OBJECTIVE:To determine the effects of a low or high sodium (Na) diet with or without furosemide administration on plasma electrolyte concentrations and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in healthy dogs.ANIMALS:20 healthy adult dogs.PROCEDURE:Dogs were randomly allotted to 4 groups of 5 dogs each as follows: dogs fed a low Na diet (0.08% Na and 0.8% chloride [CI] on a dry matter [DM] basis); dogs fed a low Na diet with added NaCl (1.0% Na and 2.2% Cl on a DM basis); dogs fed a low Na diet and treated with furosemide (2 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 12 h); and dogs fed a low Na diet with added NaCl and treated with furosemide. Plasma electrolyte concentrations were measured on days 0, 21, and 35. Plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration were analyzed by use of radioimmunoassays on days 0, 21, 35, and 53.RESULTS:Furosemide treatment significantly decreased plasma Cl concentration and significantly increased plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration. Dogs fed a low Na diet had significantly higher plasma renin activities and plasma aldosterone concentrations. A significant interaction between a low Na diet and furosemide administration resulted in the lowest plasma Cl concentrations, highest plasma renin activities, and highest plasma aldosterone concentrations.CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:In healthy dogs, feeding a low Na diet and administering furosemide resulted in an additive effect on plasma Cl concentration, renin activity, and aldosterone concentration, which may be an important consideration for treating dogs with cardiac disease.

A 12-week-old female kitten was referred because of regurgitation. On presentation, the kitten was debilitated, in poor body condition, and had aspiration pneumonia. A diagnosis of vascular ring anomaly was made based on clinical signs, digital palpation of an enlarged cervical esophagus, survey radiographs, and a barium esophagram which confirmed esophageal stricture at the heart base. Surgical correction consisted of ligation and transection of the ligamentum arteriosum. A gastrostomy feeding tube was inserted at surgery. The kitten was managed postoperatively with a blended diet administered through the gastrostomy tube for 2 weeks until total oral alimentation was tolerated. This case demonstrates the procedures and benefits of postsurgical dietary management.

1 Cosenza SF, Seely JC: Generalized nodular dermatofibrosis and renal cystadenocarcinomas in a German Shepherd Dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc 189: 1587-1 590, 1986 2 Derynck R, Goeddel DV, Ullrich A, Gutterman JU, Williams RD, Bringman TS, Berger WH: Synthesis of messenger RNAs for transforming growth factors alpha and /3 and the epidermal growth factor receptor by human tumors. Cancer Res 47:707-712, 1987 3 Edwards DR, Murphy G, Reynolds JJ, Whitham SE, 5 Lium B, Moe L: Hereditary multifocal renal cystadenocarcinomas and nodular dermatofibrosis in the German Shepherd Dog: macroscopic and histopathological changes. Vet Pathol 22:44, 1985 6 Ortmann M, Vierbuchen M, Fischer R: Renal oncocytoma. 11. Lectin and immunohistochemical features indicating an origin from the collecting duct. Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol 56:175-184, 1988 7 Suter M, Lott-Stolz G, Wild P: Generalized nodular dermatofibrosis in six Alsatians. Vet Pathol20:632-634, 1983 8 Thoenes W, Storkels, Rumpelt HJ: Histopathology and classification of renal cell tumors (adenomas, oncocytomas and carcinomas). The basic cytological and histopathological elements and their use for diagnostics. Pathol Res Pract 181:125-143, 1986 9 Waldherr R, Schwechheimer K: Co-expression of cytokeratin and vimentin intermediate-sized filaments in renal carcinomas. Virchows Arch Pathol Anat 408: 15-27, 1985

The endoscopic appearance of chronic hypertrophic pyloric gastropathy (CHPG) in five dogs is described. Several patterns of enlarged mucosal folds that surrounded and obstructed the pyloric canal were observed. Initially, endoscopically obtained biopsy samples of mucosa were judged to be histologically normal. Diagnosis of CHPG was confirmed and relief of pyloric obstruction accomplished at exploratory laparotomy (in four dogs). Retrospective evaluation of pyloric tissue samples, obtained during endoscopy, identified subtle histological characteristics of CHPG. Gastric and duodenal neoplasia or antral polyps can mimic the endoscopic appearance of CHPG but can be differentiated based on their endoscopic and histological appearance. These cases show that endoscopic examination is a valuable procedure for the diagnosis of CHPG in dogs that chronically vomit.

Corticocancellous bone graft was obtained from the caudoventral portion of the mandible of 8 dogs. The recipient site was an alveolar jugal and alveolar defect from vital root amputation of the mesiobuccal root of the maxillary fourth premolar. Anatomic observations of 20 canine cadavers indicated that guidelines for harvesting bone from the caudoventral portion of the mandible of dogs were the mesial aspect of the masseteric fossa, the distal aspect of the roots of the first mandibular molar, and the ventral aspect of the mandibular canal. The mean weight of corticocancellous bone harvested was 0.4 +/- 0.1 g. Harvested corticocancellous bone was adequate to fill recipient sites measuring a mean volume of 105.0 +/- 28.5 mm3. Histologic evaluation of the recipient site revealed progressive osseous integration of the bone-graft site during a mean follow-up period of 3.5 +/- 1.9 months. There was normal bone healing of the donor site without adverse effects on the mandibular molars or neurovascular structures of the mandibular canal. Vital amputation sites receiving silver amalgam had evidence of plasmacytic/lymphocytic inflammation associated with residual silver amalgam in the bone-graft area. The caudoventral portion of the mandible may be used as a donor site for autogenous corticocancellous bone in periodontal surgery of dogs.

