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Objective: To report local progression and survival in dogs following surgery and postoperative definitive radiotherapy (dRT) for management of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and to evaluate risk factors for local progression and survival., Methods: Records were retrospectively reviewed at 9 referral hospitals for dogs managed with postoperative dRT between January 1, 2010, and January 1, 2020, following surgery for STS. Data related to presentation, surgery, dRT, systemic therapy, and outcome were abstracted. Selected variables were assessed for association with local progression and overall survival., Results: 272 dogs were included. Histologic grade was reported in 249 dogs: 102 were grade 1 (40.9%), 120 were grade 2 (48.2%), and 27 were grade 3 (10.8%). Local progression was suspected or confirmed in 56 dogs. Local progression rates were similar for grade 1 (24 of 89 [26.7%]), grade 2 (23 of 111 [20.7%]), and grade 3 tumors (6 of 22 [27.3%]). Previous recurrence (P = .010) and subsequent distant metastasis (P = .014) were associated with more frequent local progression; intensity-modulated radiotherapy was associated with decreased local progression (P = .025) compared to other forms of delivery. Age (P = .049), grade (P = .009), previous recurrence (P = .009), and institution type for surgery (P = .043) were associated with overall survival., Conclusions: Outcomes for most dogs were good; however, the frequency of local progression indicates an ongoing need to critically appraise local management strategies, particularly for low-grade STS. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy was associated with lower rates of local progression and may be preferred to less precise forms of delivery., Clinical Relevance: These data may guide clinicians when making decisions regarding dRT for management of STS.

A 10-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog was brought to the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center because of a suspected mass located to the right kidney. The mass was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound following a recurrent lower urinary tract infection. Abdominal computed tomography revealed 2 isoattenuating, peripherally hypoattenuating, and centrally non-contrast-enhancing nodules in the right kidney; the larger one measured 1.9 cm. Initial attempts at fine-needle aspiration were unsuccessful. The dog was returned and the mass was aspirated using ultrasound guidance under heavy sedation. Cytology confirmed the presence of septic inflammation, consistent with a renal corticomedullary abscess. The dog was administered oral enrofloxacin (15 mg/kg, q24h) after diagnosis. Ultrasound guidance was used 2 wk later, under general anesthesia, to achieve percutaneous drainage of ~0.25 mL of fluid and instillation of 5.7 mg (0.25 mL) of enrofloxacin into the abscess capsule. Two weeks after percutaneous drainage, ultrasound examination showed complete resolution of the renal corticomedullary abscess. Urine culture confirmed resolution of the urinary tract infection. To the authors' knowledge, kidney-sparing medical management has never been successfully reported in a dog with a renal corticomedullary abscess. Key clinical message: Renal corticomedullary abscesses occur infrequently in dogs. Medical management is feasible and can result in complete resolution of clinical signs and imaging abnormalities., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Background: The objectives of this study were to: (i) Determine whether operable primary liver tumors were associated with prolongations in prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and (ii) determine if these secondary hemostatic abnormalities were more prevalent with specific liver tumors., Study Design: Multi-institutional retrospective study., Animal Population: Dogs (n = 359) undergoing liver lobectomy for a primary liver tumor with a preoperative coagulation panel., Methods: Data was identified via electronic medical record review at eight veterinary teaching hospitals. Baseline dog characteristics, coagulation panel values, platelet count, emergency versus non-emergency procedure, whether the dogs received transfusion(s) of a blood product, liver lobe removed, and histopathological diagnosis were extracted from the medical record. Chi-square analysis was used to compare categorical variables between groups. Continuous variables were assessed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test., Results: A total of 74 of 359 dogs (20.6%) had a prolongation in either PT or aPTT preoperatively. A total of 20 of 359 dogs (5.6%) were found to have prolongation of both PT and aPTT. Hemangiosarcoma was the only histopathological diagnosis associated with concurrent prolongations of both PT and aPTT (p < .001) in 6/16 (37.5%) dogs., Conclusion: Coagulation panels including PT and aPTT are unlikely to detect substantial deficiencies in secondary hemostasis in most dogs with primary liver tumors except in dogs with a histopathological diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma., Clinical Significance: PT and aPTT testing is low yield as an elective preoperative screening test in dogs with primary liver tumors except in dogs where there is a hemoabdomen or high suspicion for hepatic hemangiosarcoma., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

Objectives: To describe the clinical features and oncologic outcome for cats with primary rib tumours., Materials and Methods: Medical records for cats with surgically treated primary rib tumours from six veterinary referral centres were reviewed. Signalment, preoperative clinical signs, reconstruction technique, and surgical and oncologic outcome were retrieved from medical records or by telephone interview with owners and/or referring veterinarians., Results: Of the eight cats with primary rib tumours, three had hemangiosarcoma, two had osteosarcoma and one cat each had chondrosarcoma, osteochondroma and osteoma. The size of the primary rib mass ranged from 2 × 2 × 1.6 cm to 9 × 7 × 7.5 cm. Three minor and one major complication developed during the immediate post-operative period. Surgery consisted of thoracic wall resection in all cats. All animals survived the procedure and the median time to discharge was 3 days. The survival time for benign tumours was 150 (case 5) and 466 (case 4) days, while for malignant tumours ranged from 105 to 550 days (cases 1 to 3, cases 6 to 8)., Clinical Significance: Hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma were the most represented primary rib tumours in this cohort of cats. Wide surgical excision and adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for cats with hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma, but the prognosis remains guarded. Prognosis appears to be fair for the other tumour types., (© 2024 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.)

Objective: To determine the rate of nodal metastasis in dogs with thyroid cancer and evaluate whether immunohistochemistry (IHC) identifies additional metastases beyond evaluation with H&E., Animals: 70 prospectively enrolled client-owned dogs with thyroid cancer managed with thyroidectomy., Methods: Dogs underwent thyroidectomy with concurrent elective bilateral medial retropharyngeal (MRP) ± deep cervical lymphadenectomy. Thyroid tumors and associated lymph nodes were reviewed by a single board-certified pathologist. Immunohistochemistry was used for all primary tumors (thyroid transcription factor-1 and calcitonin) to support a diagnosis of follicular or medullary carcinoma. Lymph nodes without evidence of metastasis after H&E review were labeled with the antibody associated with the wider uptake in the primary tumor., Results: 77 thyroid cancers were resected from the 70 dogs enrolled, including 61 (79.2%) follicular, 8 (10.7%) medullary, and 7 (9.3%) mixed follicular/medullary carcinomas, with 1 (1.3%) carcinosarcoma. Twelve dogs had evidence of nodal metastasis following H&E review. Occult micrometastasis was identified in 1 dog following nodal IHC, resulting in documented metastasis in 13 of 70 (18.6%) dogs. Metastasis was more common with medullary (5/8) and follicular/medullary carcinoma (3/7) than follicular carcinoma (5/61). All MRP metastases were ipsilateral (7/77 [9.1%]), without contralateral MRP metastases (0/62). Fourteen of 41 (34.1%) deep cervical lymph nodes were metastatic., Clinical Relevance: Nodal metastasis was uncommon for follicular carcinoma but was seen in > 50% of dogs with thyroid cancer involving a medullary component. Routine nodal IHC appears to be low yield for thyroid carcinoma. Extirpation of ipsilateral MRP and identifiable deep cervical lymph nodes is recommended with thyroidectomy until detailed preoperative risk stratification becomes available.

