Risk factors associated with owner-reported mobility issues in older cats
Evangelia Maniaki and others, University College, London
Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is probably the leading cause of chronic pain in cats, with studies showing radiographical changes are present in 61 to 99 percent of older animals. Despite this high prevalence, little is known about the risk factors predisposing to DJD in feline patients. The authors describe a case-control study looking at factors associated with owner-reported mobility changes in six-year-old cats as part of a longitudinal cohort investigation (the Bristol Cats study). Among the 799 cats included in the group, 238 (29.8 percent) showed mobility changes. Obesity, outdoor access and a history of trauma were all found to increase the risk of the mobility changes associated with DJD. However, cats that were neutered at six months of age or earlier appeared to have a lower risk.
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 23, 965-975
Influence of treatment timing on the success of thoracolumbar disc surgery
Almut Immekeppel and others, University of Bern, Switzerland
Intervertebral disc extrusion is a common spinal neurological disorder and is usually considered a surgical emergency. The authors carried out a retrospective study on the effects of the timing of surgery on clinical outcomes, along with other parameters such as the severity of the neurological signs and the time before the onset of physical rehabilitation therapy. Their multivariate analysis demonstrated two associations, one between the prompt initiation of surgery and a positive outcome, and another between the severity of neurological signs and the time needed to recover function.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 63, 30
Complications and prognostic factors in proximal abducting ulnar osteotomy procedures
Alan Danielski and others, Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Canine elbow dysplasia is a debilitating developmental condition affecting young large- and giant-breed dogs. Proximal abducting ulnar osteotomy (PAUL) is a load-shifting surgical technique reported to be an effective option for treating elbow pain in affected dogs. The authors investigated the prognostic indicators and the risk of post-operative complications in 74 procedures carried out on 66 dogs. They found that major complications occurred in one-quarter of treated limbs. Increasing body weight was a predisposing factor associated with post-operative complications.
Veterinary Surgery, 51, 136-147
Safety evaluation of bedinvetmab, a potential medical treatment for canine osteoarthritis
Matthew Krautmann and others, Zoetis, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Nerve growth factor is a cytokine involved in both neural development in embryos and nociception in adults. Its selective antagonists have shown promise in human patients as potential treatments for chronic pain. The authors describe a study of a canine monoclonal antibody, named bedinvetmab, that binds to nerve growth factor. Their preclinical assessment of this agent in laboratory animals showed no evidence of adverse effects on a broad range of clinical parameters when administered alone or with concurrent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The Veterinary Journal, 276, 105733
Timing of adjuvant chemotherapy treatment following limb amputation in dogs
Laura Marconato and others, University of Bologna, Italy
Adjuvant chemotherapy treatment will usually be considered necessary following limb amputation in dogs with an appendicular osteosarcoma, irrespective of whether there is evidence of distant metastases. The authors investigated whether the timing of that treatment affects its outcome. In 168 client-owned dogs at nine veterinary oncology centres, chemotherapy was begun between 3 and 30 days after surgery. They found that those dogs given early chemotherapy – within five days post-operatively – had a significantly better outcome.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 259, 749-756
Impact of septic arthritis on survival and racing performance in Thoroughbred foals
Thomas O’Brien and others, Scone Veterinary Hospital, Scone, New South Wales
Synovial sepsis will cause a marked inflammatory response in young horses, with the potential to cause irreversible joint damage. However, there is little published data on the effects of septic arthritis in foals. The authors examined clinical records from 115 Thoroughbred foals diagnosed with this condition. Among these patients, 90 animals (78 percent) were discharged alive, and 67 percent of that group started in at least one race. Their performance appeared to be at a similar level to unaffected maternal siblings.
Equine Veterinary Journal, 53, 936-943
Clinical features of solitary osseus plasmacytomas in dogs
Abby Reising and others, University of Missouri, Columbia
Solitary osseous plasmacytoma (SOP) is an extremely rare condition in dogs involving plasmacytic tumours found in the vertebrae, long bones, zygomatic arch or ribs. The equivalent condition in humans is treated with external beam radiation therapy, but SOPs are seen so uncommonly in dogs that there are no published treatment recommendations. The authors describe the findings in 13 cases seen over a 15-year period. Ten dogs received radiotherapy, with five also given neoadjuvant surgery, while five dogs with progressive disease received chemotherapy. The median survival time in dogs that completed radiotherapy was very good at 1,166 days.
Journal of Small Animal Practice, 62, 1114-1121
Detection of bacterial DNA in synovial fluid of dogs with septic arthritis
Alexandra Vilen and others, AniCura Small Animal Clinic, Landskrona, Sweden
Septic arthritis is a condition requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment to minimise long-term joint pathology. Although the culture of bacteria in synovial fluid is the standard diagnostic method, there is an increasing focus on using PCR assays to detect bacterial RNA. The authors compared the use of these two methods to identify bacteria in canine arthritis cases. They found that the 16S rRNA PCR technique had a lower sensitivity than bacterial culture. They also found that preincubation improved the sensitivity of culture methods.
