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Objectives To identify bacterial microorganisms associated with canine keratomalacia, review their antimicrobial sensitivity, and evaluate clinical outcomes compared to results of microbial culture. Methods Retrospective analysis of clinical records of dogs diagnosed with a melting corneal ulcer presented to a referral hospital in Hertfordshire, UK between 2014 and 2018. Results One hundred and ten melting corneal ulcers were sampled in 106 dogs. The most common pure bacterial isolate was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 26) followed by β-hemolytic Streptococcus (n = 12). Melting corneal ulcers that cultured coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, coliform bacteria, Pasteurella multocida, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus viridans presented in smaller numbers and were analyzed together (n = 16). Multiple cultures were identified in nine cases (n = 9). Forty-seven cultures yielded no bacterial growth (n = 47). The susceptibility to fluoroquinolones remained high with the exception of β-hemolytic Streptococci. There was no significant difference in the ulcer severity at presentation in regard to the cultured bacteria. Overall, 63 eyes (57%) received surgical grafting in addition to medical treatment. In 14 cases (13%), the progression of corneal melting despite medical ± surgical treatment resulted in enucleation. Fifty-seven percent (8/14) of the enucleated eyes cultured pure Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. In contrast, all β-hemolytic Streptococcus-associated ulcers healed. Conclusions The most common bacterial species associated with canine keratomalacia were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and β-hemolytic Streptococcus. Because of the variation in antibacterial sensitivity between these two species, bacterial culture and sensitivity testing should be performed in all dogs presenting with keratomalacia. Melting corneal ulcers associated with pure Pseudomonas infection were significantly more likely to result in globe loss than melting corneal ulcers associated with other cultures.

One of the primary objectives of the Oncology-Pathology Working Group (OPWG), a joint initiative of the Veterinary Cancer Society and the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, is for oncologists and pathologists to collaboratively generate consensus documents to standardize aspects of and provide guidelines for oncologic pathology. Consensus is established through critical review of peer-reviewed literature relevant to a subgroup's particular focus. Subsequent acceptance and approval of the document by the OPWG membership at large establishes consensus. The intent of this publication is to help educate practitioners and pathologists on the value of diagnostics related to the KIT receptor tyrosine kinase for canine cutaneous mast cell tumours and to provide a guide for the use of these tests in veterinary medicine. This document represents the opinions of the OPWG and the authors and does not constitute a formal endorsement by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists or the Veterinary Cancer Society.

Hypermanganesemia is commonly recognized in human patients with hepatic insufficiency and portosystemic shunting. Since manganese is neurotoxic, increases in brain manganese concentrations have been implicated in the development of hepatic encephalopathy although a direct causative role has yet to be demonstrated. Evaluate manganese concentrations in dogs with a naturally occurring congenital shunt before and after attenuation as well as longitudinally following the changes in hepatic encephalopathy grade. Our study demonstrated that attenuation of the shunt resolved encephalopathy, significantly reduced postprandial bile acids, yet a hypermanganasemic state persisted. This study demonstrates that resolution of hepatic encephalopathy can occur without the correction of hypermanganesemia, indicating that increased manganese concentrations alone do not play a causative role in encephalopathy. Our study further demonstrates the value of the canine congenital portosystemic shunt as a naturally occurring spontaneous model of human hepatic encephalopathy.

Objective To describe aqueocentesis cytopathology results from dogs and cats presenting for uveitis investigation and to determine whether this is a useful and safe procedure. Animal Studied Dogs and cats presenting for investigation of anterior uveitis (April 2008–December 2013). Procedures Aqueous was collected via limbal entry under sedation/general anesthesia, for cytopathology and occasionally bacterial culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Further workup included blood testing (hematology, biochemistry, and serology), diagnostic imaging, nonocular cytopathology, and available histopathology. Results Fifty-six dogs and 39 cats were included in the study. An aqueous cytopathologic diagnosis of lymphoma (or discrete cell neoplasia) was made in six dogs and seven cats, and a diagnosis of large cell carcinoma made in one dog. This diagnosis of lymphoma was confirmed by ocular histopathology in two dogs and one cat; nonocular cytopathology corroborated lymphoma in another three dogs and five cats. Lymphoma was not evident on aqueous cytopathology but confirmed on nonocular histopathology in two dogs and by cytopathology in one cat. Additionally, aqueous cytopathology in three cats suggested, but was not considered diagnostic of, lymphoma; one of these cats had a confirmatory diagnosis of lymphoma on subsequent clinical investigation. Aqueous humor cytopathology alone was not diagnostic in non-neoplastic anterior uveitis cases, but supplemented the clinical picture with other systemic diagnostic tests. No clinically important complications were reported in association with aqueocentesis. Conclusions Aqueocentesis is performed readily with minimal risk. The results were primarily useful in aiding a diagnosis of lymphoma in both dogs and cats.

In this report, we describe a case of retrobulbar abscessation in a dog that was initially diagnosed as masticatory myositis and treated with immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids. Secondary bacterial infection of the central nervous system (CNS) occurred and was definitively diagnosed by the analysis and culture of the cerebrospinal fluid. This is the first time that retrobulbar infection has been definitively shown to result in secondary bacterial infection of the CNS in the dog and highlights the importance of ruling out infectious causes of retrobulbar disease before assuming and treating for an immune-mediated etiology.