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An 8-year-old male intact miniature poodle presented for blindness, obtundation, tetraparesis, and vestibular signs. Magnetic resonance imaging, radiography, and ultrasound revealed a left piriform lobe lesion, right cerebellar and left brainstem lesions, and hydrocephalus and bilateral calvarial defects. Histopathology confirmed a choroid plexus carcinoma with meningeal and intraventricular metastases. The calvarial defect did not show evidence of necrosis, osteoclastic resorption, inflammation or neoplastic infiltration, reflecting a quiescent calvarial atrophy or dysplasia. These novel findings supported inclusion of bone atrophy secondary to chronic increased intracranial pressure as a differential diagnosis for large calvarial defects in dogs with choroid plexus carcinoma.

A 1-year, 8-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback was presented with obtundation, ambulatory tetraparesis, and myoclonus. Initial clinical findings included ionized hypercalcemia with an apparent marked increase in parathyroid hormone, thrombocytopenia, and nonregenerative anemia. Low numbers of circulating atypical cells were noted on blood film evaluation. Brain magnetic resonance imaging identified an extra-axial contrast enhancing subtentorial lesion, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis documented a marked atypical lymphocytic pleocytosis. Flow cytometry performed on the CSF demonstrated expression of only CD45, CD90, and MHC class II, with Pax5 positivity on subsequent immunohistochemistry. The final diagnosis was of B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma or acute leukemia, given the distribution of disease and the presence of significant bone marrow infiltration alongside an aggressive clinical course. The unusual immunophenotype of the neoplastic cells and hypercalcemia presented antemortem diagnostic challenges, highlighting the need for a multidisciplinary approach and caution in the interpretation of clinical abnormalities in cases with multiple comorbidities.

Computed tomography (CT) is used to document upper airway lesions in dogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. The presence of an endotracheal tube during CT scanning is often required for general anesthesia. We hypothesized that the endotracheal tube placement would change the soft tissue dimensions of the upper airway. The aims of this prospective, method comparison study were to evaluate the reliability of the previously reported upper airway CT measurements with endotracheal tube placement, and to propose measurements that are minimally affected by the endotracheal tube. Twenty brachycephalic dogs were included in this study. Each dog underwent head/neck CT with an endotracheal tube, followed by a second scan without the endotracheal tube. Ten measurements of the soft palate, nasopharynx, and trachea were performed. Tracheal dimension was significantly larger with the endotracheal tube compared to without, whereas the soft palate cross-sectional area was significantly smaller with the endotracheal tube than without the endotracheal tube. The influence of the endotracheal tube on the caudal nasopharynx cross-sectional (transverse-sectional) area varied with a mean proportional absolute difference of 35%. Rostral soft palate thickness, tracheal perimeter, and cross-sectional area of the rostral nasopharynx were the measurements least affected by the endotracheal tube (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.964, 0.967, and 0.951, respectively). Therefore, we proposed that these three measurements may be most useful for future brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome studies that require CT scanning of intubated animals. However, with endotracheal tube placement, measurements of soft palate length, caudal nasopharyngeal cross-sectional area, and trachea height and width may not be reliable.

Objectives To assess the prevalence, clinical significance and breed distribution of linear branching mineralisation superimposed on the hepatic radiographic silhouette in dogs. Materials and methods Retrospective review of radiographs or ultrasound images of dogs showing branching mineralisation in the liver. Results Over the 30-year review period, 17 cases were identified and the mineralisation had a predominantly ventral distribution. Seven of the 17 were cavalier King Charles spaniels, and four of the total 17 dogs were diagnosed with hepatobiliary system disease. Five dogs had repeat radiographs, of which four showed no change in the pattern and one developed the pattern 6 years after being diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis. Serum calcium concentrations were normal in all patients. Liver enzymes were markedly elevated only in the dog diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis. Histology performed on three patients showed no convincing evidence of primary liver disease. Clinical significance Branching mineralisation in the liver parenchyma is a rare finding in dogs with little or no clinical significance and cavalier King Charles spaniels may be predisposed. Biopsy of the liver of affected dogs with no clinical or clinicopathological evidence of liver disease is unlikely to be helpful in these cases.

© 2017 British Veterinary Association. All rights reserved. A 3.6-year-old neutered female labrador retriever was presented with one month's history of left hindlimb lameness and a five-day history of anorexia. A severe osteolytic and osteoproductive polyostotic bone lesion affecting the proximal aspect of the tibia and the distal aspect of the femur was seen on radiographs. Histopathological evaluation confirmed cellulitis, myositis, neutrophilic osteomyelitis and bone necrosis and culture revealed a pure growth of β-haemolytic Listeria species. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of osteomyelitis caused by Listeria species in a dog without any identified primary cause of infection.