Table of Contents and Abstracts

A 6-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented because of a 4-week history of upper respiratory noise and suspected upper respiratory tract infection that were unresponsive to antibiotics. On physical examination, the cat had multiple cranial nerve deficits involving cranial nerves III, V, VII, and potentially VIII. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head under general anesthesia was conducted. During the MRI, before intravenous contrast administration, the mandibular and parotid salivary glands became acutely symmetrically enlarged. Subsequent cytology of the salivary gland showed no cytological abnormalities. A condition called “anesthesia mumps” has been reported in humans, in which the salivary glands become acutely enlarged during or following general anesthesia. This is a transient swelling, and the underlying cause is unknown; however, several mechanisms have been proposed in the human literature, including physical obstruction of the salivary duct due to patient positioning, administration of anticholinergic drugs, dehydration, and other causes of salivary stasis. A suspected case of anesthesia mumps was reported in a dog following an elective neutering. This is the first reported case of anesthesia mumps in a cat. More importantly, it is the only case in which the acuteness of the swelling was captured with MRI.

Key clinical message:
A case of acute transient salivary gland swelling secondary to general anesthesia is described. Anesthesiologists and other veterinary professionals should be aware of this rare and benign but potentially alarming anesthesia complication.

A 5-year-old castrated male English bulldog was presented for evaluation of acute vomiting and anorexia. Abdominal ultrasound revealed obstructive small intestinal foreign material with a small amount of abdominal free fluid, consistent with hemoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a segmental jejunal volvulus with foreign material extending from the portion of the intestines immediately orad to the volvulus into the affected intestinal loop. The dog fully recovered following resection and anastomosis of the affected small intestine.

Key clinical message:
This article documents the first reported case of jejunal volvulus suspected to be secondary to small intestinal foreign material. The dog was discharged 2 d postoperatively with no complications. Although reported outcomes for complete mesenteric volvulus are poor, segmental volvulus may have a better prognosis and should be considered as a differential diagnosis when small intestinal foreign material is causing obstructive ileus. The presence of hemoperitoneum may be an additional indicator that the ileus is associated with intestinal volvulus.

A 6-year-old spayed female poodle dog weighing 5 kg was presented with a fractured right upper canine tooth (#104). Dental examination using an intraoral camera and radiography confirmed a tooth fracture with an exposed pulp, resulting in the loss of ~2/3 of the crown. Tooth #104 was diagnosed with a complicated crown fracture. Consequently, root canal therapy was undertaken, involving root canal preparation with hand files and subsequent canal filling with appropriate filling materials. After the root canal therapy was completed, part of the filling material was removed to facilitate post placement. A post was then inserted and secured with resin cement. A composite resin core was built around the post, and a ferrule was created on the remaining crown using a diamond bur. After an impression was obtained, a custom metal crown was fabricated and cemented onto the prepared tooth. No complications were observed during the 22-month follow-up period. This case suggests that prosthetic reconstruction using post-and-core techniques may be an effective and viable treatment option for fractured canine teeth in small-breed dogs.

Key clinical message:
Prosthetic reconstruction using the post-and-core technique can be a successful treatment option for fractured canine teeth in small-breed dogs. In this case, the combination of root canal therapy, post placement, and crown restoration achieved function with long-term success, as evidenced by the 22-month follow-up results.

A 5-year-old intact female Holland lop rabbit was presented with acute hyporexia, lethargy, and marked abdominal pain. Blood biochemistry analysis indicated elevations in ALT, ALP, and total bilirubin. A point-of-care ultrasound revealed displacement of the spleen into the left cranial abdomen, suggestive of gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV). Exploratory laparotomy confirmed a 180° clockwise GDV. Gastric derotation and incisional gastropexy were successfully completed. The rabbit recovered uneventfully; biochemical values had normalized by Day 5. This is the third documented case of GDV in a rabbit in the peer-reviewed literature and the first involving a Holland lop.

Key clinical message:
Gastric dilatation and volvulus, though rare in rabbits, should be considered in cases presenting with acute hyporexia, abdominal pain, elevated ALT, variably elevated ALP, and variable hyperbilirubinemia. Ultrasonographic evidence of splenic displacement into the cranial left abdomen strongly supports a tentative diagnosis and indicates the need for immediate surgical exploration or abdominal computed tomography, if available.

A 2-year-old castrated male Pembroke Welsh corgi dog was presented to the referring veterinarian because of acute onset of vomiting and hyporexia. Despite conservative treatment with intravenous fluids, antiemetics, antibiotics, and antioxidants, the dog rapidly deteriorated, with development of severe pigmenturia and icterus over 24 to 48 h, respectively, prompting referral. A thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) characterized by nonimmune-mediated hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury (AKI), suspected to be from hemolytic uremic syndrome not associated with known prodromal diarrhea, was diagnosed. This is a rarely described disorder in dogs and, unlike those in most previous reports, this dog survived with supportive care for AKI and a short tapering course of glucocorticoids for refractory thrombocytopenia. Steroids have been reported for managing certain TMA syndromes in humans but not in animals. The dog in this case made a full recovery, with no reported relapse over 1 y.

Key clinical message:
Thrombotic microangiopathy is characterized by nonimmune-mediated hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and AKI. Corticosteroids may be beneficial for treating canine TMA, based on successful recovery in this rare case of non-diarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome.