Objective: Thromboelastography (TEG) is a whole blood assay that yields global assessment of hemostasis, as it evaluates clot time, strength, and kinematics of clot formation and lysis. The main objective was to describe preoperative TEG findings in dogs that had an adrenalectomy performed and, secondarily, to describe TEG findings in the dogs with or without hyperadrenocorticism (HAC)., Animals: 30 dogs that had preoperative TEG and adrenalectomy performed., Methods: Medical records between 2018 and 2022 were reviewed. Signalment, diagnostic data, and perioperative treatment were abstracted., Results: 53% (16/30) of the dogs were hypercoagulable, and none were hypocoagulable. Based on histopathology, 6 of 9 dogs with adenocarcinoma were hypercoagulable, 4 of 8 with pheochromocytoma were hypercoagulable, and 6 of 10 with adenoma were hypercoagulable. None of the 3 dogs with other histopathologic diagnoses or combinations of diagnoses (adrenocortical hyperplasia, poorly differentiated sarcoma, and both adrenocortical adenocarcinoma and pheochromocytoma) were hypercoagulable. Of the 14 dogs tested preoperatively for HAC, 4 of 8 HAC dogs were hypercoagulable and 2 of 6 non-HAC dogs were hypercoagulable., Clinical Relevance: The present report describes for the first time TEG findings for dogs undergoing adrenalectomy and suggests that the majority of dogs with adrenal neoplasia are hypercoagulable based on TEG results.

Objective: To report the survival times in dogs diagnosed with adrenal tumors with vascular or soft tissue invasion that did not undergo adrenalectomy., Animals: Retrospective case series of 32 client-owned dogs., Methods: The medical records of a referral veterinary hospital were reviewed to identify dogs that were diagnosed with an invasive adrenal mass and did not undergo adrenalectomy between January 2013 and December 2022. Data collected included signalment, examination findings, and diagnostic results from the initial presentation. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize dog signalment information, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed for calculation of median survival time., Results: Most dogs (n = 28) had vascular invasion, primarily into the caudal vena cava. Surgery was offered but not pursued due to perceived risk of sudden death (n = 5), risk of hemorrhage (4), or concurrent diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (1). Only 1 dog pursued stereotactic body radiation therapy, and 1 was prescribed toceranib phosphate (Palladia). Of these 32 dogs, 30 (93.8%) died or were euthanized and 2 (6.2%) dogs survived. The median follow-up time was 49 days (range, 0 to 1,910 days). The median survival time was 50 days (95% CI, 4 to 194 days). The most common cause of death or euthanasia was hemoabdomen (n = 8)., Clinical Relevance: Nonsurgical management of invasive adrenal tumors was associated with short survival times in this case series.

Objective: To determine the incidence of complications in the intraoperative and postoperative period for dogs undergoing nephrectomy for renal disease., Animals: 69 dogs., Methods: Medical records of dogs undergoing nephrectomies for renal disease were reviewed for signalment, date of surgery, results of blood analyses, and intra- and postoperative complications. Long-term follow-up was obtained via client telephone interview or referring veterinarian medical records. A Fisher exact test was used to assess the relationship between postoperative acute kidney injury and NSAID administration with long-term development of chronic kidney disease., Results: Complications occurred in 44.9% and 42.6% of dogs in the intraoperative and postoperative periods, respectively. Most of these were lower-grade complications, though a total of 7 dogs died during the postoperative period. An acute kidney injury was diagnosed in 12 dogs postoperatively, with 2 dogs euthanized due to the severity of the injury. Long-term follow-up was available for 53 dogs, with 24 (45.3%) dogs developing chronic kidney disease. Postoperative acute kidney injury (P = .385) and NSAID administration (P = .519) were not statistically associated with the development of chronic kidney disease in this population., Clinical Relevance: Unilateral nephrectomy is associated with high intraoperative and postoperative complication rates in dogs. Chronic kidney disease was diagnosed in almost 50% of the population with available long-term follow-up.

