Table of Contents and Abstracts

Objective
We aimed to confirm the identity of a nematode recovered from the right ventricle of a coyote heart at dissection, using published molecular methods to validate morphological diagnosis of Dirofilaria immitis (dog heartworm).

Animals and procedure
An adult nematode was recovered during dissection of the heart from a coyote (Canis latrans) that was hunted on Prince Edward Island (PEI) in January 2021 and frozen at -20°C before being processed in June 2024. The nematode was identified based on size and morphological features. Species identity was confirmed via PCR and DNA sequencing of the D. immitis specific surface antigen gene.

Results
The adult male nematode discovered in the right ventricle of a coyote hunted near Summerville, PEI, was confirmed to be D. immitis, sharing 99% identity with published sequences in GenBank.

Conclusion and clinical relevance
This finding indicates that D. immitis is established in PEI and could spread to other wild or domestic canids. Dirofilaria immitis can cause severe cardiopulmonary disease in domestic dogs. Veterinarians in the maritime provinces should be mindful of the probability that local dogs without travel history that are presented with cardiopulmonary issues could be infected with D. immitis.

Progressive ethmoidal hematoma (PEH) is a rare, nonneoplastic mass occurring in the sinonasal passages of horses. An 11-year-old, pregnant Thoroughbred mare was presented with a history of intermittent nasal discharge and stertorous respiration. On examination, radiography revealed increased opacity in the sinus and nasal cavities and endoscopy identified a mass emerging from the left ethmoidal turbinate. Computed tomography (CT) showed the range and origin of the mass, indicative of PEH. A standing frontonasal flap was made under sedation, following temporary tracheostomy to secure the airway. The mass was exposed via a frontonasal bone flap and was removed after double ligations. The histopathologic examination confirmed that the mass was PEH. The mare showed no postoperative complications and subsequently gave birth.

Key clinical message:
This case report describes the diagnostic process, using radiography, endoscopy, and CT, and details the surgical reduction and outcome of PEH in a mare. It highlights the value of CT in localizing and measuring PEH, facilitating surgical planning.

A 4-year-old neutered male Maine Coon cross cat was presented because of a 3-year history of recurrent lower urinary tract signs. Urinary signs were associated with pyuria, hematuria, and bacteriuria on urinalysis and did not resolve with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics. The cat had undergone a perineal urethrostomy 3 y before presentation; however, the lower urinary tract signs worsened following the surgery. The cat was diagnosed with a foreign body within the urethra and urinary bladder, visible on radiographs and ultrasound. A novel approach involving a nitinol stone extractor basket and fluoroscopic guidance was used to retrieve the foreign material. The newly described procedure was successful and carried minimal complications. The lower urinary tract signs resolved shortly after the procedure and the cat had shown no evidence of recurrence at the time of writing, at least 2 mo after the procedure.

Key clinical message:
This report describes the successful treatment of a retained urethral catheter using a novel approach with a stone extractor basket and fluoroscopy. This procedure offers an attractive alternative to traditional therapies for urinary tract foreign material.

Intervertebral disc disease involving the caudal vertebrae is an exceptionally rare condition in dogs. This report describes a rare case of intervertebral disc extrusion between the 1st and 2nd caudal vertebrae (Cd1–Cd2) of a beagle dog that was presented with severe pain associated with defecation and tail movement. Diagnostic imaging confirmed disc extrusion compressing the caudal spinal canal. Surgical decompression resulted in complete resolution of clinical signs. This report of the condition in a beagle dog adds to the literature that may suggest a breed predisposition.

Key clinical message:
Caudal intervertebral disc extrusion should be considered as a differential diagnosis for a dog that is presented with pain during defecation and tail movement. Early recognition and surgical decompression can result in complete resolution of clinical signs.

A neutered male Doberman dog was presented because of recurrent aseptic peritonitis, the cause of which was not elicited pre-mortem despite multiple attempts. The dog’s condition progressed over the course of ~8 mo until he was euthanized due to declining quality of life, despite medical interventions. A diagnosis of canine mesothelioma was made on necropsy. Canine mesothelioma is rare and difficult to diagnose definitively, often relying on a combination of clinical signs, imaging, and cytopathology to support a suspected diagnosis. There is no standardized treatment, but because chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival times, early diagnosis is desirable. Prioritizing high-quality sample acquisition early in the course of disease is important to improve the chances of accurate diagnosis and earlier implementation of care. Additional research is needed to further advance our abilities to correctly distinguish canine mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial changes and other neoplasms.

