This is just the most unbelievable story I’ve come across in some time. This 11 y.o. dog presented with episodic collapse. After a thorough work-up it transpired that she was sometimes hypoglycaemic and an insulin assay confirmed that levels were way above what would be expected at the time of hypoglycaemia. She was treated with … Continue reading
Continuing with demodicosis: most host species seem to carry two or three forms of this mite. In dogs, the long-bodied form D.injae inhabits the sebaceous glands and is associated with dorsal seborrhoea in terriers which is often pruritic. The ‘normal’ form D. canis spends most time lying in the hair follicles and the short-bodied (as … Continue reading
The thoracic medicine theme continues with this 3-month-old terrier pup. Initially presenting with stunted growth, matters then took a turn for the worse with sudden onset severe dyspnoea. On ultrasonography the heart was unusually difficult to see from the right side due to interposition of lung. From a left apical view the right ventricular wall … Continue reading
This is a really good recent paper on the subject from human medicine: Emerg Med J. 2012 Jan;29(1):19-23. doi: 10.1136/emj.2010.101584. Epub 2010 Oct 28. Lung ultrasound is an accurate diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of pneumonia in the emergency department. Cortellaro F1, Colombo S, Coen D, Duca PG. In summary these authors found that, in … Continue reading
We have just completed a prospective series of 48 canine acute abdomens examined ultrasonographically over the last 6 months. The main findings: 1: 8/48 were foreign bodies plus 1/48 entrapped hernia -more obstructions than I was expecting. That is maybe the most important single finding: that we almost certainly didn’t miss any. All of those … Continue reading
Now, this is a common problem. Dogs with dysuria and/or haematuria. You perform a full abdominal ultrasonogram and, behold! – an apparent soft tissue mass in the bladder. So, what is it? An FNA is generally regarded as being inadvisable since transitional cell carcinomas may seed along the needle line. Cystoscopy is certainly an option … Continue reading
It always makes me mad when exam questions ask ‘What is the commonest…….’ because it varies so much from one publication to another and from one geographical area to another. Dysplasia of the tricuspid valve is supposedly relatively rare in cats; but it has been the most frequently seen feline congenital heart defect in our … Continue reading
A videoclip of lung rockets from an unfortunate cat with severe CHF. This shows the B lines sliding from side to side with respiratory movement of the lung against the body wall. Chest radiographs confirmed changes consistent with pulmonary oedema. [wpvideo ez3GDaaU] Sadly, in addition to CHF he also had multi-limb arterial thromboembolism and a … Continue reading
Hot topic of the moment in veterinary ultrasonography this is. Images below from an old dog with acute severe malaise (to the extent of recumbency) but few specific signs. Haematology and biochemistry relatively unremarkable. Abdominal ultrasonography similarly so. However, ultrasonographic survey of the chest revealed a site on the lower left chest wall with abnormal … Continue reading
This is a graphic illustration of what happens to the portal circulation in GDV cases. The torsion of the mesenteric attachments and pressure from the inflating stomach cause occlusion of the main portal vein. This is an important cause of abrupt reduction in venous return to the heart and subsequent catastrophic fall in cardiac output. … Continue reading
