Table of Contents and Abstracts

A 10-year-old spayed female bull terrier was brought to a veterinary referral center with abdominal pain. An abdominal ultrasound and CT scan identified a foreign body in the spleen. The object was removed via an ultrasound-guided procedure using Hartmann foreign-body forceps, avoiding the need for laparotomy. The procedure was uncomplicated. The animal was discharged after 24 h of inpatient monitoring and repeated ultrasound examinations. The dog was in good general condition 2 mo after the procedure, with no recurrence of clinical signs. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of ultrasound-guided removal of a splenic foreign body in a dog.

Key clinical message:
Ultrasound-guided removal is an alternative method to remove splenic foreign bodies in dogs that is quick to perform and minimally invasive.

This report describes the management and outcome of periaortic hemangiosarcoma in a dog. An 8-year-old neutered male Siberian husky was referred for surgical intervention for an incidentally diagnosed caudal mediastinal mass. The dog was initially admitted for total ear-canal ablation due to a chronic unresolved left otitis externa/media. A head and chest CT scan obtained before surgery revealed an incidental, but large, caudal mediastinal mass. This scan also incidentally included most of the abdomen and showed no primary abdominal lesions. The dog underwent surgical excision of the caudal mediastinal mass 8 d after the CT scan. Surgery consisted of a lateral thoracotomy to excise the caudal mediastinal mass before considering surgical treatment of the ear. Complete surgical excision of the periaortic mass was completed. Histopathology revealed a diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma. The owners declined chemotherapy and the dog was euthanized 86 d later because of owner-perceived declining quality of life.

Key clinical message:
This case report describes, for the first time, successful surgical management and outcome for periaortic hemangiosarcoma. We propose that surgical excision of this type of mass is possible in a clinical setting, with prognosis similar to that for other visceral hemangiosarcoma.

A newborn (5 h old) quarter horse colt was presented because of lethargy and severe abdominal distention. Uroperitoneum was suspected during initial workup, based on sonographic imaging and peritoneal fluid analysis. Definitive diagnosis was confirmed during exploratory celiotomy. Surgery revealed a congenitally abnormal allantoic stalk/urachal remnant and a failure of embryological fusion of the dorsal bladder wall. Recovery was successful and the animal is now a healthy, 4-year-old western performance gelding. These specific congenital abnormalities have not been previously documented in the peer-reviewed literature.

Key clinical message:
Congenital abnormalities of the urachus and the urinary bladder should be suspected in foals with uroperitoneum at birth. Cases involving congenital abnormalities of the urachus and urinary bladder might have favorable prognoses if animals retain adequate function of the urogenital tract and do not have secondary complications before and following surgery.

This report describes the decision-making, surgical management, and rehabilitation plan for an amputation at the level of the proximal radius in a 75-kilogram goat. The information provided in our report may aid veterinarians in educating and reassuring pet-goat owners about the different aspects involved with amputation, helping to better inform their decisions for the associated intensive postoperative care and rehabilitation time.

Key clinical message:
Amputation of a front limb in a large-sized goat can be perceived by pet-goat owners as a positive outcome and associated with good quality of life. Client support before surgery is key to aiding in a good outcome.

An 8-year-old spayed female Maltese dog was referred with a 4-month history of multifocal pruritic erosive or ulcerative lesions on the head, ventral neck, chest, and abdomen; and chronic otitis externa. Biopsy revealed cytotoxic dermatitis and apoptotic keratinocytes with occasional lymphocytic satellitosis. Bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of the skin and ears. The skin lesions regressed after treatment of P. aeruginosa infection with ciprofloxacin. Based on the skin lesions, histological characteristics, and response to therapy, the dog was presumed to have erythema multiforme induced by P. aeruginosa infection. This case report emphasizes that P. aeruginosa infection could be a trigger of erythema multiforme in dogs.

Key clinical message:
Erythema multiforme caused by infection is rare and poorly characterized in the veterinary literature. This case report describes the clinical characteristics of, diagnostic approach to, and treatment of erythema multiforme caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

This retrospective case series reports on French bulldogs diagnosed with patellar maltracking without patellar luxation. We describe clinical presentation, joint exploration, and surgical treatment with patellar groove replacement to alleviate maltracking in the first attempt. Three French bulldogs were included. Clinical presentation was similar in all cases, with intermittent skipping lameness of 1 hind limb, absence of patellar luxation, and patellar maltracking. Joint exploration revealed abnormal conflict between the patella and medial ridge of the trochlea, with secondary severe erosion of articular cartilages of both patella and medial ridge of the trochlea. Patellar groove replacement was completed without perioperative or postoperative complications. Follow-up results and owner satisfaction were excellent in all cases. Patellar maltracking should be included as a differential diagnosis for stifle lameness in French bulldogs. Patellar groove replacement should be considered to alleviate maltracking associated with secondary severe patellofemoral erosion.

Key clinical message:
Patellar maltracking seems to be a misdiagnosed component of patellar luxation in the dog, particularly in the French bulldog. Patellar groove replacement may be a first-attempt surgical treatment to alleviate the maltracking.