Objective: To report the clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes in a cohort of dogs with histologically confirmed retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) and to identify potential variables of prognostic significance., Animals: 46 client-owned dogs from 10 clinics with histopathologic diagnosis of a sarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal space., Methods: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to obtain information regarding clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes. Recorded variables were analyzed to report descriptive data for all cases and overall survival time. Multivariate analysis was utilized to evaluate prognostic factors for overall survival., Results: Hemangiosarcoma was the most common histologic subtype diagnosed (76.1%). Cytoreductive and curative intent surgical excision of the RPS was attempted in 12 and 22 dogs, respectively; 12 dogs underwent no surgery or had an exploratory laparotomy with incisional biopsy only. Nineteen dogs received adjuvant chemotherapy, either injectable or metronomic, and 1 dog received adjuvant radiation therapy. Fourteen of the 34 (41.2%) surgically treated dogs developed evidence of local recurrence, but there was no difference in local recurrence when comparing dogs categorized as curative intent versus cytoreductive surgery. The median overall survival time was 238 days. On multivariable analysis, treatment approach was associated with survival with surgical excision (vs palliative treatment) and adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery being protective against death. A diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma was associated with a greater hazard of death., Clinical Relevance: This study demonstrates a substantially greater survival time than previously published and suggests a survival benefit from surgical excision and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Background: The most common haemostatic abnormality in dogs with cancer is hypercoagulability. A transient hypercoagulability has been documented in people with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that resolves within weeks following hepatic tumour resection., Objective: The objective was to compare the haemostatic status of dogs with liver tumours and healthy control dogs, by comparing coagulation and thromboelastography (TEG) measurements at three time points., Methods: Liver tumour and healthy control dogs receiving surgery for liver lobectomy and ovariohysterectomy, respectively, were prospectively enrolled. All dogs had blood collected at three time points: pre-operative, 24 h post-operative and ~2 weeks post-operative. Haematological and haemostatic values were compared across time points in each group using repeated measures ANOVA tests., Results: Ten and eight dogs were enrolled for the liver and control groups, respectively. Platelet count was significantly higher in the liver group than the control group at all time points, but within the normal range (pre-operative: 438.7 vs. 300.9 × 10 9 /L, p = .0078; 24 h post-operative: 416.2 vs. 283.9 × 10 9 /L, p = .0123; 10-14 days post-operative: 524.6 vs. 317.3 × 10 9 /L, p = .0072). The measure of the overall coagulant state (G-value) was significantly increased for the liver group compared to the control group at all time points (pre-operative: 15.6 vs. 8.6 d/sc, p = .0003; 24 h post-operative: 18.3 vs. 11.2 d/sc, p = .039; 10-14 days post-operative: 15.1 vs. 9.6 d/sc, p = .015)., Conclusion: The liver group was hypercoagulable based on elevated G-values at all time points compared to the control group. This hypercoagulability was attributed to the effect of hepatic tumours alone, and not secondary to surgery and anaesthesia., (© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Adrenalectomies for canine adrenal tumours are associated with peri-operative morbidity and mortality. Objectives of this study included assessing the prognostic value of tumour- or surgery-related variables in predicting peri-operative mortality and overall survival in dogs undergoing adrenalectomies for primary adrenal tumours as well as pre-treatment with phenoxybenzamine on survival to discharge with pheochromocytomas specifically. A multi-institutional retrospective cohort study was performed across nine institutions. Electronic medical record searches identified 302 dogs which met the inclusion criteria. Data collected included dog-related, tumour-related, treatment-related, surgery-related, and outcome variables. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression and cox proportional hazards models were used to identify variables associated with death prior to discharge and tumour-related survival. Overall, 87% of dogs survived to discharge with a tumour-related survival time of 3.96 years. Post-operative complications were reported in 25%. Increased surgical time (p = 0.002) and pre-surgical medical treatment other than phenoxybenzamine (p = 0.024) were significantly associated with increased peri-operative mortality while ureteronephrectomy (p = 0.021), post-operative pancreatitis (p = 0.025), and post-operative aspiration pneumonia (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with decreased overall survival. Phenoxybenzamine pretreatment had no effect on peri-operative mortality. Thirty-seven of 45 (82%) dogs with pheochromocytomas not pretreated survived to discharge, and 50 of 59 (85%) dogs with pheochromocytomas pretreated with phenoxybenzamine survived to discharge (p = 0.730). This study provides information on risk factors for death prior to discharge and tumour-related survival that may help guide clinical management and owner expectations. In addition, the study findings challenge the previously reported benefit of phenoxybenzamine for pretreatment of dogs undergoing adrenalectomies for pheochromocytomas., (© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Renal carcinomas (RC) are uncommonly encountered in feline medicine. Limited information regarding clinical presentation and postoperative outcomes is available. The purpose of this multi-institutional, retrospective study was to describe the presenting features and clinical outcomes of cats with RC undergoing nephrectomy. Thirty-six client-owned cats were included. Medical records from participating institutions were searched to identify cats that had a histopathologic diagnosis of RC and underwent nephrectomy from January 2001 to October 2021. The most common presenting complaints were weight loss (36.1%) and hyporexia (30.6%). Based on preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings, eight cats had suspected metastasis at the time of surgery (22.2%). Twenty-eight cats survived to discharge (77.8%). Median progression free interval (PFI) could not be determined, as only six cats developed suspected recurrence (16.7%) and seven cats developed suspected metastasis (19.4%). The all-cause median survival time (MST) was 203 days (95% confidence interval [CI]: 84, 1379 days). When cases that died prior to discharge were excluded, MST increased to 1217 days (95% CI: 127, 1641 days). One-year, two-year, and three-year survival rates were all 40.4%. Neither renal tumour histologic subtype nor the presence of preoperative azotemia, anaemia, erythrocytosis, haematuria, or suspected metastasis at diagnosis were found to influence survival. For cats surviving to discharge, prolonged survival times were possible. Further studies are necessary to elucidate other potential prognostic factors, the utility of postoperative adjuvant treatment, and to identify cats at-risk of mortality in the perioperative period., (© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To report clinical features and outcomes of cats undergoing either stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) or surgical excision for the treatment of intracranial meningioma., Animals: 61 client-owned cats., Methods: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed of cats with intracranial meningiomas that were treated with surgical removal and/or SRT between 2005 and 2017. Signalment, clinical signs, duration of clinical signs, diagnostic imaging reports, histopathology reports, treatment protocol, complications, recurrence or progression, and survival time were obtained from the medical record and through follow-up phone calls., Results: Of the 61 patients, 46 had surgery, 14 had SRT, and 1 had surgery followed by SRT for initial treatment. Significantly more cats that underwent surgery had peritreatment complications compared to the SRT group (P < .0001). Cats that received surgery initially had a significantly longer median survival time (MST) of 1,345 days compared to the MST of 339 days for the SRT cats (P = .002). Fourteen (30%) cats in the surgery group and 4 cats in the SRT group (28%) had MRI- or CT-confirmed tumor regrowth or new tumor growth (P = 1.00). Five cases that had SRT for subsequent recurrence had an MST of 700 days (range, 335 to 1,460 days) after the last treatment., Clinical Relevance: SRT proved to be a safe, alternative treatment option for feline patients with intracranial meningiomas; however, the survival times with surgery alone were significantly longer. SRT for the treatment of recurrence following initial surgery may show promising results.

Objective: To conduct a retrospective multi-institutional study reporting short- and long-term outcomes of adrenalectomy in patients presenting with acute hemorrhage secondary to spontaneous adrenal rupture., Animals: 59 dogs and 3 cats., Methods: Medical records of dogs and cats undergoing adrenalectomy between 2000 and 2021 for ruptured adrenal masses were reviewed. Data collected included clinical presentation, preoperative diagnostics, surgical report, anesthesia and hospitalization findings, histopathology, adjuvant treatments, and long-term outcome (recurrence, metastasis, and survival)., Results: Median time from hospital admission to surgery was 3 days, with 34% of surgeries being performed emergently (within 1 day of presentation). Need for intraoperative blood transfusion was significantly associated with emergent surgery and presence of active intraoperative hemorrhage. The short-term (≤ 14 days) complication and mortality rates were 42% and 21%, respectively. Negative prognostic factors for short-term survival included emergent surgery, intraoperative hypotension, and performing additional surgical procedures. Diagnoses included adrenocortical neoplasia (malignant [41%], benign [12%], and undetermined [5%]), pheochromocytoma (38%), a single case of adrenal fibrosis and hemorrhage (2%), and a single case of hemangiosarcoma (2%). Local recurrence and metastasis of adrenocortical carcinoma were confirmed in 1 and 3 cases, respectively. Overall median survival time was 574 days and 900 days when short-term mortality was censored. No significant relationship was found between histopathological diagnosis and survival., Clinical Relevance: Adrenalectomy for ruptured adrenal gland masses was associated with similar short- and long-term outcomes as compared with previously reported nonruptured cases. If hemodynamic stability can be achieved, delaying surgery and limiting additional procedures appear indicated to optimize short-term survival.