Primary Salmonella choleraesuis pneumonia without enteric manifestations was diagnosed in an 8-year-old cat. The diagnosis was based on culture of the organism from bronchial brushings. Pathogens were not isolated from multiple fecal samples. The cat initially responded to treatment with sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim, but relapsed after the owner discontinued treatment because of difficulty in administration. Treatment with ampicillin, followed by amoxicillin, resulted in complete resolution of all pulmonary infiltrates. Possible mechanisms of Salmonella infection in this cat included nosocomial infection from a nonclinical carrier, as well as Salmonella bacteremia initiated during a dental procedure performed prior to the onset of clinical signs of pneumonia.

Kyphosis and scoliosis were found in two unrelated cases involving Miniature Horses. Radiographic evaluation showed an acute dorsal lateral deviation of the spine with compressed ribs and thoracic vertebrae in a yearling stallion, and spinal deviation and malformation of thoracic vertebrae in a 3-day-old foal presented for necropsy. The etiology and morphology of kyphoscoliosis are briefly discussed.

An axial pattern flap that was based on the sternocleidomastoideus branches of the caudal auricular artery and vein was developed. Control flaps, which included ligation and division of the caudal auricular artery and vein, were similarly developed on the contralateral aspect of the neck. Mean survival of caudal auricular artery axial pattern flaps (85.2%), compared with control flaps (63.9%), was significantly different (P less than 0.05). On the basis of results of this study, an axial pattern flap based on the sternocleidomastoideus branches of the caudal auricular artery and vein may be a source of skin for reconstructive procedures of the head and neck.

Eighteen healthy dogs were allotted to 3 groups (n = 6 dogs each). All dogs were evaluated at the beginning of the study by complete physical examination; total and differential WBC counts; serum biochemical analysis (alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities and bilirubin and albumin concentrations); sulfobromophthalein excretion, ammonia tolerance, and glucagon response testing; portal and intraparenchymal pressure determinations; operative mesenteric portography; and histologic assessment of hepatic biopsy specimens.The left hepatic vein was ligated completely in dogs of groups 1 and 2. Group-3 (control) dogs had a ligature placed loosely around the left hepatic vein. Dogs of groups 1 and 3 were reevaluated 24 hours after surgery by use of the aforementioned hematologic and biochemical tests. Group-1 dogs were reevaluated by use of portal and intraparenchymal pressure determinations, jejunal vein portography, and complete necropsy at 48 hours after surgery. At 4 weeks after surgery, dogs of groups 2 and 3 were reevaluated by use of all aforementioned tests.Results indicated transient hepatic congestion, which resolved by the fourth postoperative week. Longstanding effect on hepatic structure, circulation, or function was not found. We concluded that left hepatic vein ligation in clinically normal dogs does not cause severe or permanent liver damage.

Intervertebral disk space widths were measured on lateral radiographs of 73 anesthetized dogs. Weight was found to have a significant (P less than 0.01) effect on disk space width. Using weight-adjusted disk space width measurements for all subsequent studies, older (7- to 16-year-old) dogs and males had consistently, but not significantly, wider, disk spaces than did alternative groups. Cervical and lumbar intervertebral disk spaces tended to be wider than those in the caudal thoracic region. The widest cervical intervertebral disk spaces were C4-5 and C5-6 and the narrowest was C2-3. In the lumbar region, L2-3 was the widest disk space and L4-5 was the narrowest. Dachshunds generally had greater mean intervertebral disk space width than did other breeds of dogs. Cervical (n = 6 dogs) and thoracolumbar (n = 6 dogs) disk fenestration resulted in narrow intervertebral disk spaces, regardless of breed. When a ventral approach was used in thoracolumbar fenestration, the mean intervertebral disk space was narrower than that resulting from use of a dorsolateral approach. Spondylosis was found radiographically 1 to 4 years after intervertebral disk fenestration in 3 of 6 dogs that had cervical fenestrations and in 5 of 6 dogs that underwent thoracolumbar fenestration.

Tooth surface and interradicular area (furcation) measurements were determined for 20 fourth maxillary premolar teeth obtained randomly from canine cadavers. The palatal furcation entrance had a mean width of 1.2 +/- 0.1 mm. The coronal roof of the palatal furcation was located at the cementoenamal junction (CEJ). The buccal furcation entrance had a mean width of 0.9 +/- 0.2 mm. The horizontal attachment area between the CEJ and the coronal roof of the buccal furcation was 1.3 +/- 0.3 mm. The mesial furcation entrance had a mean width of 0.4 +/- 0.1 mm. The horizontal attachment area between the CEJ and the coronal roof of the mesial furcation entrance was 1.7 +/- 0.3 mm. The mean coefficient of variation for variables measured was 10.3%. Tooth size did not have a significant effect on furcation entrance measurement. All teeth had a fluted area between the CEJ and mesial furcation, a concavity coronal to the furcation area, a distal concavity of the mesial root trunk between the mesiopalatal and mesiobuccal roots, and a mesial furcation concavity of the distal root extending apically for a mean distance of 60% of the distal root length. The complexity of furcation entrance anatomy may be a factor in the manifestation of periodontal disease involving the furcation of the fourth maxillary premolar in dogs.

Autologous canine neutrophils were labeled with technetium 99m and reinjected in 7 dogs with experimentally induced focal abscesses to determine the ability of scintigraphy to localize a focus of sepsis (abscess). Good localization of labeled cells in an abscess was achieved; however, a large portion of the technetium 99m eluted from the neutrophils.