satisfactory results, application of a carpal brace in combination with passive motion and isometric strengthening exercises allowed 11 of the 14 dogs to return to normal function (11 of 12 dogs returned to agility competition), with an improvement in joint stability and resolution or reduction in lameness.
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Complications after corrective surgery for lateral patellar luxation in dogs
In dogs, lateral patellar luxation occurs less frequently than does medial patellar luxation. As a result, less is known about the outcome of corrective surgery for lateral patellar luxation. In a review of medical records for 36 dogs (47 stifle joints) with lateral patellar luxation, complications were recorded for 24 of the 47 (51.1%) stifle joints, with major complications identified in 18 (38.3%) joints. The most frequent complication was reluxation, which was detected in 10 of 47 (21.3%) joints. Dogs that underwent bilateral surgical repair during a single anesthetic episode had odds of reluxation that were 12.5 times the odds of reluxation for dogs that underwent unilateral surgical repair.
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Vital pulp therapy in dogs
With vital pulp therapy, exposed vital tooth pulp is removed, and the vitality and function of the remaining pulp are preserved, typically by covering the remaining pulp with protective dressing material. Peer-reviewed studies evaluating the success rate of vital pulp therapy are lacking, but a new review of medical records for 138 dogs (190 teeth) that underwent vital pulp therapy because of malocclusion or recent tooth fracture found that treatment was classified as successful for 162 of the 190 (85%) teeth and as having failed for 28 (15%) teeth. Use of Ca(OH)2 and deep penetration of dressing material into the vital pulp were significantly associated with increased odds of treatment failure.
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Presumed solitary intraocular or conjunctival lymphoma in dogs and cats
Lymphoma is a common neoplasm of small animals. Ocular manifestations of lymphoma are variable in dogs, but presumed solitary ocular lymphoma is apparently rare in dogs and cats. In a review of medical records of the University of California-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, animals with intraocular (4 dogs and 1 cat) or conjunctival (3 dogs and 1 cat) lymphoma represented 0.1% and 0.08% of patients with lymphoma evaluated at the hospital between 1985 and 2013. Animals with intraocular lymphoma represented 0.19% of all patients with uveitis and animals with conjunctival lymphoma represented 0.16% of all patients with conjunctivitis examined during the study period.
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Iron deficiency anemia in a ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) with concurrent chronic renal failure
Anemia, azotemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia were identified in a 16-year-old ring-tailed lemur with a history of suspected chronic renal failure. Darbepoetin alfa was administered weekly, but 3 months after treatment started, serum iron analysis revealed that iron deficiency was the probable cause for the lack of a consistent regenerative response. Iron dextran injections resulted in a regenerative response; however, serum biochemical analysis results after the second injection were consistent with hepatic injury. Hepatic enzyme activities normalized following discontinuation of iron dextran treatment, but the lemur's Hct decreased rapidly despite supplementary iron administration PO.
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Hydropulsion for treatment of superficial corneal foreign bodies
Management of superficial corneal foreign bodies does not routinely necessitate microsurgical intervention, but using metal instruments to remove these foreign bodies may result in corneal trauma. In contrast, a review of medical records for 11 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 horses suggests that hydropulsion with sterile isotonic buffered ophthalmic solution (ie, eyewash) may be a successful method for removing superficial corneal foreign bodies with no adverse effects. The corneal foreign body was an incidental finding in 3 of the 15 patients. The most common clinical signs included blepharospasm, conjunctival hyperemia, and corneal vascularization. Hydropulsion was successful for foreign body removal in all 15 patients.
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