Objective: To evaluate the role of simulation models and previous surgical experience on subjective and objective stress levels of students performing their 1st elective surgery within the veterinary curriculum., Sample: 141 third-year veterinary students., Methods: Using a pre-post experimental design, salivary alpha-amylase, and cortisol were evaluated as markers of physiologic stress response before students' first elective surgery. Student self-reported State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores and quantitative measures of experience were correlated to biomarker results., Results: No association was found for change in salivary biomarkers of stress, alpha-amylase, and cortisol, between baseline and presurgical samples accounting for gender, age, type of elective surgery performed, previous surgical experience, or simulation model use. Salivary cortisol levels were markedly elevated falling between the 66th and 99th percentile compared to an age and gender-matched population. Salivary alpha-amylase levels were also 2 to 3 times higher than those recorded by other health professionals. Veterinary student STAI scores were high falling between the 65th and 73rd percentile compared to working adults in the general population., Clinical Relevance: Veterinary students' salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and STAI scores fell into the upper 2/3rds of the general population, demonstrating a high level of stress. Simulation models and previous surgical experience were not associated with decreased stress. Further evaluation of the implementation of high-fidelity simulation models and the role of stress on performance is indicated.

Objective: To compare the success rates for urethral catheterization in clinical patients using the traditional and 2-catheter techniques when placed by personnel of all experience levels., Animals: 38 female cats and dogs weighing less than 10 kg were prospectively enrolled., Methods: Enrolled animals were randomized to have a urethral catheter placed by the traditional technique or the 2-catheter method under sedation or general anesthesia. Any qualified hospital personnel of any experience level were allowed to place the catheter. If after 5 minutes the animal was not successfully catheterized, the alternate method was performed. The previous experience of the catheter placer, animal signalment, animal condition that necessitated catheter placement, time to successful placement, and which technique was successful was recorded., Results: The 2-catheter technique was more successful than the traditional method (60.5% and 34.2%, respectively) for urethral catheterization when used by a variety of hospital personnel. The 2-catheter technique was successful in 63.3% of dogs and 66.6% of cats, while the traditional method was successful in 36.6% of dogs and 33.3% of cats. Eight of 9 (88.9%) novice catheter placers that placed their first urinary catheter in this study succeeded with the 2-catheter technique and only 1 was successful with the traditional method., Clinical Relevance: The 2-catheter technique has a higher rate of success for placement of female urinary catheters in small patients that are unable to have concurrent digital palpation. This technique may also be helpful in the inexperienced catheter placer population to aid in guidance into the urethral papilla.

Objective: To report the short-term and long-term outcomes of dogs that underwent the modified closed and traditional closed anal sacculectomy procedures for the treatment of anal sac neoplasia., Animals: 90 client-owned dogs., Methods: The medical records of 2 tertiary referral hospitals were reviewed to identify dogs that underwent anal sacculectomy for treatment of anal sac neoplasia between January 2016 and December 2020. Data collected included signalment and preoperative diagnostic findings. The occurrence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, short-term outcomes, and long-term outcomes were also collected. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize dog signalment information, and recurrence, metastasis, and survival proportions were compared between techniques using Fisher exact tests., Results: 35 and 55 dogs, respectively, underwent the modified or traditional closed anal sacculectomy procedure. Minor postoperative complications that resolved with minimal intervention occurred in 5 of 35 (14.3%) modified approach dogs and 12 of 55 (21.8%) traditional approach dogs. Tumor recurrence was confirmed in 8 of 35 (22.9%) modified and 8 of 55 (26.4%) traditional approach dogs and was suspected in 3 of 35 (8.6%) and 6 of 55 (13.2%; P = .68), respectively. Confirmed metastatic disease was identified in 8 of 35 (22.9%) and 14 of 53 (26.4%) modified and traditional approach dogs, respectively, and was suspected in 4 of 35 (11.4%) and 7 of 53 (13.2%). Sixty-three (70%) dogs survived to study conclusion., Clinical Relevance: No benefits in complication rate or local recurrence were identified in dogs following the modified approach as opposed to the traditional closed anal sacculectomy technique.

Objective: To provide a video tutorial on how to perform an alternate method for urethral catheterization, the 2-catheter technique., Animals: Small female cats and dogs that are too small for concurrent digital palpation (generally < 10 kg)., Methods: A larger red rubber catheter (18 Fr in dogs, and 10 Fr in cats) is gently fed into the vaginal canal and reflected dorsally, then a smaller urethral catheter can be introduced ventrally, angling downwards at a 45° angle, into the urethral orifice for urinary catheterization., Results: The 2-catheter method is a useful alternative in petite female cats and dogs to improve rates of successful catheterization., Clinical Relevance: The inability to perform concurrent digital palpation in petite female dogs and cats can make urinary catheterization more challenging due to the inability to palpate locoregional anatomic landmarks and without the added manipulation of the catheter tip during placement. Using a second, larger catheter to occlude the vaginal canal similarly to how a finger would during digital palpation can aid in successful catheterization in this challenging subset of veterinary patients.

Objective: To describe the management of extensive hepatectomy in 2 dogs., Animals: A 10-year-old female intact mixed-breed dog (case 1) and an 11-year-old male castrated mixed-breed dog (case 2) were presented for surgical evaluation following diagnosis of a hepatic mass., Clinical Presentation, Progression, and Procedures: 16 months before presentation, case 1 had undergone a left lateral liver lobectomy, which resulted in an incomplete resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Both dogs underwent surgical excision of the liver mass., Treatment and Outcome: In case 1, surgery consisted of the removal of the remaining left medial lobe, as well as the central division. Case 2 received a complete left and central division hepatectomy. Histopathology confirmed a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in both dogs. Liver enzyme resolution and lack of tumor recurrence were confirmed with chemistry panel and abdominal ultrasonography in both dogs., Clinical Relevance: This case report describes, for the first time, the clinical management and outcome of extensive hepatectomy in 2 dogs. We propose that extensive hepatectomy, staged or synchronous, is possible in a clinical setting.