Development of gonadal tumors within an ovotestis is rare in mammals and this disturbance was not reported in cows. We report herein a gonadal stromal (granulosa cell) tumor in an ovotestis of a 15-month-old heifer from which the reproductive tract was obtained from a local slaughterhouse. Histopathological evaluation revealed that the gonads were ovotestis, but also a coincidental sex cord-stromal (granulosa cell) tumor. The sex chromosome type was determined to be XX, suggesting an XX ovotesticular disorder of sexual development with uterus and a female phenotype.

Key clinical message:
Disorders of sexual development are common in mammals. Gonadal tumors in disorders of sexual development are rarely reported and have not been reported in cows.

Background
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is one of the important endemic diseases in swine populations. Monitoring PRRS frequency in commercial herd populations has often been based on laboratory submissions. However, a limitation of this approach is that new clinical outbreaks of PRRS are challenging to identify if epidemiological information is not provided. This hinders the estimation of basic measures such as incidence.

Objectives
The objectives of this study were to describe a system to monitor new clinical outbreaks in Ontario sow herds and to report the incidence of clinical PRRS outbreaks in a subset of Ontario sow herds.

Procedure
We compared herd-level outbreak data from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. Cases were confirmed as positive based on observation of sow herds with typical clinical signs suggestive of PRRS, followed by laboratory confirmation of the PRRS virus.

Results and conclusion
The incidences from year to year were similar (P = 0.058) and were lower compared to estimates in the United States. Descriptively, the highest cumulative incidence was during 2018 (annual incidence risk = 0.067 cases per 100 sow herds, 95% CI = 0.050 to 0.090). This was characterized by an unusually high number of cases reported in the summer.

Background
Perianesthetic death or sedation death in companion animals is an infrequent but devastating complication. Few studies have investigated the pathology associated with these deaths.

Objective
To determine clinical features and postmortem findings for submissions to multiple Canadian diagnostic laboratories from perianesthetic/sedation deaths in dogs and cats.

Animals and procedure
Laboratory Information Management Systems were retrospectively reviewed for cases of perianesthetic/sedation death in dogs and cats. Inclusion criteria were: i) whole-body submissions and ii) death within 7 d after the procedure.

Results
Pathology reports determined the cause of death in 43% of dogs (73/168) and 34% of cats (50/147). Spay/neuter surgeries were the most common procedure for which animals were submitted (dogs: n = 72, 31%; cats: n = 111, 58%). The American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status in these animals was low (ASA status I or II) in 94% of dogs (68/72) and 93% of cats (103/111). Clinical history was considered incomplete in 60.3% of cases (242/401).

Conclusion and clinical relevance
These results had similar trends to those in previous studies that identified an important proportion of submissions for perianesthetic/sedation deaths lacked significant lesions to explain the cause of death. This study also identified spay/neuter procedures were involved in the largest proportion of submissions, despite their low pre-anesthetic/sedation risk.

Objective
Retrospective observation of computed tomographic images to describe an anatomical difference in the shape of the pterygoid bone in French bulldogs (FB) and determine its prevalence and effect on the cross-sectional area of the airway, in comparison with normal conformation in brachycephalic and mesocephalic dogs.

Animals and procedure
Computed tomographic studies of FB and cocker spaniels (CS) that underwent examination of the head were reviewed. The shape and cross-sectional area of the pterygoid bone was recorded and compared between groups.

Results
Thirty-six CS and 34 FB were included. In 79.41% (27/34) of FB, there was an abnormal shape of the pterygoid bone in comparison with all 36 CS, which had a normal shape of the pterygoid bone. Only 20.58% (7/24) of FB had a normal shape. The cross-sectional area of the airway at the level of the pterygoid bone for FB was 88.78 mm². The area was larger in FB with normal shape (average: 95.70 mm², SD ± 15.98) than those with abnormal shape (average: 86.98 mm², SD ± 20.32), though this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Cocker spaniels had a larger airway cross-sectional area than dogs in both FB groups, with a mean of 142.28 mm² (± 24.87) and P < 0.05.

Conclusion and clinical relevance
French bulldogs frequently have an abnormal conformation of the pterygoid bone. This study identified further anatomical factors that might contribute to upper-airway obstruction in brachycephalic dogs.

Background
Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) is a common respiratory condition typically associated with high-density populations.

Objectives
The objectives of this study were to determine the most common pathogens involved in CIRDC and to identify risk factors (pathogens, environmental exposures) associated with the diagnosis.

Animals and procedure
A prospective, multi-clinic, case-control study was conducted in Canada from April 2017 to May 2018. A total of 110 dogs (74 cases, 36 controls) were enrolled by participating veterinary clinics. Pathogens were detected using a respiratory PCR panel.

Results
Canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), Bordetella bronchiseptica, and canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) were detected in cases only. According to 2 logistic regression models, detection of CPIV (OR: 14.42; 95% CI: 2.24 to ∞) and CRCoV (OR: 8.64; 95% CI: 1.26 to ∞) were associated with CIRDC disease status. In another model, exposures to multiple-dog gatherings also increased the odds (OR: 3.39; 95% CI: 1.26 to 9.81) of CIRDC diagnosis.

Conclusions
Consistent with other studies, this study determined that CPIV, CRCoV, and B. bronchiseptica were important contributors to CIRDC cases. Detection of CPIV and CRCoV and exposure to areas of dog gatherings were identified as having a role in disease status when evaluated statistically, under the conditions of this study.