Key clinical message:
This case report highlights persistent deficiencies in our ability to clinically evaluate and diagnose canine mesothelioma. Recommendations are made for biopsy technique to improve sample quality and, thereby, the chance of definitive diagnosis.

Three animals (1 dog and 2 cats), all weighing < 3 kg and aged 4 to 7 mo, were treated for femoral or humeral fractures using the “safety pin tie-in” (SPTI), a proximal transverse-pin-free Type Ia intramedullary pin tie-in external skeletal fixator. Clinical assessment, radiographic follow-up, and owner-reported outcomes were evaluated. Only minor complications after surgery were observed, and radiographic interpretation of healing was achieved in all cases. For all animals, weight-bearing function was regained soon after surgery, limb function was classified as full (Cases 1 and 3) or acceptable (Case 2), and owner satisfaction was excellent. Subjective assessment of long-term outcomes revealed no or only minimal disability, with a Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) score of 5/52 for the dog and Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index short form (FMPI-sf) scores of 1/28 and 0/28 for the cats. The SPTI, with its simplified design, appeared to provide adequate biomechanical stability in pediatric cases without the need for a proximal transfixing pin.

Key clinical message:
By minimizing surgical trauma, the technique described herein may represent a practical alternative to elastic plate fixation in selected lightweight pediatric animals, though further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

A 5-month-old male golden retriever dog was presented with a solitary, rapidly growing cutaneous mass on the left thoracic wall. The medical history was unremarkable and no other clinical abnormalities were identified. After wide surgical resection, histopathological evaluation revealed a malignant tumor of small, round, atypic basophilic neoplastic cells positive for neuron-specific enolase and pancytokeratin, providing a diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma. With clean histological margins and absence of local or distant metastasis, no recurrence was reported during a minimum follow-up period of 20 mo. The dog developed an oral nodule 12 mo after surgery. Histopathological evaluation revealed a papilloma, and PCR was positive for Papillomavirus sp. Although DNA extraction and PCR for papillomavirus detection were carried out on the Merkel cell carcinoma tumor, no papillomavirus was detected. Merkel cell carcinomas can easily be confused with other cutaneous neoplasms in young dogs. Despite being malignant, they are frequently associated with a good prognosis after complete surgical excision.

Key clinical message:
i) Merkel cell carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of a cutaneous mass in a puppy. ii) Wide excision provided an excellent long-term outcome in this clinical case.

A 6-month-old warmblood-cross filly was presented to the Ontario Veterinary College Large Animal Hospital (Guelph, Ontario) because of acute profuse diarrhea unresponsive to treatment and severe wasting. The filly progressed to obtundation over 4 d and was euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed multifocal hemorrhage within the extraperitoneal fascia and diaphragm with intralesional, 4-centimeter-long, white nematodes. In addition, verminous arteritis of the cranial mesenteric artery, right colic artery thrombosis with segmental colonic infarction, ulcerative colitis, and segmental fibrinonecrotizing enteritis were present. Morphological and molecular evaluation of nematodes from the extraperitoneal fascia and diaphragm confirmed Strongylus edentatus infection. Histopathology identified intralesional nematodes within the thrombosed cranial mesenteric artery, consistent with Strongylus vulgaris, and numerous encysted nematode larvae consistent with cyathostomins in the colon. Bacterial culture of the colon isolated Salmonella spp., later confirmed via PCR as Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, and PCR of the small intestine identified Lawsonia intracellularis. Although S. edentatus is rarely diagnosed in non-feral horses in North America, this case highlights that continued vigilance for its reemergence and that of other large strongyles, including S. vulgaris, is warranted.

Key clinical message:
The identification of lesions associated with both S. edentatus and S. vulgaris in this foal underscores the continued relevance of large strongyle infections in contemporary equine practice. This case emphasizes the importance of considering migratory strongyles during diagnostic evaluations and implementation of parasite control strategies in all horses that, in part, target large strongyles.

Objective
Our objectives were to describe the incidence and possible etiology of giant retinal tears (GRT) in cats with retinal detachment, and to evaluate visual outcomes following medical or surgical (retinal reattachment) therapy.