There is scant literature on primary nonhematopoietic malignant liver tumours (PMLT) in cats. In this retrospective study, medical data of 40 cats diagnosed with PMLT were reviewed over a period of 22 years (2000-2021). The most frequent epithelial tumours were hepatocellular (42.5%) and bile duct carcinomas (32.5%), only six (15%) cats had mesenchymal tumours. The median age was 13 years and clinical signs commonly included ano-/hyporexia (62.5%), apathy/lethargy (52.5%), weight loss (42.5%) and vomiting (35%). At initial diagnosis, metastases were confirmed in 1 (2.5%) and suspected in three (7.5%) cats. Massive was the most frequent morphology (75%). Most intrahepatic tumours were left-sided (54.2%) with the left medial lobe being primarily affected (25%). Extrahepatic tumours were rare (5%). In 34 (85%) cats, liver lobectomy was performed (surgery group), four (10%) were treated palliatively (non-surgery group), and two (5%) received no treatment. Intraoperative complications occurred in 11.8% with four (15.4%) postoperative deaths. Recurrence was detected in 28.6% at a median of 151 days (range, 79-684 days), while postoperative metastases were suspected in 21.4% at a median of 186 days (range, 79-479 days). The median survival time (MST) was significantly longer in cats of the surgery group (375 days) than in the non-surgery group (16 days) (p = .002). MST was 868 days for hepatocellular compared to 270 days for bile duct carcinomas (p = .06). In summary, liver lobectomy is associated with prolonged survival times and good prognosis in cats with hepatocellular, and an acceptable prognosis in cats with bile duct carcinoma., (© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To evaluate hearing loss in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS), breed-specific brainstem auditory-evoked response (BAER) testing parameters are needed to help assess the Chiari-like malformation (CM) grade. The purpose of this study was to establish breed-specific BAER data and to determine if BAER indexes differed based on the CM grade. We hypothesized that there would be latency differences based on the CM grade., Animals: 20 CKCS without apparent hearing abnormalities as assessed by the owners., Procedures: Under general anesthesia, CKCS underwent a CT scan (to assess the middle ear), BAER testing, and MRI (to assess the grade of CM)., Results: No CKCS had CM0. Nine (45%) CKCS had CM1; 11 (55%) had CM2. All had at least 1 morphologic abnormality in waveforms. Absolute and interpeak latencies were reported for all CKCS and compared between CM grades. The median threshold for CKCS with CM1 was 39 and for CM2 was 46. Absolute latencies for CKCS with CM2 were consistently longer than those for CKCS with CM1 with the exception of waves II and V at 33 dB. Significant differences were found for wave V at 102 dB ( P = .04) and wave II at 74 dB (P = .008). Interpeak latency comparisons were inconsistent between CM1 and CM2., Clinical Relevance: Breed-specific BAER data for CKCS with CM1 and CM2 were established. The results suggest that CM impacts BAER latency results, but the influence of the malformation is not always statistically significant or predictable.

Objective: To investigate the CT features of cavitary pulmonary lesions and determine their utility to differentiate malignant from benign lesions., Animals: This retrospective study included cases from 5 veterinary medical centers between January 1 2010, and December 31, 2020. Inclusion criteria included having a gas-filled cavitary pulmonary lesion on thoracic CT and definitive diagnosis by either cytology or histopathology. Forty-two animals (27 dogs and 15 cats) were included in this study., Procedures: Medical records systems/imaging databases were searched, and cases meeting inclusion criteria were selected. The CT studies were interpreted by a third-year radiology resident, and findings were reviewed by a board-certified veterinary radiologist., Results: 7 of the 13 lesion characteristics investigated were not statistically associated with the final diagnosis of the lesion, whereas 6 were statistically associated. Those that were associated included the presence of intralesional contrast enhancement, type of intralesional contrast enhancement (heterogenous and homogenous analyzed separately), presence of additional nodules, wall thickness of the lesion at its thickest point, and wall thickness at the thinnest point., Clinical Relevance: Results from the present study showed that thoracic CT imaging of cavitary pulmonary lesions can be used to further refine the list of differential diagnoses. Based on this data set, in lesions that have heterogenous contrast enhancement, additional pulmonary nodules, and wall thickness > 40 mm at their thickest point, it would be reasonable to consider malignant neoplastic disease higher on the list of differentials than other causes.

Background: Reporting of clinical trials conducted in client- and shelter-owned dog and cat populations is not optimal, which inhibits the ability to assess the reliability and validity of trial findings and precludes the ability to include some trials in evidence synthesis., Objective: To develop a reporting guideline for parallel group and crossover trials that addresses the unique features and reporting requirements for trials conducted in client- and shelter-owned dog and cat populations., Design: Consensus statement., Setting: Virtual., Participants: Fifty-six experts from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia working in academia, government (research and regulatory agencies), industry, and clinical veterinary practice., Methods: A steering committee created a draft checklist for reporting criteria based upon the CONSORT statement and the CONSORT extensions for reporting of abstracts and crossover trials. Each item was presented to the expert participants and was modified and presented again until >85% of participants were in agreement about the inclusion and wording of each item in the checklist., Results: The final PetSORT checklist consists of 25 main items with several sub-items. Most items were modifications of items contained in the CONSORT 2010 checklist or the CONSORT extension for crossover trials, but 1 sub-item pertaining to euthanasia was created de novo ., Conclusion: The methods and processes used to develop this guideline represent a novel departure from those used to create other reporting guidelines, by using a virtual format. The use of the PetSORT statement should improve reporting of trials conducted in client- and shelter-owned dogs and cats and published in the veterinary research literature., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Ruple, Sargeant, Selmic and O'Connor.)

Well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the best evidence of the primary research designs for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. However, if RCTs are incompletely reported, the methodological rigor with which they were conducted cannot be reliably evaluated and it may not be possible to replicate the intervention. Missing information also may limit the reader's ability to evaluate the external validity of a trial. Reporting guidelines are available for clinical trials in human healthcare (CONSORT), livestock populations (REFLECT), and preclinical experimental research involving animals (ARRIVE 2.0). The PetSORT guidelines complement these existing guidelines, providing recommendations for reporting controlled trials in pet dogs and cats. The rationale and scientific background are explained for each of the 25 items in the PetSORT reporting recommendations checklist, with examples from well-reported trials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Sargeant, Ruple, Selmic and O'Connor.)

Septic peritonitis is a life-threatening disease that can be caused by neoplasia, among other disease processes. There is no veterinary literature directly evaluating the outcome of patients with septic peritonitis caused by neoplasia. The objective of this study was to evaluate for differences in survival to discharge and complication rates between septic peritonitis caused by neoplastic and nonneoplastic disease in canine patients. A single-institution retrospective cross-sectional cohort study was performed, identifying dogs that were treated surgically for septic peritonitis between January 1, 2010, and November 1, 2020. A total of 86 patients were included, 12 with a neoplastic cause for septic peritonitis and 74 with another cause. The most common neoplastic lesions associated with septic peritonitis were gastrointestinal lymphoma and hepatocellular adenoma. Presence of neoplasia was not a significant factor for development of intraoperative or immediate postoperative complications, nor did it decrease chances of survival to discharge (P < .09). The diagnosis of a primary, localized, neoplastic lesion alone should not deter clinicians and owners from pursuing treatment for septic peritonitis., (© 2023 by American Animal Hospital Association.)

