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OBJECTIVE: To describe the H-pharyngoplasty procedure, report the outcomes of dogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) treated with ala-vestibuloplasty and H-pharyngoplasty with a C02 laser, and identify prognostic factors. ANIMALS: 423 dogs. PROCEDURES: Medical records of dogs admitted for BOAS from 201 I to 2017 were reviewed. Dogs were included if they were treated with ala-vestibuloplasty and H-pharyngoplasty with a C02 laser. Signalment, physical examination findings, grades at admission of clinical signs associated with respiratory and digestive systems, diagnostic test results, postoperative treatments, and short-term follow-up results were extracted from medical records. Long-term follow-up of > 12 months was evaluated via questionnaire. Generalized ordered logistic regression was used for bivariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Overall mortality rate was 2.6%. Median duration of follow-up was 36 months (12 to 91 months), and 341 (80.6%) dog owners completed the questionnaire. Major complications included respiratory distress (2.1%), heatstroke (0.5%), and bronchopneumonia (0.5%). No dogs required revision surgery. Improvement in signs associated with the respiratory and digestive systems was reported in 72% and 34% of the dogs, respectively, and owners' satisfaction was high (97.1 %). Risk of death increased by 29.8% (95% Cl, 11.8% to 50.7%) for every 1-year increase in age. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: H-pharyngoplasty was possible in all dogs with BOAS, including those previously treated with conventional surgery and was associated with low morbidity and improved respiratory and digestive signs. H-pharyngoplasty combined with ala-vestibuloplasty may be an alternative treatment for even the most severely affected dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusions and Clinical Importance Stenting has become popular to treat tracheal collapse in dogs, but complications might arise and negatively affect treatment outcome.Determine the overall prevalence of complications of tracheal stenting in dogs.A bibliographic search was performed of publications from 2000 to 2020. Studies were assessed for quality of evidence and measured prevalence of the 8 most commonly reported complications after tracheal stenting in dogs (stent fracture, stent migration, relapsing collapse, granuloma formation, tracheobronchial infections, and early, late, and clinically relevant late cough). Random effects meta‐analyses were used to estimate pooled complications prevalence.Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria. Cough (early: 99%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 95%–100%, late: 75%; 95% CI: 63%–85%, and clinically relevant: 52%; 95% CI: 42%–61%), tracheobronchial infections (24%; 95% CI: 14%–35%), and granulomas (20%; 95% CI: 11%–30%) were common after tracheal stenting. Stent fractures (12%; 95% CI: 5%–20%), relapsing collapse (10%; 95% CI: 5%–15%), and stent migration (5%; 95% CI: 1%–9%) were less frequent. Significant heterogeneity among studies was identified for the estimated prevalence of stent fracture, granulomas, infections, and late cough.Tracheal stenting in dogs is associated with a high risk of coughing and a moderate risk of tracheobronchial infections and granuloma formation. Because most complications will impact a dog's quality of life, owners must be informed that tracheal stenting is a second‐line procedure that does not necessarily alleviate the need for medical treatment and frequent follow‐up visits. Additional studies are warranted to identify the risk factors of these complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looking more closely at the results, the gradient was highest for left caudal bronchus (LB2) and left principal bronchus (LPB), which are the bronchi located just dorsal to the left atrium (Figure 1). It therefore seems logical that these bronchi would be the most narrowed bronchi associated with an enlarged left atrium. [Extracted from the article]

Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema (NCPE) in hunting dogs is an uncommon and poorly described condition for which no preventive treatment is available. Two dogs were presented for recurrent respiratory distress strictly associated with hunting activities. Diagnosis was based on bilateral, symmetrical, interstitial‐to‐alveolar pattern in the caudodorsal lung fields on thoracic radiographs, exclusion of other causes, and spontaneous clinical and radiographic improvement. Considering that the pathogenesis of exercise‐induced NCPE likely involves α‐ and β‐adrenergic overstimulation, treatment with sympathetic blockers was used in both dogs. The first dog no longer showed respiratory signs during hunting activities. However, treatment failed to prevent respiratory distress in the other dog. Based on the large number of red blood cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the second dog, exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage was suspected, as described in racing horses. The loop diuretic furosemide successfully prevented further hunting‐associated respiratory distress episodes in this dog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes a spinal cord epidural and synovial lipomatosis in a 3‐year‐old neutered male Eurasian dog. This dog presented for ambulatory paraparesis and was previously treated with immunosuppressive dosages of prednisolone for 2 years. Computed tomography (CT) myelography and magnetic resonnance imaging (MRI) images identified dorsal compression of the thoraco‐lumbar spinal cord by hypertrophic epidural fat. Histological examination identified extensive well‐differentiated mature adipose tissue in the subepithelial area of the tarsal synovium. Prednisolone is a reported predisposing factor in humans with lipomatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Historically, positive bacterial cultures from the lower respiratory tract (LRT) have been considered clinically relevant when quantitative bacterial cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were >1700 colony forming units (cfu)/mL. However, this threshold might not accurately predict a requirement for antibiotics. Objectives: To study whether quantitative BALF bacterial culture results were predictive of antibiotic requirement in dogs with LRT signs. Animals: Thirty‐three client‐owned dogs. Methods: Cross‐sectional study. Dogs with positive quantitative bacterial culture of BALF were included. Dogs were divided into 2 groups, depending on whether they had a LRT infection requiring antibiotics (LRTI‐RA) or LRT disease not requiring antibiotics (LRTD‐NRA), based on thoracic imaging features, presence of intracellular bacteria on BALF cytology, and response to treatment. Predictive effect of cfu/mL and BALF total nucleated cell count (TNCC) on antibiotic requirement, adjusting for ongoing or prior antibiotic therapy and age, were studied using logistic regression. Results: Twenty‐two and 11 dogs were included in the LRTI‐RA and LRTD‐NRA groups, respectively. The cfu/mL was not significantly predictive of antibiotic requirement, independent of ongoing or prior antibiotic treatment and age (LRTI‐RA: median, 10 000 cfu/mL; range, 10‐3 × 108; LRTD‐NRA: median, 10 000 cfu/mL; range, 250‐1.3 × 109; P =.27). The TNCC was not significantly predictive of antibiotic requirement when only dogs with bronchial disease were considered (LRTI‐RA: median, 470 cells/μL; range, 240‐2260; LRTD‐NRA: median, 455 cells/μL; range, 80‐4990; P =.57). Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The cfu/mL is an inappropriate measure for determining whether antibiotics are of benefit in dogs with LRT signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationships among gastric lymphoid follicular hyperplasia (GLFH), Helicobacter‐like organisms (HLOs), and clinical signs have not been established in dogs. Objectives: To evaluate the epidemiologic, clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic findings associated with GLFH in dogs, and determine the association of GLFH with HLOs and the French Bulldog (FB) breed. Animals: Two hundred eighty‐eight dogs that underwent gastroscopy between 2013 and 2016. Methods: Retrospective, cross‐sectional study. Gastric biopsy samples were reviewed and scored for inflammation and HLOs. Dogs were divided into 3 groups: group 1 (63 FBs), group 2 (45 non‐FB brachycephalic dogs), and group 3 (180 nonbrachycephalic dogs). Variables were evaluated for their association with GLFH. Results: Univariate analysis determined that intact males, young age, vomiting, gastroscopic findings (discoloration, hemorrhage, and ulcers), and histopathologic findings (gastric lamina propria lymphocytic infiltration and HLO score) were associated with GLFH (P ≤.03). In the multivariate analysis, GLFH was associated with the HLO score (odds ratio [OR] > 5 for HLO scores 1‐2 and >15 for HLO score of 3; P <.001), with vomiting (OR > 4; P =.01) but not with FB breed (P =.76) and age (P =.1). The HLO score was associated with younger age (P <.001). Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The HLO score was associated with a high GLFH score. Vomiting was associated with GLFH. Helicobacter‐like organisms are highly prevalent in young dogs and GLFH is indirectly associated with this factor. Clinical relevance of the identification of GLFH and HLO remains to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]