This report describes the successful video-assisted removals of urinary bladder bullet foreign bodies in 2 cats. In both cases, the cat was presented because of chronic dysuria and hematuria. Diagnostic imaging, including radiography and ultrasonography, identified a foreign body in the bladder, confirmed as a lead pellet. Video-assisted percutaneous endoscopy was used for foreign body removal and bladder inspection. Both cats recovered uneventfully after surgery, with no postoperative complications. This report highlights the advantages of percutaneous and video-laparoscopic-assisted endoscopy in managing urinary bladder foreign bodies in small animals, providing reduced trauma and quick recovery.

Key clinical message:
Endoscope-assisted foreign body removal from the bladder seems to be a safe and efficient way to retrieve small foreign bodies in cats.

Neonatal beef calves can succumb to several common diseases, including diarrhea and pneumonia, but death associated with hepatic disease is uncommon in this age group. Since 2022, a syndrome characterized by massive hepatic necrosis has been observed in western Canadian neonatal beef calves. This case series describes the clinical presentation, pathology, and ancillary testing done in 22 cases, highlighting the young age (1 to 5 d), varied symptoms observed, and unique liver pathology. Based on the pathology, a toxic cause was suspected, and toxic copper concentrations in kidney tissues were detected in 9/22 cases. Further investigation is required to understand this potentially emerging disease and prevent further occurrences.

Key clinical message:
Practitioners and pathologists should be aware of a new syndrome of hepatic necrosis in neonatal beef calves when evaluating neonatal calf mortality on western Canadian beef cattle operations. Further study is needed to understand the epidemiology of this condition.

Repairing large abdominal wall defects in veterinary medicine is challenging. Polypropylene mesh is the synthetic mesh most used for reconstructions. However, adhesion formation has been reported with its use. We report the reconstruction of large abdominal wall defects using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)-based meshes in 2 dogs. A 5-year-old intact male Bernese mountain dog weighing 35.5 kg and a 10-year-old castrated male miniature dachshund weighing 7.16 kg were referred to our hospital. The former was treated for a large abdominal wall tumor; and the latter, for the recurrence of a left inguinal hernia. Dogs 1 and 2 underwent repair of the abdominal wall defects caused by the tumor resection and recurrent inguinal hernia repair using an ePTFE-polypropylene composite and ePTFE meshes, respectively. No complications of abdominal wall hernia recurrence or ePTFE infection occurred; however, Dog 1 had local progression of the tumor on Day 50 after surgery and died on Day 218 after surgery. Dog 2 had no recurrence or complications, according to a telephone interview with the owner on Day 665 after surgery. Therefore, the ePTFE-based mesh may be suitable for use in similar cases with favorable outcomes.

Key clinical message:
The ePTFE-based meshes may be applied to treat abdominal wall defects in dogs. However, it is essential to understand the advantages and disadvantages of these materials.

Objective
The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate the associations of age, sex, and breed with platelet count and function in domestic cats.

Animals
Records of healthy cats (N = 93) undergoing platelet function testing at the OVC Comparative Hemostasis Lab (Guelph, Ontario) between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

Procedure
For every cat, age, sex, breed, and platelet count were recorded. Platelet function was tested using the Plateletworks (PW) ADP system (Helena Laboratories) and the Platelet Function Analyzer-200 (PFA-200) (Siemens Healthineers) with Collagen/ADP (Col/ADP) and P2Y cartridges.

Results
Platelet count was not associated with age, sex, or purebred status. The PW percent aggregation was negatively associated with age (P = 0.002; r = -0.39) but not associated with sex or purebred status; this change persisted on multivariable regression (P = 0.009). The PFA-200 closure times were not associated with age, sex, or purebred status on univariate analysis; however, on multivariate regression, there was an association between purebred status and higher Col/ADP closure times in purebred cats (P = 0.036).

Conclusion
This study revealed that feline platelet function may be associated with age and purebred status but not sex.

Clinical relevance
The degree of change was unlikely to be clinically relevant, but should be accounted for in future research studies. Platelet count was not related to signalment.

Background
Ingestion of pharmaceuticals is a common cause of poisoning and hospitalization in companion animals. Pets may be exposed through accidental over-administration of a prescribed veterinary drug, intentional administration of a human drug that owners do not realize is unsuitable for animals, or access to unattended medications.

Objective
Our objective was to document cases of exposure and toxicosis due to suspected and confirmed pharmaceutical ingestion in dogs admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital over a 6-year period (2018 to 2023).

Animals and procedure
Medical records were retrieved from the veterinary hospital database using keywords related to general poisoning. Results were then filtered using keywords related specifically to pharmaceutical ingestion while excluding non-pharmaceutical poisoning cases. Information pertaining to hospitalization, patient signalment, treatment, and case progression was collected and analyzed to characterize common factors in canine pharmaceutical poisoning cases.

Results
Pharmaceutical ingestion was reported in 223 canine poisoning cases (confirmed in 102 cases) over 6 y. There were 32 categories of pharmaceutical ingested over the study period. The most common were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n = 86) and acetaminophen (n = 29). The most common patient signalment was spayed female, young (≤ 4 y), and large breed (particularly, Labrador retrievers). Normal clinical examinations on presentation were noted in 164 cases. Accidental drug exposures were more common than intentional pharmaceutical administrations (n = 211 and n = 12, respectively). The occurrence of cases related to exposure to human pharmaceuticals was 5× that of cases related to veterinary pharmaceuticals. Only 1 dog of 223 was euthanized, for a survival-to-discharge rate of 99.6%. The most common therapies administered were emesis induction, activated charcoal, fluid support, and gastroprotectant.

Conclusion and clinical relevance
Pharmaceutical exposure, especially from over-the-counter human medications, was a common reason for hospital admission among the dogs described in this study. Improved client education is needed to avoid preventable pharmaceutical exposures.