When a solitary liver mass is identified in a dog, a fine-needle aspirate (FNA) is commonly employed to attempt to obtain a diagnosis. Little information is provided in the literature evaluating the sensitivity/specificity of FNA cytology for solitary liver masses. We hypothesized that liver lesion size nor the presence of cavitation would impact the success of cytological diagnosis. Medical records were obtained for 220 client-owned dogs. Inclusion criteria included preoperative abdominal imaging, percutaneous FNA of a solitary hepatic mass with cytologic interpretation by a board-certified pathologist, and a surgical biopsy or mass excision yielding a histopathological diagnosis. Six dogs (2.7%) experienced a complication after FNA, none considered severe. The agreement rate for correct cytologic diagnosis was 22.9% (49/220). Of the neoplastic masses 18.9% (35/185) were correctly diagnosed via cytology. The overall sensitivity was 60%, and the specificity was 68.6%. Neither institution (P = 0.16), lesion size (P = 0.88), cavitation (P = 0.34), or needle gauge (P = 0.20) had an association with correct diagnosis. This study demonstrates that, although there is a low risk of complications following FNA of a hepatic mass, overall success rate for correct cytologic diagnosis based on FNA was low compared to histopathologic diagnosis., (© 2023 by American Animal Hospital Association.)

Currently, intraoperative tumour margin imaging is not routinely utilized in veterinary medicine. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows for real-time assessment of tissue morphology of 1-2 mm depth. The aims of this study were (1) to compare the histologic and OCT features of excised canine skin and subcutaneous specimens, and (2) to determine the diagnostic accuracy of OCT for surgical margin evaluation. The authors hypothesized that OCT imaging would correlate well with histopathology and that OCT would be sensitive for detection of incomplete margins. Eighty dogs were prospectively enrolled. Tumours were excised, and the surgical margins were imaged using a spectral domain OCT system. The tumour type and completeness of excision were determined by histopathology. Nine blinded observers received training in OCT image interpretation and were then given a set of OCT images and videos. The observers assigned each image/video a grade from 1 (no tumour) to 4 (tumour) and the results were compared to histopathology. The overall median sensitivity and specificity of OCT imaging for detection of incomplete margins were 86.7% and 84.6%, respectively. A potential limitation is that observers had varied experience with OCT image interpretation, ranging from no prior experience to participating in a previous OCT project. OCT is sensitive for detection of incomplete margins and could be a promising real-time surgical margin imaging modality. Further study is needed to evaluate intraoperative applications of OCT and its impact on tumour recurrence and long-term outcome., (© 2022 The Authors. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Case Series Summary: Nasal planum tumors are rare in cats, with squamous cell carcinoma over-represented. Other skin tumors have been reported in this location and though hemangiosarcoma frequently occurs on the skin of the head, these tumors localized to the nasal planum have not been specifically reported. The objectives of this study were to report the clinical findings and outcomes in cats diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma of the nasal planum. Medical records from four different institutions were reviewed to identify cats with a definitive diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma of the nasal planum. Five cats met the inclusion criteria. One cat was treated with palliative radiation therapy (RT) alone, two cats had lesions removed via an excisional biopsy by the primary care veterinarian and two cats had excisional biopsies performed at a referral institution. All four cats that received surgical treatment were treated with adjuvant strontium-90 therapy. The cat receiving palliative RT alone was lost to follow-up 311 days after treatment. At the time of writing, the survival time for 2/3 cats receiving surgery and strontium-90 was 365 days and 1381 days, respectively. One cat receiving this combination of therapy was lost to follow-up immediately after treatment. One cat developed tumor recurrence and a revision surgery via nasal planectomy and upper lip resection was performed 376 days following the initial surgery. Following revision, palliative RT was pursued. The cat was still alive at the time of writing 618 days after the initial procedure, with no evidence of recurrence., Relevance and Novel Information: In this case series, surgery was the primary treatment used, but due to the location, only narrow or incomplete surgical margins were possible. RT (strontium-90 and/or palliative) was utilized to decrease the risk of recurrence.

Objective: Compare veterinary student success at urethral catheterization of small female cats and dogs using traditional and novel 2-catheter techniques., Animal: Healthy anesthetized female cats ( n = 23) and dogs ( n = 6) weighing < 10 kg undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy., Procedure: Two junior (Year 3) veterinary students with no previous urethral catheterization experience participated. Each pet was catheterized by 1 student using both the traditional blind technique and the novel 2-catheter method (placement of a large red rubber catheter into the vaginal canal prior to insertion of the conventional catheter). Technique order was randomized and attempts for each technique was allowed for up to 3 min. Time to successful catheterization and catheterization success within the allotted time were recorded., Results: Successful urethral catheterization was performed using the traditional blind and novel 2-catheter techniques in 56.3 and 87.5% of cases, respectively., Conclusion: Students had a higher rate of successful catheterization with the 2-catheter catheterization technique in this report., Clinical Relevance: Urethral catheterization in small female cats and dogs is technically challenging, which is compounded by the inability to consistently and reliably palpate loco-regional anatomic landmarks due to the small sized vestibules. Data from this report will be used to design future studies to assess the utility of this novel urethral catheterization technique for teaching inexperienced students this challenging clinical skill., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Case Series Summary: Ear canal neoplasia is uncommon in cats. Ceruminous gland adenocarcinoma is the most frequently reported malignant neoplasm of the feline ear canal, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common malignant neoplasm diagnosed in the feline middle ear. However, limited information exists on the outcome of cats diagnosed with SCC of the ear canal, middle or inner ear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the outcome of cats diagnosed with SCC affecting these locations. Medical records were reviewed at multiple institutions to identify cats with a definitive diagnosis of SCC. Twenty-five cats were identified. Eleven cats were treated with surgery, eight with medical management, two with coarse fractionated radiation therapy, two with a combination of coarse fractionated radiation therapy and chemotherapy, one with a combination of surgery and coarse fractionated radiation therapy, one cat with systemic chemotherapy and one cat received no treatment following diagnosis. The median survival time of cats treated with surgery was 168 days vs 85 days ( P  = 0.28) for those treated palliatively with either medical management, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy., Relevance and Novel Information: This case series documented that SCC of the ear canal, middle and/or internal ear is a locally aggressive tumor that carries an overall poor prognosis. The median survival time for cats treated with surgery was longer than that with any other modality, but this difference was not statistically significant.

Apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma (AGASAC) is a relatively uncommon tumor in the dog and comprises approximately 17% of perianal malignancies; however, it is one of the most common causes of paraneoplastic hypercalcemia. Clinical signs in affected dogs most commonly are associated with mechanical obstruction caused by the primary tumor or enlarged regional metastatic lymph nodes and the effects of paraneoplastic hypercalcemia when present. Surgical excision of the primary tumor and metastasectomy of affected locoregional lymph nodes is the preferred initial treatment option for most dogs, although radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy are commonly incorporated into multi-modality treatment plans. A significant role for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy has not been clearly demonstrated. Prolonged survival times are possible, especially for dogs with smaller primary tumors and for dogs that undergo further treatments for recurrent disease. In this article, we review the clinical signs, diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis of AGASAC in the dog., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Local recurrence after surgical excision of canine massive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been poorly studied in veterinary medicine with scant information published regarding risk factors for and outcome following recurrence. The aim of this case-control study was to describe the time to recurrence, evaluate potential risk factors for recurrence, and report the outcome in dogs with massive HCC. Medical records for 75 dogs who developed recurrence and 113 dogs who did not develop recurrence were reviewed. Statistical analyses were performed to determine risk factors for recurrence as well as the median time to develop recurrence and overall survival time (OS). None of the risk factors evaluated were significant for the development of recurrence. The median time to develop recurrence was 367 days (range 32-2096 days). There was no significant difference in median OS for dogs who developed recurrence vs. those who did not (851 vs. 970 days). For dogs with recurrent HCC, treatment at recurrence trended toward prolonged OS but was not significantly different from dogs not undergoing treatment at recurrence. There was no significant difference in median OS for dogs with histologically complete vs. incomplete tumour excision (990 vs. 903 days). Although specific risk factors for recurrence were not identified, elevations in liver values were noted in patients with recurrent disease and could act as a noninvasive surveillance tool. Recurrence was noted earlier in dogs who had routine post-operative surveillance (228 vs. 367 days). Routine surveillance for recurrence is recommended especially in dogs where further intervention is possible and should extend beyond 1 year. Patients with massive HCC have a good long-term prognosis regardless of incomplete excision, pulmonary metastasis, or recurrent local disease., (© 2022 The Authors. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To report intraoperative and immediate postoperative complications associated with removal of metastatic iliosacral lymph nodes in dogs with apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma., Animals: There were 136 client-owned dogs in the study., Procedure: Retrospective multi-institutional study. The database of collaborating institutions was searched for dogs with metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma that underwent lymphadenectomy for removal of one or more iliosacral lymph nodes. Information of signalment, hematological abnormalities, abdominal computed tomography or ultrasound findings, number and size of enlarged lymph nodes, intraoperative and postoperative complications, treatment and outcome were collected., Results: The overall complication rate associated with metastatic iliosacral lymphadenectomy was 26.1%. The only intraoperative complication recorded was hemorrhage and was reported in 24 (17.6%) surgeries, 11 (45.8%) of which received a blood transfusion. Postoperative complications were reported in 10.4% of surgeries, and included edema formation ( n = 4, 2.6%), unilateral or bilateral paraparesis ( n = 4, 2.6%), hypotension ( n = 3, 2.0%), surgical site infection ( n = 2, 1.3%), abdominal incision dehiscence ( n = 1, 0.6%), urinary incontinence ( n = 1, 0.6%), and death ( n = 1, 0.6%). The size of the iliosacral lymph nodes was significantly associated with a greater risk of complications, hemorrhage, and the need of transfusion during lymphadenectomy for metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma., Conclusion: Complications associated with iliosacral lymphadenectomy for metastatic apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma are relatively common and mostly relate to hemorrhage. These complications are significantly associated with the size of the extirpated metastatic lymph nodes., Clinical Relevance: This retrospective study provides information for the clinician regarding the potential surgical complications for extirpation of metastatic iliosacral lymph nodes. These complications, although not common, can be severe and should be discussed with owners before surgery., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Abdominal ultrasound with spleen and liver cytology is part of routine staging for canine mast cell tumors (MCTs). However, such tests are associated with increased morbidity and cost. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine if spleen cytology was predictive of liver cytology in canine MCTs and if any patient or tumor variables were associated with spleen and/or liver metastasis. Records of dogs with MCTs and cytology of spleen and liver were reviewed. Two hundred five patients were included. Overall, 22 (10.7%) patients had metastasis, with 21 (10.2%) and 13 (6.3%) having spleen and liver metastasis, respectively, and 12 (5.9%) having both. For patients with a positive (or negative) spleen cytology, the odds ratio of having a positive (or negative) liver cytology was 233.49. However, a negative spleen cytology had a higher predictive value (0.99) than a positive cytology (0.54). Finally, the presence of local and systemic signs and tumor size were associated with spleen, liver, and/or spleen or liver metastasis. These results suggest that spleen cytology is predictive of liver cytology in staging of canine MCTs, and increasing tumor size and presence of local or systemic signs are associated with an increased risk of visceral metastasis., (© 2022 by American Animal Hospital Association.)

Sertoli cell tumours are one of the most common canine testicular neoplasia. These tumours are significantly more likely to arise in cryptorchid dogs and are often functional, oestrogen-secreting tumours which can lead to fatal myelotoxicity. The goal of this study was to describe the outcome of dogs with oestrogen-induced bone marrow suppression secondary to Sertoli cell tumours in seven client-owned dogs. Medical records from April 1, 2011 through April 1, 2021 were reviewed to identify dogs that underwent surgical management of a Sertoli cell tumour with documented bone marrow suppression. Overall, 5/7 dogs required transfusion of blood products peri-operatively. Cases 1 and 6 received a transfusion of packed red blood cells (RBC) prior to surgery and case 5 required a transfusion of whole blood. Case 1 also required a transfusion of platelets before surgery. Post-operatively, cases 1 and 2 received packed RBC's and case 6 received two transfusions of whole blood. Case 3 required transfusions of both fresh frozen plasma and platelets post-operatively. All dogs survived to discharge and 6/7 dogs had documented improvement in haematopoietic values. Two dogs remained chronically thrombocytopenic. The median hospital stay was 4 days. One dog died within 4 weeks of surgery from worsening pancytopenia. Survival for greater than 1 year was documented in 4/7 dogs, and one dog was lost to follow-up 4 months post-operatively. One dog remained severely pancytopenic 4 weeks post-operatively and received oral lithium treatment. Improvements in all blood cell lines were observed within the 4 weeks and resolution of pancytopenia within 6 weeks. Historically, the prognosis for dogs with bone marrow suppression secondary to Sertoli cell tumours was guarded to poor. This report documented improved outcomes for dogs that underwent surgery, including one dog that received lithium chloride as treatment for Sertoli cell tumour-induced bone marrow suppression., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To determine the most common indications for cranial surgery and identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of complications and death in the perioperative period following cranial surgery., Animals: 150 dogs and 15 cats., Procedures: For this multi-institutional retrospective case series, medical records of dogs and cats that underwent cranial surgery at any of the 4 participating institutions between 1995 and 2016 were reviewed. Variables were evaluated included species, sex, age, neurolocalization, history of preoperative seizures, surgical approach, histological results, perioperative complications, and outcome. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess for risk factors for complications., Results: The most common neurolocalization was the forebrain (110/165 [66.7%]), with 94 (57.0%) animals having had seizures preoperatively. The rostrotentorial (116/165 [70.3%]) and caudotentorial (32/165 [19.4%]) surgical approaches were most commonly reported. The most common indication was the treatment of meningioma (75/142 [52.8%]). Complications arose in 58 of the 165 (35.2%) cases within 24 hours and in 86 (52.1%) cases 1 to 10 days postoperatively. Perioperative complications included hypotension (38/165 [23.0%]) and anemia (27/165 [16.4%]). During the postoperative period, the most common complications were neurologic deficits, seizures, postoperative anemia, and aspiration pneumonia. The mortality rate with death or euthanasia perioperatively or ≤ 10 days postoperatively was 14.5% (24/165). Long-term complications occurred in 65 of the 165 (39.4%) animals, with seizures and neurologic deficits being the most common., Clinical Relevance: Cranial surgery was performed most commonly for the removal of neoplastic lesions in dogs and cats, and most complications were not life-threatening.