Animals
We conducted a retrospective analysis. Records from 99 cats with a diagnosis of retinal detachment were analyzed. A total of 16 cats were diagnosed with GRT.

Procedure
All cats underwent complete ophthalmic examinations in addition to complete systemic examinations. Three GRT cats were treated with vitreoretinal reattachment surgery with silicone oil tamponade, 1 cat underwent enucleation, and the remaining 12 cats were treated with medical therapy only. The Fisher exact test was used to calculate risk odds ratio.

Results
Individual cats experienced multiple pathologies. The most common ocular pathology in cats with GRT was hypertensive retinopathy (8/16), followed by vitreal degeneration (4/8), traumatic GRT (4/8), cataract (3/16), and anterior uveitis/vitritis (3/16). Based on risk/odds ratio, trauma (P < 0.001), vitreal degeneration (P = 0.01), and male sex (P = 0.025) were factors associated with GRT development. Vitreoretinal surgery with silicone tamponade restored normal anatomic position vision in all operated eyes (3/3; median follow-up time: 565 d). The most common postoperative complication was glaucoma/ocular hypertension, which developed in 2/3 operated cats.

Conclusion and clinical relevance
Vitreal degeneration and trauma were significant risk factors for development of GRT in cats. Vitreoretinal surgery with silicone tamponade was an effective treatment for vision restoration in cats with GRT.

Objective
The objective of this study was to evaluate the complications and long-term postoperative outcomes in dogs diagnosed with urethral prolapse (UP) that underwent urethropexy and/or urethral resection and anastomosis (uRA).

Animals and procedure
Medical records of 21 client-owned dogs undergoing urethropexy and/or uRA were reviewed. Complications and long-term outcomes were assessed retrospectively.

Results
Twenty-one dogs were included, and all dogs survived to discharge. The overall complication rate was 52.3%, with recurrence the most common complication (n = 8/11). Six of 8 dogs with recurrence underwent revision surgery, with 1 dog that underwent 5 revision surgeries involving a salvage partial penile amputation due to persistent recurrence. English bulldog was the most prevalent breed (47.6%) and was significantly associated with UP. There were no significant associations between the procedure (single versus combined), number of sutures placed for urethropexy, suture material, or suture pattern for uRA, and the risk of complications. Castration did not influence the risk of complications.

Conclusion and clinical relevance
Urethropexy and uRA were safe when done as single or combined procedures. Recurrence was the most prevalent complication in this study, and may warrant multiple revision surgeries. Appropriate communication about the risk of recurrence and the potential for multiple revision surgeries is recommended for owners with dogs undergoing UP repair.

Objective
This study aimed to characterize the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) among veterinarians in Quebec, France, and Belgium.

Participants and procedure
A 36-question online survey was distributed to veterinarians practicing in the 3 regions.

Results
In total, 323 veterinarians completed the survey: 92 from Quebec, 207 from France, and 24 from Belgium. Overall, 92.3% of respondents (n = 298/323) reported using ultrasound in their practice, with 64.1% (191/298) of those using abdominal POCUS and 54% (160/298) thoracic POCUS. The most reported barrier to using POCUS was an absence of training [abdominal POCUS: 70/107 (65.4%); thoracic POCUS: 90/138 (65.2%)]. Among those using abdominal POCUS, free fluid was the most frequently assessed POCUS finding (190/191, 99.5%); it also had the highest clinician confidence (190/191, 99.5%). Caudal vena cava assessment for volume status and evaluation for pneumoperitoneum were reported by a minority of respondents. Dorsal recumbency was the patient position most often used for abdominal POCUS (153/191, 80.1%). In thoracic POCUS, pleural and pericardial effusions were the most often evaluated conditions [153/160 (95.6%) and 154/160 (96.3%), respectively]; they were also reportedly identified with confidence [148/160 (92.5%) and 136/160 (85%), respectively]. The lung point, ventricular septal flattening, and left atrial size assessment in long-axis view in cats were rarely included in thoracic POCUS.

Conclusion and clinical relevance
Point-of-care ultrasound is increasingly used by veterinarians in Quebec, France, and Belgium. Abdominal applications are more common than thoracic, including cardiac, which was conducted less frequently. Despite growing use, our survey results show that not all pathologies are routinely assessed or confidently identified by veterinarians, highlighting the need for structured POCUS education.