While the majority of canine osteosarcomas (OSA) arise from the medullary cavity, a subset arises from the surface of bone. In humans, surface OSA often has a more indolent disease course with better outcomes than medullary OSA. The aim of this retrospective case series was to evaluate the clinical outcome and potential prognostic factors of dogs with surface OSA. Medical records from 11 dogs previously diagnosed with surface OSA were included. Histopathology of cases was evaluated during case review by two veterinary anatomic pathologists. Median progression free interval (PFI) and overall median survival time (OST) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Intergroup comparisons were performed using log-rank tests. Six dogs were diagnosed with periosteal OSA, 4 dogs with parosteal OSA, and one dog with an unclassified surface OSA. Two dogs were found to have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis and four developed metastatic lesions after treatment. The median PFI and median OST for all dogs with surface OSA was 425 and 555 days, respectively. The 6 dogs diagnosed with periosteal OSA had a median PFI of 461 days and median OST of 555 days, while the 4 dogs with parosteal OSA had a PFI of 350 days and the OST could not be calculated. Multiple prognostic factors (surgery, systemic adjunctive therapy, elevated alkaline phosphatase at diagnosis, appendicular vs axial location, mitotic count, and tumour grade) were evaluated and none were prognostic for PFI or OST. Dogs with surface OSA appear to have prolonged PFI and OST, consistent with humans with surface OSA., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: While rare, multiple individual case reports have described mixed thyroid tumours in dogs containing both epithelial and mesenchymal neoplastic components., Objectives: In this retrospective case series, we describe the clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of 14 dogs of canine thyroid tumours with concurrent mesenchymal and epithelial neoplastic populations., Methods: Fourteen cases were retrospectively abstracted from nine institutions. Histopathologic samples and reports were collected from 10/14 dogs and reviewed by a single board-certified anatomic pathologist., Results: All 14 dogs had curative-intent surgery to remove the thyroid neoplasm. The most common surgery performed was a unilateral thyroidectomy (10/14 dogs). Postoperatively, systemic therapy was administered in eight dogs. Six dogs developed local recurrence with a median time to loco-regional recurrence of 53 days. Ten dogs developed metastatic disease with the most common metastatic site being the lungs (6/10 dogs), with a median time to metastasis of 93 days. Ten dogs were euthanised due to locoregional or distant progression of their mixed thyroid neoplasm. The overall median survival time was 156 days (95%CI: 49-244). The median survival time for dogs treated with adjuvant therapy was 189 days (95%CI: 24-244), whereas dogs without adjuvant therapy had a median survival time of 156 days (95%CI: 35-upper limit could not be calculated; p = 0.62)., Conclusion: The thyroid tumours with both mesenchymal and epithelial components in this small sample set were associated with a poor prognosis after surgical excision with or without adjunctive therapy., (© 2022 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To describe a modified approach to closed anal sacculectomy and report the short-term outcomes of dogs that underwent the procedure for treatment of neoplasia., Animals: 16 client-owned dogs., Procedures: Medical records of 1 referral hospital were reviewed to identify dogs that underwent modified closed anal sacculectomy for treatment of anal sac neoplasia between January 2018 and September 2020. Data collected included signalment, examination and diagnostic imaging findings, surgical details, intraoperative and postoperative complications, cytologic and histologic findings, adjuvant treatments, duration of follow-up, and short-term outcome., Results: 15 dogs had apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma, and 1 had a collision tumor. No dogs had intraoperative complications; 1 dog had a minor postoperative complication (paraparesis) that resolved. The median duration of postoperative follow-up was 286 days (range, 67 to 777 days). One dog had confirmed local disease recurrence 290 days after surgery, and 1 had suspected local disease recurrence 203 days after surgery and was euthanized because of systemic disease progression., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: The modified closed anal sacculectomy was well tolerated in this sample of dogs, with minimal short-term complications. This study provided evidence to justify evaluation of the procedure in a larger number of dogs and assessment of the effects of procedural modifications on postoperative complication rates and time to local recurrence.

The invasive, locally aggressive nature of feline injection-site sarcomas (FISSs) poses a unique challenge for surgeons to obtain complete margins with surgical excision. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technology that uses light waves to generate real-time views of tissue architecture, provides an emerging solution to this dilemma by allowing fast, high-resolution scanning of surgical margins. The purpose of this study was to use OCT to assess surgical margins of FISS and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of OCT for detecting residual cancer using six evaluators of varying experience. Five FISSs were imaged with OCT to create a training set of OCT images that were compared with histopathology. Next, 25 FISSs were imaged with OCT prior to histopathology. Six evaluators of varying experience participated in a training session on OCT imaging after which each of the evaluators was given a dataset that included OCT images and videos to score on a scale from cancerous to non-cancerous. Diagnostic accuracy statistics were calculated. The overall sensitivity and specificity for classification of OCT images by evaluators were 78.9% and 77.6%, respectively. Correct classification rate of OCT images was associated with experience, while individual sensitivities and specificities had more variation between experience groups. This study demonstrates the ability of evaluators to correctly classify OCT images with overall low levels of experience and training and also illustrates areas where increased training can improve accuracy of evaluators in interpretation of OCT surgical margin images., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical imaging modality that has been investigated for real-time surgical margin evaluation in human breast cancer patients. Previous veterinary OCT studies have been limited to surgical margin imaging for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) tumours. To the authors knowledge, OCT has never been used to characterize or evaluate other types of neoplasia in dogs. The goal of this study was to characterize the OCT imaging appearance of apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma (AGASACA) in excised ex vivo specimens from five client-owned dogs. All excised tissue surgical margins were imaged using a clinical spectral domain OCT system and two to four areas suspicious for incomplete surgical margins were selected. These areas were inked and sections were trimmed for histopathology. This enabled OCT imaging from each area of interest to be compared with corresponding H&E stained histology imaging from the same location. OCT was able to identify the presence of AGASACA at or within 1 mm of the surgical margin in all areas of interest. AGASACA, similar to the previously described canine STS, generated a dense, highly scattering image without any specific textural architecture. This study was able to validate the ability of OCT to accurately identify another type of tumour presence at or close to the surgical margin in the dog. Further study is needed to assess OCT accuracy at identifying other tumour types in dogs to understand its potential clinical applications., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)